Cancellation, Rescheduling & Refund Policy

1. Overview

River City Home Inspectors (“RCHI,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) provides residential home-inspection services in Richmond and other areas of Virginia. Because an inspection reserves professional time for a specific property and may involve travel and preparation, cancellations and refunds are handled differently from retail-product returns.

This page is a general summary. It does not create a warranty, guarantee, or right beyond those provided in your signed inspection agreement or applicable law.

2. Your signed inspection agreement

Before an inspection begins or payment is accepted, RCHI and the client enter into a written home-inspection agreement. That agreement identifies the property, inspection scope, price, limitations, cancellation rights, and other terms applicable to the engagement.

3. Rescheduling an inspection

If you need to change an appointment, contact RCHI as soon as possible at (804) 366-9219 or wstelly@gmail.com. We will make a reasonable effort to offer another available date and time.

• Please provide at least 24 hours’ notice whenever possible.
• Rescheduled appointments are subject to inspector availability and property access.
• A late-change, travel, or administrative fee will apply only when disclosed in the booking confirmation or signed inspection agreement.
• Changing the property, inspection scope, price, or estimated completion date may require a written amendment signed by both parties.

4. Client cancellations

To cancel an inspection, notify RCHI directly by telephone or email. A message sent through a real-estate agent or another third party is not considered received until RCHI confirms the cancellation.

Before the inspection begins

Cancellation rights, deadlines, and any applicable fee are stated in the signed inspection agreement. If you prepaid and the cancellation qualifies for a refund under that agreement, RCHI will return the eligible amount after deducting only any fee that was disclosed and properly due.

Late or same-day cancellations

A cancellation made less than 24 hours before the appointment may be subject to a late-cancellation or trip fee when that fee is stated in the signed agreement or booking confirmation. This reflects time reserved, preparation completed, and travel that may already have begun.

5. No-shows and inaccessible properties

The client is responsible for coordinating reasonable access to the property and ensuring that required parties know the appointment time. Examples of access problems include a missing lockbox code, unavailable keys, a locked or occupied property that cannot be entered, unsafe conditions, or a seller or tenant who refuses entry.

If the inspector arrives but cannot reasonably perform the inspection, the appointment may be treated as a late cancellation or no-show. A trip or cancellation fee may apply when provided in the signed agreement. RCHI will work with the client to reschedule when practical.

6. Payments

Payment is due at the time and in the manner stated in the inspection agreement or booking confirmation. RCHI generally accepts cash, check, and Venmo. The website does not sell merchandise and does not offer product shipping, returns, or exchanges.

If a check is returned or a payment is reversed, the client remains responsible for the inspection fee and any lawful bank or processing charge disclosed in the agreement.

7. Approved refunds

When a refund is approved, RCHI will normally issue it using the original payment method when practical. Cash or check payments may be refunded by check, and Venmo payments may be returned through Venmo or another mutually agreed method.

• Approved refunds are generally initiated within 5 to 10 business days.
• Financial institutions and payment services may require additional processing time.
• Duplicate or incorrect payments should be reported promptly so they can be verified and corrected.
• RCHI may request reasonable proof of payment before processing a refund.

8. After an inspection has begun or been completed

Once the inspector has begun performing the contracted work, the service is not returnable like a physical product. After the inspection is completed or the report is delivered, fees are generally non-refundable except as required by law or expressly provided by the signed agreement.

A refund is not automatically due because:

• The real-estate transaction is delayed, renegotiated, or does not close.
• The inspection identifies conditions the client did not expect.
• A component later fails or a condition was not visible or accessible during the inspection.
• The client chooses not to use the completed report.

A home inspection is a visual evaluation of conditions present and accessible at the time of inspection. It is not a guarantee, warranty, appraisal, code-compliance review, or insurance policy. Questions or concerns about completed work should be raised promptly and will be handled under the procedures and limitations in the signed inspection agreement.

9. Cancellation or delay by RCHI

RCHI may postpone, reschedule, or stop an inspection when weather, illness, unsafe conditions, travel disruptions, property-access issues, or other circumstances make the work impractical or unsafe. We will notify the client as soon as reasonably possible.

If RCHI cancels an inspection before work begins and cannot provide a reasonable replacement appointment, any prepaid inspection fee for work not performed will be refunded. RCHI is not responsible for indirect costs arising from a schedule change, subject to applicable law and the signed agreement.

10. Privacy and communications

Information submitted in connection with a booking, cancellation, payment, or refund request is handled according to our Privacy Policy. By requesting an appointment, you authorize RCHI to contact you about that request and the related inspection service.

11. Questions or requests

Contact RCHI directly to cancel or reschedule an appointment, report a payment issue, or request review of a refund: