What should I ask about a home inspection firm’s scheduling software and customer data?

Begin with access. Who holds the main login, and how many people have their own? Is the account tied to the seller’s personal email? Ask how the account moves to a new owner, and whether the provider allows it. Find out what each plan costs and when it renews.

Then look at the data. Ask for a description of what is stored: names, addresses, phone numbers, report files, payment details. Ask how long it is kept and who can export it. You will need to be sure you can take over past reports and contact lists.

Ask about privacy and security. Does the firm collect consent, use strong passwords and limit who sees what? Has there been any breach or lost file? Ask your lawyer which privacy obligations come with the records. Finally, check backups and what happens if the provider fails. Try a simple test: ask the seller to export a list of next month’s bookings and see how long it takes. Ask also whether any customer lists were bought, borrowed or copied from elsewhere, and whether clients agreed to be contacted. Marketing lists with unclear origins can cause trouble, so keep only what you are comfortable defending to your lawyer. Ask who at the firm knows the system best, and make sure they stay.

Key takeaways

• Confirm who owns the account and whether it can transfer.
• Ask what data is stored, where, and who can export it.
• Test a real export before closing.