TOPIC: E-signatures for contracts

Can someone walk me through how to create a web page that allows my clients to e-sign my inspection contract on my site? 

Thanks-DrBob

Hi Bob,

You'll want to look over the How to Create Web Forms tutorial under Website Tutorials & Tips here on the message board. You'll want to use a lot of Text Fields for one line questions and Text Areas for the actual contract (set as read only). You want to set the contract to be sent with all the text to the client and you for verification.

Check out www.idahohomeinspectors.biz/Home-inspection-agreement.html for some guidance of what it can look like at the end and let us know if you have any questions as you go along.

Dom-

I checked out the site you recommended and noticed Russ has a block for IP Address which appears filled in (he has it asterisked as a mandatory field)--Can you let me know what this is for and what computer IP it should be if it is necessary?


Thanks-DrBob

As an aside, does anyone know what constitutes a "legal and verifiable" e-signature?  Seems like the legislation that was passed in 2000 calls a lot of verification questions into question regarding the authenticity of the signature, linking the signature to the actual contract, and providing means so that neither the signature or the contract content can be altered from what you intended. For those of you that are currently using an e-signed contract based on your website contract info, have any of you run it by your legal counsul to verify your site and language are considered legit and would stand up as a legally binding contract?  Is there a way that you protect that process via your site?  E-signing to me seems to be a value-added feature, but if it isn't legally verifiable, I don't want to waste the time offering it.  Thanks in advance for your opinions-DrBob

A few links have been posted in the past, I'd need to find them. But basically electronic signatures are completely legal in all states. The only exception is in Illinois where they are legal but the state home inspector board wouldn't allow them on contracts. I've been told that this is changing there too.

The IP address is the address of the computer that is loading the page. It just gives you an extra way to verify where the client's location in case of any legal questions later. It's a locked textfield so it can't be changed. Use %server[REMOTE_ADDR] as the default value and the site will figure it out automatically.

I do almost 90% e-signature. I would recommend you speak with your insurance carrier and see what they recommend. I know I had to add my signature to the contract to make it legal for them but I have spoke with other inspectors that say that is not necessary with their insurance carrier.
Knock on wood I have not tested the legal side in court and really don't want too. I know some states are even starting to sign real estate contracts electronically, so as I see  if they can do it for a piece of property we shouldn't have an issue with just an inspection contract. Good luck