{"id":369063,"date":"2020-08-24T12:48:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-24T17:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/realestate\/buying-a-home\/can-i-sue-a-home-inspector.html"},"modified":"2025-12-05T09:37:42","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T14:37:42","slug":"can-i-sue-a-home-inspector","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/realestate\/buying-a-home\/can-i-sue-a-home-inspector.html","title":{"rendered":"Can I Sue a Home Inspector?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Can I Sue a Home Inspector?<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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You can indeed sue your home inspector<\/span>. Before doing so, consider the inspector’s expertise, documentation, inspection limitations, and any liability waivers you signed. It’s also possible the seller, not the inspector, is responsible for hidden issues.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Selling a house can be stressful enough with issues caused by the inspection popping up during the closing. Whether you have a good case depends on what the home inspector<\/span> did and how it caused you harm.\u00a0You can choose to go to a small claims court<\/span><\/a>, where your compensation is limited to your state’s damages cap. There\u2019s also the option of filing a lawsuit with a local court.<\/p>\n

Certified <\/span>home inspectors<\/span> are hired by home buyers<\/span> to inspect a house for defects before purchase. Buyers want to purchase a house in good repair without needing to spend additional money fixing hidden damage and defects. Sellers want to sell their house without having to rebuild the house from the ground up. Home inspectors<\/span> sometimes tell both parties things they don\u2019t want to hear before the sale closes.<\/p>\n

Buyers can sue a home inspector<\/span> if they can show that both of the following apply:<\/p>\n