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Jon Rudolph

Don't Let Your Halloween Turn Into a TRIP HAZARD Nightmare!!

10-31-09
Jon Rudolph

BOO! BE AWARE, TAKE ACTION!!! Don't Let Your Halloween Turn Into a TRIP HAZARD Nightmare!!

Halloween can be the worst time for trip hazard falls, injury and liability as kids and parents of all ages walk and run onto your dark property eager to receive treats.

Any small to large and irregular surface displacement can be a trip hazard and action should be taken to minimize risk.

ID Property Inspection Warraning

Suggestions: Use Halloween decorations as a means to obstruct and slow down foot traffic at sidewalks, driveways, patio, etc.; any walkway path that may pose a trip hazard. For example, Caution Tape over a saw horse or hay bale across the hazards. Use your imagination, for anything that might overt, alert and avoid a trip. Adequate lighting will also help!

Oh yeah, get it fixed as soon as you can ;))

I.D. Property Inspections, Inc. wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable Halloween.

NCC-ASHI Senior Safety Saturday Oct. 17th

10-11-09
Jon Rudolph

3rd Annual FREE Senior Home Safety Check-ups, Sat Oct 17th for Northern Colorado Senior Home Owners!

Realtors and other professionals in the real estate and home services industries, this is agreat reason to connect with past clients and inform them of this free community service or let them know to offer to inform their qualifying family members.

The Northern Colorado Chapter of American Society of Home Inspectors (NCC-ASHI) offers this community service once a year. Many of its professional home Inspector memebership performs the skill-based 40+ point home safety check, including furnace and water heaters for gas & exhaust (CO) leaks.

See http://www.id-inspections.com/SeniorSafetySaturday for more details!

Credit Card Home Inspection Scam Busted!

08-11-09
Jon Rudolph

Credit Card Scam Busted!

This is interesting. I recently posted on FB the wonderful benefit of the internet in terms of customers finding your business and ordering services without having to spend time selling.

Well, that still holds true. However, like everything there is an equally disturbing dark side.

My so called internet client ordered an inspection, through www.nationalreclocation.com. Through a series of e-mails to schedule the inspection, they slipped in the request to have an extra $800 charged against the credit card and the balance wire transferred to their client (alleged home buyer). At this point it was clear this was a scam.

However, the "buyer's agent" persisted and e-mailed me the credit card information. This information contained the full name, address, credit card number, expiration date and CVV2 number on back of card. This information was for a 3rd party person.

I gave the story and information to the police. I just heard back from the officer.

It turns out the potential victim (the person whose credit card information I received) had no idea her credit card information was stolen. She was holding the card in her hand as the officer explained the situation. She was totally stunned.

She is now in the process of cancelling the card and reporting the ID theft to her local police. Fortunately, it doesn't sound like any stolen charges have been processed yet.

Three points to this event:

•1) Don't hesitate to act. It may never be too late. This could have easily been dismissed as a waste of my time or doesn't affect me don't get involved scenario. This victim could have been me or anyone else I know. She may get by with only a scare and no monetary losses because someone acted.

•2) Any place you run your card is a potential source for ID theft. This victim had no idea how her credit card information was stolen.

•3) Anyone that processes credit cards needs to be alert to someone trying to use them and their services for part of a scam. This scam was obvious, others may not be.

Colorado's New Carbon Monoxide Alarm Law NOW in EFFECT

07-01-09
Jon Rudolph

Colorado's Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm Law goes into effect TODAY (July 1, 2009) see http://www.id-inspections.com/CarbonMonoxide for more information.

Briefly:

1. The law applies to dwelling units that have a fuel fired heater or appliance, a fireplace, or an attached garage.

2. If any of these conditions exist, then the law applies to sellers of dwelling units offered for sale on or after July 1, 2009; dwelling units where, on or after July 1, 2009, remodeling occurs that requires a building permit; or dwelling units used for rental purposes that have a change of occupancy after July 1, 2009.

3. If any of these three events occurs, then the unit must have an operational carbon monoxide alarm installed within fifteen (15) feet of the entrance to each room lawfully used for sleeping purposes or in a location specified by any applicable building code.

4. This latter requirement is overridden if the multi-family dwelling has a central alarm system and the carbon monoxide alarm is installed within twenty-five feet of the fuel fired heater, fireplace or garage.

5. In addition, in connection with rental units, the law mandates certain actions that the unit owner must take with respect to installation and replacement of alarms, and provision of batteries to assure that the alarms are operational.

6. While the law is somewhat vague with respect to who is obligated to install the alarm when the circumstances giving rise to the requirement is either remodeling or rental, it does not appear to require associations to be responsible for compliance or assurance of an owner's compliance. Rather, it appears that the onus is on the unit owner to install the alarm and assure its ongoing maintenance and operation.

7. If the alarm is installed according to the manufacturer's instructions and the new law, then the owner of the property, his/her authorized agent, person in possession of the property and the installer are immune from liability for damages resulting from operation, maintenance, or effectiveness of the alarm

Source: City of Loveland Development Services Building Division

Online Inspection Ordering and Scheduling

06-04-09
Jon Rudolph

Question: How helpful is it for Realtors and homebuyers to have online web based inspection service ordering and scheduling?

Very few home inspectors offer this, due to fear of putting their inspection service fees out in public for competitiors or price shoppers.

Well, I just added this feature because of the positive feedback from some. We'll see how it works.

Benefits: Can't answer all phone calls at all times. Should reduce risk of lost inspections due to short-term missed calls.

Should reduce time spent on phone with price checkers or people checking availability.

Should increase add-on services due to customer exposure of menu options.

Any thoughts?

Jon Rudolph

http://www.id-inspections.com