Florida Statutes 468.832 – Disciplinary proceedings
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(1) The following acts constitute grounds for which the disciplinary actions in subsection (2) may be taken:
(a) Violation of any provision of this part or s. 455.227(1).
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 468.832
- Department: means the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. See Florida Statutes 468.8311
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
- Home: means any residential real property, or manufactured or modular home, which is a single-family dwelling, duplex, triplex, quadruplex, condominium unit, or cooperative unit. See Florida Statutes 468.8311
- Home inspection services: means a limited visual examination of the following readily accessible installed systems and components of a home: the structure, electrical system, HVAC system, roof covering, plumbing system, interior components, exterior components, and site conditions that affect the structure, for the purposes of providing a written professional opinion of the condition of the home. See Florida Statutes 468.8311
- Home inspector: means any person who provides or offers to provide home inspection services for a fee or other compensation. See Florida Statutes 468.8311
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
(b) Attempting to procure a license to practice home inspection services by bribery or fraudulent misrepresentation.
(c) Having a license to practice home inspection services revoked, suspended, or otherwise acted against, including the denial of licensure, by the licensing authority of another state, territory, or country.
(d) Being convicted or found guilty of, or entering a plea of nolo contendere to, regardless of adjudication, a crime in any jurisdiction that directly relates to the practice of home inspection services or the ability to practice home inspection services.
(e) Making or filing a report or record that the licensee knows to be false, willfully failing to file a report or record required by state or federal law, willfully impeding or obstructing such filing, or inducing another person to impede or obstruct such filing. Such reports or records shall include only those that are signed in the capacity of a licensed home inspector.
(f) Advertising goods or services in a manner that is fraudulent, false, deceptive, or misleading in form or content.
(g) Engaging in fraud or deceit, or negligence, incompetency, or misconduct, in the practice of home inspection services.
(h) Failing to perform any statutory or legal obligation placed upon a licensed home inspector; violating any provision of this chapter, a rule of the department, or a lawful order of the department previously entered in a disciplinary hearing; or failing to comply with a lawfully issued subpoena of the department.
(i) Practicing on a revoked, suspended, inactive, or delinquent license.
(j) Failing to meet any standard of practice adopted by rule of the department.
(2) When the department finds any home inspector guilty of any of the grounds set forth in subsection (1), it may enter an order imposing one or more of the following penalties:
(a) Denial of an application for licensure.
(b) Revocation or suspension of a license.
(c) Imposition of an administrative fine not to exceed $5,000 for each count or separate offense.
(d) Issuance of a reprimand.
(e) Placement of the home inspector on probation for a period of time and subject to such conditions as the department may specify.
(f) Restriction of the authorized scope of practice by the home inspector.
(3) In addition to any other sanction imposed under this part, in any final order that imposes sanctions, the department may assess costs related to the investigation and prosecution of the case.