http://cbs4indy.com/2017/06/20/licensed-home-inspectors-claims-dont-check-out-cbs4-finds/
Licensed homeinspector’s claims don’t check out, CBS4 finds
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Multiplehome owners say the inspection reports they received from a licensed Indianahome inspector did not meet state standards.
Kristina and Robert Snellenbergerreached out to CBS4 Problem Solvers in the midst of their home buyingexperience.
It can be an exhausting, nerve-wracking process to buy a house, butthe Snellebergers were committed to a home they found in Stilesville, to thewest of Indianapolis.
“It’s supposed to be a happytime.
This is supposed to be exciting for everybody,” Robert Snellenbergersaid.
Instead, the family ended up on"a roller coaster," saying their home inspection process turned intoa huge headache.
The Snellenbergers searchedonline and found a company called HomeTime Inspections.
The owner, Anthony Maxie, told them he could come out todo the inspection right away, which is why they hired him.
The couple paid $369 for theinspection.
They said Maxie showed up late, spent less than an hour in thehome, and promised to send them the report that night.
Instead, they say ittook days to receive a report, and it did not include extra testing they paidfor in addition to the general inspection.
Robert Snellenberger said thereport itself was not sufficient, and the couple had to hire people to fill inthe gaps in Maxie’s work.
“The lender came back andsaid there was some stuff missing that we still needed to get taken careof,” Snellenberger said.
“(Maxie) disappeared.
He would not returnphone calls, text messages, or emails.”
First-time home buyer AnthonyKamp told CBS4 Problem Solvers he had a very similar experience last August.
Kamp said after he hired Maxie to inspect a home for him, it took a while toget the inspection report, and he never received extra testing.
His report,listed under the company name UAdvantage Home Inspections, cost almost $700.
“I found him through Googleand he said he was veteran-friendly,” Kamp, a veteran himself, said.
CBS4 Problem Solvers took the tworeports to Chris Chirafisi, the training manager at American Home Inspectors Training.
Chirafisi said Maxie took an in-person course from the company in 2013, thesame year he received an Indiana home inspector license.
Chirafisi sent CBS4 a long listof reasons he said the reports did not appear to meet Indiana’s state standardsfor home inspections.
“It really does nothing goodfor the industry, so yes, it is concerning,” Chirafisi said.
CBS4 Problem Solvers also foundthat many of the claims made on the Home Time Inspections website did notappear to check out.
The website uses seals from the “Certified MasterInspector” program and “INTERNachi,” the International Associationof Certified Home Inspectors.
A spokesperson for both said Maxie is not intheir databases.
The company also makes a claimthat is is a “multiple state licensed firm” and lists its coverageareas as Florida, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio.
Maxie is only currently licensedin Indiana.
In Florida, his license is expired, and in Kentucky an officialsaid he is not licensed.
Ohio does not currently require licenses for homeinspectors, but it is being considered by the legislature there.
The Home Time Inspections sitealso linked to a Thumbtack page, which boasted hundreds of positive reviews.
There, Maxie claimed to have an engineering degree from Purdue University andover 30 professional certifications.
A Purdue University spokespersontold CBS4 he could not find an Anthony Maxie in the school’s records.
CBS4 Problem Solvers attempted toreach Maxie to verify the claims on the website and learn more about thecustomers’ experiences from his perspective.
After multiple unreturned callsand emails to Home Time Inspections, Maxie did pick up a cell phone customersprovided for him.
“Actually I’m pretty busy,and we farm those out.
We hire somebody to go get those that have lab resultsand do all that for us. Somebody else did do it,” Maxie said in a briefphone call.
When CBS4 pointed out thatMaxie’s name is on both reports, the call abruptly ended. We could not reachhim again by phone or email.
The next day, Maxie returned a text message,saying in part “Sorry I don’t think I would be available or make a greatstory as much as I like to help you out. Good luck with your project. … Ishould be back sometime next month.”
After CBS4 made contact, theThumbtack page disappeared.
In addition, court recordsrevealed that Maxie has pleaded guilty to three felonies and a misdemeanor inthe last two years.
He was recently assigned to home detention in JacksonCounty. In neighboring Scott County, a probation officer just filed a petitionto revoke probation, saying Maxie has failed to report, pay fees, or attend adrug and alcohol treatment program as directed.
That petition will go before ajudge in August.
“I would never have hiredhim knowing there was a criminal history, at all,” Kristina Snellenbergersaid.
The state of Indiana does have a Home Inspectors Licensing Board, but itdoes not check up on inspectors or look over their work regularly. Instead, aspokesperson said it relies on the Attorney General’s Office to investigate andpresent cases where a license could be revoked.
A spokesperson for the AttorneyGeneral said he could not find any complaints filed against Maxie or the twocompanies listed on the reports.
For the buyers who talked to CBS4Problem Solvers, it’s been a frustrating experience.
They all said it did teachthem a lesson, though: get references and do your research before you hiresomeone to inspect a home for you.
“(Being a) first time homebuyer, I was very naïve to it.
You learn things as you go along,” Kampsaid.
Maxie’s Indiana license expiresOctober 1st.
If he applies to renew it, he will have to fill out paperwork inwhich it asks if you have been convicted of any felonies or misdemeanors sinceyou last renewed your license.