The Commission adopts by reference Property Inspection Report
Form REI 7-5, approved by the Commission for use in reporting inspections
results. This document is published by and available from the Commission
website: www.trec.texas.gov, or by writing to the Commission at Texas
Real Estate Commission, P.O. Box 12188, Austin, Texas 78711-2188.
(1) Except as provided by this section, inspections
performed for a prospective buyer or prospective seller of substantially
complete one-to-four family residential property shall be reported
on Form REI 7-5 adopted by the Commission ("the standard form").
(2) Inspectors may reproduce the standard form by computer
or from printed copies obtained from the Commission. Except as specifically
permitted by this section, the inspector shall reproduce the text
of the standard form verbatim and the spacing, borders and placement
of text on the page must appear to be identical to that in the printed
version of the standard form.
(3) An inspector may make the following changes to
the standard form:
(A) delete the line for name and license number, of
the sponsoring inspector, if the inspection was performed solely by
a professional inspector;
(B) change the typeface; provided that it is no smaller
than a 10 point font;
(C) change the color of the typeface and checkboxes;
(D) use legal sized (8-1/2" by 14") paper;
(E) add a cover page to the report form;
(F) add footers to each page of the report except the
first page and may add headers to each page of the report;
(G) place the property identification and page number
at either the top or bottom of the page;
(H) add subheadings under items, provided that the
numbering of the standard items remains consistent with the standard
form;
(I) list other items in the corresponding appropriate
section of the report form and additional captions, letters, and check
boxes for those items;
(J) delete inapplicable subsections of Section VI.,
Optional Systems, and re-letter any remaining subsections;
(K) delete Subsection L., Other, of Section I., Structural
Systems; Subsection E., Other of Section IV, Plumbing Supply, Distribution
Systems and Fixtures and Subsection I., Other of Section V., Appliances;
(L) as the inspector deems necessary:
(i) allocate such space for comments in:
(I) the "Additional Information Provided by the Inspector"
section; and
(II) each section provided for comments for each inspected
item;
(ii) attach additional pages of comments; or
(iii) both;
(M) include a service agreement/inspection contract
or contractual terms between the inspector and a client with the standard
form under the "Additional Information Provided by the Inspector"
section or as an attachment to the standard form; and
(N) attach additional pages to the form if:
(i) it is necessary to report the inspection of a component,
or system not contained in the standard form; or
(ii) the space provided on the form is inadequate for
a complete reporting of the Inspection.
(4) The inspector shall renumber the pages of the standard
form to correspond with any changes made necessary due to adjusting
the space for comments or adding additional items and shall number
all pages of the report, including any addenda.
(5) The inspector shall indicate, by checking the appropriate
boxes on the form, whether each item was inspected, not inspected,
not present, or deficient and explain the findings in the corresponding
section in the body of the report form.
(6) This section does not apply to the following:
(A) re-inspections of a property performed for the
same client;
(B) inspections performed for or required by a lender
or governmental agency;
(C) inspections for which federal or state law requires
use of a different report;
(D) quality control construction inspections of new
homes performed for builders, including phased construction inspections,
inspections performed solely to determine compliance with building
codes, warranty or underwriting requirements, or inspections required
by a municipality and the builder or other entity requires use of
a different report, and the first page of the report contains a notice
either in bold or underlined reading substantially similar to the
following: "This report was prepared for a builder or other entity
in accordance with the builder's requirements. The report is not intended
as a substitute for an inspection of the property by an inspector
of the buyer's choice. Standard inspections performed by a license
holder and reported on Commission promulgated report forms may contain
additional information a buyer should consider in making a decision
to purchase." If a report form required for use by the builder or
builder's employee does not contain the notice, the inspector may
attach the notice to the first page of the report at the time the
report is prepared by the inspector;
(E) an inspection of a building or addition that is
not substantially complete; or
(F) inspections of a single system or component as
outlined in clause (ii) of this subparagraph, provided that the first
page of the report contains a notice either in bold or underlined
reading substantially similar to the following: "This report was prepared
for a buyer or seller in accordance with the client's requirements.
The report addresses a single system or component and is not intended
as a substitute for a complete standard inspection of the property.
Standard inspections performed by a license holder and reported on
a Commission promulgated report form may contain additional information
a buyer should consider in making a decision to purchase."
(i) If the client requires the use of a report form
that does not contain the notice, the inspector may attach the notice
to the first page of the report at the time the report is prepared
by the inspector.
(ii) An inspection is considered to be of a single
system or component if the inspection only addresses one of the following
or a portion thereof:
(I) foundation;
(II) framing/structure, as outlined in §535.213(e)(2)
of this title;
(III) building enclosure;
(IV) roof system;
(V) plumbing system;
(VI) electrical system;
(VII) HVAC system;
(VIII) a single appliance; or
(IX) a single optional system as stated in the Standards
of Practice.
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| Source Note: The provisions of this §535.223 adopted to be effective February 1, 2009, 33 TexReg 9241; amended to be effective September 13, 2009, 34 TexReg 6338; amended to be effective January 1, 2014, 38 TexReg 3347; amended to be effective May 21, 2014, 39 TexReg 3862; amended to be effective January 1, 2015, 39 TexReg 9669; amended to be effective September 1, 2015, 40 TexReg 2757 |
