Home Inspector

What is the future for Home Inspectors? The decision to make the Home Condition Report (HCR) a voluntary component of a Home Information Pack (HIP) has all but killed the HCR.

SAVA is the largest certification scheme for Home Inspectors and over the past twelve months just 30 HCRs have been lodged. 

However, SAVA continues to support our Home Inspectors and look for opportunities for them to apply their hard won qualification. In particular, we believe that there is an emerging opportunity for the provision of condition surveys to prospective homebuyers.

The Home Condition Survey

SAVA has therefore developed the SAVA Home Condition Survey (HCS) and qualified Home Inspectors who are members of the SAVA scheme can offer this report to prospective homebuyers.

Sales of the HCS have steadily increased as we have improved the report and as members have become more confident selling it. More than 900 reports were lodged over the past twelve months and registrations are now running at more than 100 per month. Although these numbers remain small, some members are earning good fees for this work.

A recent poll of members who are producing HCS indicated that they are earning fees of between £300 and £600 per report, depending on their local market and on their ability to sell the benefits.

Training and assessment options

We are not currently offering a training and assessment package for new entrants. However if you fall into one of the following categories we may be able to assist:

  • You are already registered with ABBE and have some or all of your reports ready for assessment
  • You have completed training but are still to start assessment and register with the Awarding Body
  • You are an experienced practitioner

Hilary Grayson, head of training and assessmentIf any of the above apply we can help you complete your HI qualification and we offer some training to plug any knowledge gaps. Some of this training will be mandatory. This will depend on your own circumstances and experience.

The first step will be to submit your portfolio or summary of training and experience for a portfolio review day when one of the internal verifiers will review the work undertaken to date and provide an action plan to help you finish.

To discuss your particular circumstances, contact the Training and Assessment team on 01908 442240 by sending us an email.

Email the team