With the dynamic growth in the demand for home energy ratings and increasing likelihood of federal tax credits for residential energy efficiency, a critical issue for the rating industry is meeting this demand while maintaining the quality of the industry's services.  This requires shoring up of the industry's quality assurance procedures.

As part of this effort, the RESNET Board of Directors has adopted a Rating Financial Interest Disclosure form that raters should use to disclose to their clients, the rater's financial interest in the home being rated.  The current standards "prohibits undisclosed conflicts of interest" but allows waivers from the rating provider with advanced disclosure.  Prior to the RESNET Board's action there was no uniform disclosure form.

The rating disclosure form is currently a nationally recommended standard for rating providers and raters, but is not required.  An amendment to the RESNET rating provider standard, however, is being proposed that would require raters to use this form.  The proposal will be included in the set of amendments that will be going to public review and comment in March 2004.

The RESNET Rating Disclosure Form and instructions are posted on RESNET's web site at www.natresnet.org/disclosure

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