Constitution for NARHI

     The Constitution of the National Association of Registered Home Inspectors

Introduction

1. The name of the organisation shall be the “National Association of Registered Home Inspectors, hereafter referred to as the “Association”.

2. The Association was formerly established on the 1st day of January 2006.

3. The Association has the following mission statement

“The National Association of Registered Home Inspectors is the national representing body for the Home Inspector and Energy Assessor and is committed to establishing a constructive business environment by providing a forum for discussion on non competitive issues and by providing information to assist them in the delivery of services to the consumer”

Objectives

4. The Association shall have the following objectives –

• To be a central representative body to put forward the views of its members to Government departments and agencies, Parliament, Home Information Pack Providers, Industry working groups, Professional and other Trade bodies, and all relevant organisations operating within the home sales and purchase sector.

• To facilitate routes for the provision of life-long learning by members and to source up to date information on all relevant technical and best practice issues as part of their ongoing career development.

• To establish and maintain links with approved training and education bodies.

• To provide information to ensure the Home Inspector and Energy Assessor is able to meet from time to time the requirements of both the registration and accreditation schemes as may be appropriate.

• To provide a regional structure for the benefit of members to meet, network, socialise, and to provide the mechanism for democratic representation on the Executive Board of the Association.

• To be a forum for the exchange of non competitive information and to identify issues likely to effect the interests of Home Inspectors and Energy Assessors.

• To promote to the property profession, consumers, and business the profession of the Home Inspector and Energy Assessor and the benefits of Home Condition Reports and Energy Performance Certificates together with other services provided by its members.

Membership

5. Membership of the association is open to all individuals who are either training to become a Home Inspector or Energy Assessor or who have been either registered or accredited to carry out these roles. Admission to membership is by approval of the Executive Board as is the setting of membership categories, annual subscriptions, and the criteria for each.
   
   Full Membership:
   
   Open to individuals who have been Registered to provide Home Condition Reports or Accredited to produce Energy Performance Certificates in accordance with the The Housing Act 2004. Only full members of the Association are permitted to use the Association’s logo on any personal, business or promotional literature.
   
   Associates:
   
   Open to all individuals who are currently undergoing training and assessment to become a Registered Home Inspector or an Accredited Energy Assessor and who are enrolled with a training organisation and an awarding body.
   
   Student:
   
   Open to all individuals attending a university or college on a full time basis.

Patrons:

6. Organisations and individuals who support the aims and objectives of the Association may become Patrons upon payment of an annual donation in Accordance with an amount as may be from time to time set by the Board.

Finance of the Association

7. The financial year of the Association shall be the calendar year but this may be changed by resolution of the Executive Board.
8. The subscription scale and any associated joining fee shall be set by the Executive Board.

Honorary Treasurer

9. Nominations from within the Executive Board shall be sought annually to stand for election for a term of one year.
10. All nominations must be formally proposed and seconded following which a vote will be taken.

Meetings of the Association

11. The Association shall hold an annual general meeting not later than three months after the end of each financial year. At least 10 members of the NALHI, or the Executive Board, may at any time request the Secretary to convene a general meeting of the Association. In convening such a meeting the Secretary shall give not less than 21 days notice to all members.

Executive Board

12. The business of the Association shall be directed by an Executive Board

Comprising–

1. Two annually elected representatives from each region of the Association who must be Full Members of the Association.
2. Any Full Member may put themselves forward for an elected seat on the Executive Board providing that they have a proposer and secondary
3. In the event that there are more than two candidates standing then the members within the relevant region will be asked to vote for their preferred Board members. Full Members and Associates will be entitled vote.
4. No more than 6 persons may be co-opted by the Executive Board.

13. A member of the Executive Board shall cease to be a member if they resign or cease for any reason to be a member of the Association.
14. Any matter bought before the Board at a regular business meeting requiring a resolution to be passed shall be decided by each region casting one vote. The Chairman shall have a casting vote in the event of equality.
15. The Executive Board shall hold a minimum of 4 meetings each year or as is required to oversee the day to day running of the Association.

Board Chairman

16. An independent Chairman from within the property industry will be appointed by the Executive Board.
17. The criteria for the appointment of a Chairman and the terms and conditions upon which the appointment is made will be at the discretion of the Executive Board.
18. The Chairman will be accountable to the Executive Board and will be responsible for promoting and representing the Association, the operation of the Board and its business, and supervising the Administrative resource retained by the Association.
19. The Chairman shall only have a casting vote to be used where there is a tied vote on any resolution before the Board.

Publicity

20. The Association will publish an annual report on its activities and a list of members, these documents will be published on the Associations web-site.

Committees and Panels

21. The Executive Board may establish and maintain sub-committees and Project groups and delegate matters to them.
22. The Executive Board may appoint technical panels to advise and assist it.

Delegation

23. The Executive Board and the Chairman may delegate any of their powers to any Committee, sub Committee or Working Group set by the Board.

Revision of the Constitution

24. Following the first AGM this Constitution shall be amended by the Association, provided that at least 75% of the members of the Association present at the meeting vote in favour of amendments of which prior notice will have been given.

Transitional arrangements

25. The following transitional arrangements shall apply –
    1. An interim Executive Board will be set up and will comprise of all those persons who agreed to become ‘Founder Members’ as at the 1st January 2006 by subscribing to the initial funding.(Appendix A)
    2. This interim Executive Board will serve for a maximum period of 18 months following which the Association must convene an Annual General Meeting to ratify the Constitution, approve the accounts and to ratify the composition of the Executive Board for the ensuing 12 months.
    3. The interim Executive Board may co-opt any person whom they feel can contribute to the development of the Association.
    4. Any individual members subsequently joining the interim Executive Board will become ‘Founder Member’ of the Association upon paying the sum of £500plus VAT. This sum was set by the Board as the individual contributions required towards the Association’s start up funding.
       ‘Founder Members’ will be exempt from any subscription during the first 18 months.
    5. Organisations or any person who will not qualify for membership but who will be serving on the interim Executive Board may become ‘Founder Patrons’ upon an annual payment of £500 for Organisations and £100 for individuals.
       All ‘Founder Members’ and ‘Founder Patrons’ will be entitled to use such designation, along with the Association logo on all personal and promotional material for as long as they continue to pay the annual subscription or donation in accordance with conditions as may be lai laid down by the Executive Board. In the case of ‘Founder Members’ the Association’s logo and or the Title of ‘Founder Member’ may not be used until the member has been Registered by a recognised scheme as set down by statutory regulation.

Approved by the Board 11/01/06
Amended by the Board 15/03/07

Appendix A

FOUNDER MEMBERS AND PATRONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REGISTERED HOME INSPECTORS.

* Resigned from the Board

Founder Patrons

Individual Patrons