Choosing a Licensed Wood-Destroying Organism (WDO) Inspector
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Choosing a Licensed Wood-Destroying Organism (WDO) Inspector

   

Choosing a Licensed Wood-Destroying Organism (WDO) Inspector1

Faith M. Oi, Paul Mitola, Kathleen Ruppert, Michael Page and Mark Ruff2

The Problem

During 2004, there were over 100 known illegal Termite and Wood-Destroying Organism (WDO) inspectors at work in the state, filling out Form 13645. Form 13645 is important to consumers in Florida because if an inspection for termites and other WDOs is often done as part of a real estate transaction. When this happens, Florida Statute 482.266 requires Form 13645 be issued to the person (or agent) requesting the inspection. For more information on Form 13645, as it pertains to home buyers, see http://www.floridatermitehelp.org/ and click on Understanding Real Estate WDO Report Information. In addition, consumers should be aware that the home inspection industry remains unregulated in Florida. However, this will change effective July 1, 2010.

Distinguishing between a WDOI and a Structural Inspection

Two types of inspections homeowners typically request prior to the time of closing on real estate include WDO inspection and the structural home inspection. The difference between these inspection types may not be apparent to someone new to the state or to inexperienced buyers. The WDO inspection is for termites and other WDOs (such as wood boring beetles and fungi); the home inspection is for the structural condition of the home (including electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc.). There are excellent home inspection companies in the state that provide detailed reports on the condition of the home, including notations of structural damage related to termites and other WDOs on forms other than Form 13645. However, home inspectors cannot legally perform WDO inspections unless they work for a licensed pest control company and have been properly trained to perform a WDO inspection using Form 13645 to report the inspection findings. The fact that some home inspectors have crossed over to the pest control side and can legally complete Form 13645 has resulted in confusion over the differences between a home inspection and the WDO inspection. Table 1 provides the reader a clarifying summary of the inspection differences.

How do you know you are contracting the services of a legal termite inspector?

The inspector should be a certified operator in the category of "termites and other wood-destroying organisms" or an employee of a certified operator with a valid ID card containing the endorsement "WDO inspector." A "certified operator" is defined by Florida Statute as "an individual holding a current pest control operator's certificate issued by the department" (FS 482.021). Employees also are known as technicians or "ID cardholders." An "ID cardholder" or certified operator should be able to produce his or her ID card, issued by DACS upon request.

Table 1. Comparison of the Scope of the Termite and WDO Inspection Versus a Typical Home Inspection in Regard to Regulation.

Termite and WDO Inspection

Home Inspection
Purpose
Report visible and accessible WDO and/or damage.

http://pmu.ifas.ufl.edu/reference.html


Report on accessible systems and components which are "significantly deficient or at the end of their service lives."

http://www.fabi.org/frmstandards2.aspx


Who can do the inspection?
Licensed pest control operators or their employees with "WDO inspector" endorsement on their ID card.
Anyone. Until July 1, 2010 home inspectors are not regulated in the state of Florida.
Professional Liability Insurance Required?
Yes, for "errors and omissions" (E&O) and "general liability" (GL). Company must have a net worth over $100,000 or carry a minimum of $50,000 insurance for E&O (FS 482.226(8)). There are other insurance requirements as well. (See FS 482.071(4) details.)


 None until July 1, 2020 and then a home inspector must maintain a commercial general liability insurance policy in a amount not less than $300,000.
Regulated by:


 Florida State Statute 482 and Rule Chapter 5E-14 of Florida Administrative Code.
None currently. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) will regulate home inspectors, mold assessors, and mold remediators effective July 1, 2010.

Are all inspectors with Home Inspection Companies illegal? No.

There are some home inspection companies that have certified "WDO inspectors" working for them. Legitimate home inspection companies doing WDOs (Form 13645) will have an on-staff certified pest control operator in the FDACS Pest Control Operator category of termite. You can verify that you are dealing with a legal inspector by checking his/her ID card. The ID card should have the "WDO inspector" endorsement with the name of the pest control company on the card. Sometimes the home inspection company name and the pest control company name can be the same.

Are all inspectors with Pest Control Company IDs legal? No.

There are some pest control companies "selling" ID cards with the "WDO inspector" endorsement on it. "Selling" an ID card is where a pest control operator provides ID cards for people he/she does not directly employ or supervise, which is illegal. Sometimes, these can be unlicensed home inspectors.
Figure 1. First section of Form 13645, the Wood-Destroying Organisms Inspection Report.

Other ways you can determine a legal termite and WDO inspector:

How was this fraudulent practice uncovered?

Real estate transactions typically require the completion of Form 13645, the Wood Destroying Organism Inspection Report. FDACS was alerted to the fraudulent practice after a buyer completed the transaction, moved in, and found several areas with WDO significant damage, not reported on the final inspection report. Since the purchase was complete, the buyer was left to either repair it at his cost or try and sue, another cost. As per procedure, FDACS investigated the complaint and uncovered the fraudulent WDO inspectors. Keep informed. Don't become a victim of illegal business practices.

Additional Information

For information pertaining to WDOs, see http://www.flaes.org/aes-ent/termitehelp/index.html .

For information about the requirements for home inspectors, mold assessors, and mold remediators effective July 1, 2010, see:

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm? App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0468/part15.htm&StatuteYear=2007&Title=%2D%3E2007%2D%3EChapter%20468%2D%3EPart%20XV and http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_ mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0468/part16.htm&StatuteYear=2007&Title=%2D%3E2007%2D%3EChapter%20468%2D%3EPart%20XVI

Footnotes

1. This document is ENY-2005 (IN629), one of a series of the Department of Entomology and Nematology, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Date first published: July 2005. Revised: June 2008. Please visit the EDIS Website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Faith M. Oi, assistant extension scientist, Department of Entomology and Nematology; Paul Mitola, Environmental Specialist II, DACS, Bureau of Entomology and Pest Control and Kathleen Ruppert, associate extension scientist, Program for Resource Efficient Communities, Michael Page, Bureau Chief, DACS, Entomology and Pest Control and Mark Ruff, Esq, Alvarez, Sambol, Winthrop and Madson, PA, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.


Copyright Information

This document is copyrighted by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) for the people of the State of Florida. UF/IFAS retains all rights under all conventions, but permits free reproduction by all agents and offices of the Cooperative Extension Service and the people of the State of Florida. Permission is granted to others to use these materials in part or in full for educational purposes, provided that full credit is given to the UF/IFAS, citing the publication, its source, and date of publication.