Before the professional inspects the home that you are buying, you will be asked to sign an acknowledgment of the scope of the inspection. This document will probably include a disclaimer clause designed to relieve the company of responsibility if they should miss a defect. What happens if a defect is missed during an inspection?

The disclaimer clause may get the inspection company off the hook for a defect if there is no visual indication of a problem. If the inspector clearly indicated that he was not checking for that problem--many inspectors do not check for dry rot or inspect roofs--then the recourse will be limited. If negligence is involved, or if the defect should have been obvious to a professional inspector, the disclaimer is not likely to protect the inspector. If you find an undiscovered defect, discuss the matter with the inspector. Depending on the situation, the responsibility for remedying the problem may rest with you, the sellers, and/or the inspector.

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