RWS Inspector Services Group

 Background ◦ Attachments to various Realtor Association standard purchase agreements recommends checking products for any potential recalls  Issue ◦ Identifying products through Consumer Products Safety Commission is difficult to impossible. (No way to rule out entirely, difficult to search an entire house full of appliances in a reasonable amount of time)  Solution ◦ RecallChek 2

 In California, Statewide Buyers & Sellers Advisory (SBSA ¶ 32) says ◦ Government & manufacturers may issue or change recall notices or warnings at any time ◦ There is NO single, all-inclusive source of information on product recalls, defective products, or class actions ◦ Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) maintains a website ( ◦ Buyer is referred to website during the inspection contingency period (but rarely if ever visits) ◦ Similar standards are in place or under consideration in most states RWS Inspector Services Group

 There’s not a single, all-inclusive source for Recall data… Over 205 Million products in a database, going back to 1974, covering all major household systems & appliances do? How about the most advanced recall report ever created? RWS Inspector Services Group

RWS Inspector Services Group

 Who Handles Recalled Products? RWS Inspector Services Group Consumer Products, Appliances, Children’s Toys, Outdoor Equipment are all handled by the CPSC Motor Vehicles, Tires, Child Seats, Related equipment are all handled by the NHTSA Boats, Marine Equipment, Boat Safety Issues are all handled by The U.S. Coast Guard Pesticides, Fungicides, Rodenticides, Vehicle Emissions are all handled by the EPA Food, Medicine, and Cosmetics are handled by the FDA, CDC, USDA, and other government agencies.

 Very seldom do they have anything to do with functionality  80%+ are fire hazards stemming from ◦ Improperly insulated wiring ◦ Overheating motors/relays ◦ Component failures you can't see RWS Inspector Services Group

 Nature of the Recall  Where the product was sold  How to remedy the defect  How to get the item repaired/replaced (usually free)  Manufacturer  Contact details  Business hours of the manufacturer RWS Inspector Services Group

 Reports ◦ Delivered in 2 business days or less ◦ Summary  What to do if you have a recalled appliance  What to do if a manufacturer fails to respond  Customer Support Line ◦ Open M-F, 8am -5pm, Eastern Standard Time Reports: ed directly to you! RWS Inspector Services Group

 Order RecallChek (Some Inspectors offer it for free with every Full Home Inspection) ◦ When scheduling the inspection ◦ On-site, at the time of the inspection  Inspector gathers data while at the house  Information sent to RecallChek  RecallChek sends report directly to client and copied to home inspector  Any questions the client has after the report is delivered can be directed to RWS.  Offer – Copy – Send… That’s it! RWS Inspector Services Group

 Make and model numbers for ◦ Air Handler Units, including furnaces ◦ Condensing Units ◦ Water Heaters ◦ Kitchen appliances  Refrigerator  Oven/Stove  Built-in Microwave  Dishwasher  Trash Compactor  Disposal  Exhaust Fans  Any other kitchen appliances with accessible model numbers ◦ Wall Units  Furnaces  Air Conditioners RWS Inspector Services Group

 Inaccessible Model Numbers  RecallChek does not change the scope of the inspection. If it is not visible without removing the appliance or disassembling in any way, it is not within the scope of the inspection  Model Numbers from Appliances more than 40 years old  RecallChek databases go all the way back to 1974, the same standard as the CPSC.  Serial Numbers, Manufacturing Dates, etc.  RecallChek should take less than 5 minutes on-site during the course of a typical home inspection. RWS Inspector Services Group

 Page 1 (reports range from 4 to 20 pages depending on number of recalls found) ◦ Customer Info ◦ Property Address ◦ Date of Inspection ◦ Inspection Company Logo and information (completely customizable) Inspector’s Contact Info Here

 Page 2 ◦ Terms & Conditions ◦ Inspection Company Logo and information (completely customizable) Inspector’s Contact Info Here

 Page 3 ◦ General Safety Notices ◦ Safety notices are derived from information inspector submits and utilizes verbiage from the CPSC ◦ Exceptions and Guarantees specifically expressed to client

 Page 4 ◦ Appliances Itemized ◦ Any potential matches are represented as a percentage of match, along with recommendation ◦ 95% or greater matches should call manufacturer to confirm whether or not their appliance is part of a recall ◦ Support phone number at the bottom of each page in case the client has any questions

 Page 5 ◦ Each potential recalled appliance is accompanied with a detailed report as seen here, spanning 2-5 pages each depending on the detail of information as submitted by the manufacturer to the CPSC ◦ 1 st page always includes Manufacturer & Model number, number of units sold, type of product, and the release number/date

 Page 6 ◦ Each potential recall includes phone numbers for the CPSC (as well as their Media Contact line) and the designated hotline for the firm that recalled the appliance. Each report also includes what time the manufacturer’s office is open (at end of report) ◦ Reports include a description of the potential hazard, a summary of incidents reported, where the product was sold and for how much, as well as the detailed description as reported by the manufacturer to the CPSC

 Page 7 ◦ The last field for each potential recall is the resolution. In this actual recall, the Maytag Corporation is offering a free in-home repair! ◦ Unlike warranty issues or class action settlements, safety recalls generally require the manufacturer to resolve the issue for free

RWS Inspector Services Group

RWS Inspector Services Group