At least say Thank You

I did a home inspection last week on a bankowned property. I got there on time and listing agent opened up the home for me. I found the water and the gas off. Told the agent. Well it is not HIS job to ensure the utilities are on, go ahead and do what you can. No I can't do that without speaking with my clients. I call the clients and they want all utilites on so I can do a full inspection. The agent is ruffled. I tell him to call me when the gas and water is on and we can reschedule. Three days later, calls and we set it up, he said he will leave the front door unlocked. I get there. The gas is on, the water is not. Call the agent. He said he 'thought' the water was supposed to be on as well. We reschedule. I go out there again and the water and gas and electric are on. I do my inspection. My clients are very happy that I was "willing" to make three trips to the home to inspect it for them.

The thing is that this listing agent never even said thank you,OR, say can I buy you lunch or some gasoline for coming out three times?  NOPE, not a word, like it is MY job to endure these kinds of things.

My gas to this home I calculated to be $6 per trip. No, it was only $12 extra that I had to pay to do the job and maybe some may say it is "part of doing business."   Well, how about at least a thank you?!

I just don't get the lack of manners of some "professionals"

 
Post is included in group: Ask the Home Inspector
Post is included in group: Ethics and the home inspector
Post is included in group: Silent Majority

6 Comments on At least say Thank You

It is a shame that you didn't get the appreciation you felt you deserved.  Many times we are in that situation; the way I see it is, what comes around goes around.  Try not to let it get to you..

 

04/23/2008 03:07 PM by Cynthia Mader (Long and Foster Real Estate inc.)


Frank:

I think you are owed some trip charges.

04/23/2008 03:13 PM by ยป Bill Burress Nationwide Mortgage Originator


Frank, I would have let the second one go----the third time I would have told my buyer there needed to be some "adjustment" of the quoted price---unless it was aweful close to my house.  It is not just the gas---this could have cost you the time you could have done two other inspections.

04/23/2008 09:33 PM by Charles Buell, Seattle, WA, Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com)


I usually have a $25 trip charge when I have a scheduled inspection that doesn't come off for whatever reason, and have to go back. That way, I don't have to feel like someone owes me a thank you.

My office usually tells people about the charge up front, just in case. Especially if it is a vacant property, because I can't tell you how many times I've gotten to a house that is supposed to have all the utilities on and doesn't. It can be a real time and gas waster- if you let it be.

04/24/2008 07:11 AM by H.I.S. Home Inspections (Kevin Corsa) NE Ohio Home Inspector (H.I.S. Home Inspections)


You are deserved some compensation for the extra trips, by the sellers, not the buyers. The listing agent in my opinion is not very "professional" when confronted with the fact that he or she made a mistake "twice" and had you come back again and again. Next time, demand they compensate before you go back out there.

Sometimes you have to remind people how to be professional, manners are taught not caught!

04/24/2008 08:13 AM by Nicholas Goglucci, PA., CLHMS, ePro Re/Max Professional in South Florida (RE/Max In Motion, Inc.)


It really is amazing how far a "Thank you" will go. If only more people in this profession realized that.

Trust me I could go on, but I'll just leave it at that.

04/24/2008 09:42 AM by Mike Chamberlain MC2 Home Inspections, Indianapolis (MC2 Home Inspections)


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Inspector: Frank Ross (Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection of SW Utah)
Frank Ross
Saint George, UT
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