Thread: British Columbia Licences Home Inspectors

British Columbia legislates home inspectors.

LICENSING WILL STRENGTHEN QUALITY OF HOME INSPECTIONS
Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority
http://www.bpcpa.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=400&Item id=1001
HOME INSPECTION LICENSING AND COMPLAINT PROCESSES

Raymond Wand RHI


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Originally Posted by Raymond Wand

British Columbia legislates home inspectors.
...]

It's been a long time coming and a lot of effort from many. Congratulations to everyone !

It's nice to know that here in BC, we are leading the way (at least in Canada).

It nice to see that there will be government representation on the licencing board, this will ensure that things are on the up and up, I think everyone has had enough of home inspectors overseeing themselves without outside scrutiny.

Originally Posted by Raymond Wand

It nice to see that there will be government representation on the licensing board, this will ensure that things are on the up and up, I think everyone has had enough of home inspectors overseeing themselves without outside scrutiny.

Say Ray... you should get a job with the government and be on the inspectors board. the G-MAN cometh.

Im glad CA has not gone by the wayside yet!

The state of CA sent out info some years back look for inspector to go to work for the state. $ 13big ones an HR. Just think some guy will be looking over your shoulder and he has a gun on his hip and a star on his shirt. Your paper please !!!

YOU ALL KISS THEM BOOTS LIKE GOOD LITTLE BOYS.......

Best

Ron

Ron

No fear here, considering what is and has gone on within OAHI, anything would be better than misfeasance and conflicts at the BOD level. Now the public has to contend with another CanNachi upstart run by a principal in a home inspection school.

But don't fret I have it all under control!

Cheers,

Originally Posted by Raymond Wand

Ron

No fear here, considering what is and has gone on within OAHI, anything would be better than misfeasance and conflicts at the BOD level. Now the public has to contend with another CanNachi upstart run by a principal in a home inspection school.

But don't fret I have it all under control!

Cheers,

RAY RAY For president... you got my VOTE!

bEST

rON

Just drop by and say Hi to all!
Yes, it is a long waiting for all inspectors in BC. It is a good approach to legalize all the three institutes, also good beginning to all BC inspectors and public.

For more details, please see this blog: http://richmondwatch.blogspot.com/2009/02/bc-first-province-to-licence-home.html

Daniel Leung

TheStar.com | Columns & Blogs | Licensed home inspectors make perfect sense
Licensed home inspectors make perfect sense TheStar.com - Columns & Blogs - Licensed home inspectors make perfect sense
February 14, 2009

Bob Aaron

British Columbia has become the first province in Canada to license home inspectors in order to protect buyers by ensuring qualified inspections. The B.C. model could well serve as a template for similar legislation in Ontario.

In announcing the move last week, B.C. Solicitor General John van Dongen said, "A home is the single biggest investment most British Columbians make but financial risk can be the result of an incorrect or misleading report from an unqualified inspector. Whether they're buying their first condo or starter home, dream or retirement home, consumers need to have confidence that the person who is doing the inspection has the qualifications to make a professional assessment."

To date, home inspector training has been voluntary across Canada. As a result, homebuyers may not know whether a home inspector is qualified and trained to complete an inspection properly.

Following stakeholder consultations, B.C. opted for licensing under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority (BPCPA). The model adopted by the government is intended to minimize paperwork and costs in order to maximize compliance.

At the end of next month, the BPCPA will help protect the province's consumers by:
- assessing the qualifications of, and requiring mandatory licences for, home inspectors
- receiving and responding to complaints from consumers, and
- monitoring compliance, with penalties that can range as high as $5,000.
To become licensed, home inspectors will need to meet the qualifications of one of three professional associations of B.C. home inspectors. A criminal record check will be required, as will mandatory insurance.

John Winters, president of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, is quoted in a provincial announcement as saying, "While most inspectors are dedicated professionals, under the current system they may have little or no qualification, which can create problems for legitimate real estate transactions. Requiring inspectors to be licensed provides sellers and buyers with confidence that all inspections will be carried out by a qualified professional."

In Ontario, a private member's bill approved in December 1994, established the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI). As a non-profit corporation, OAHI is dedicated to enhancing the technical skills and professional practice of home inspectors, and maintaining high professional standards through education and discipline.
Members are entitled to use the designation R.H.I., for registered home inspector.
Unfortunately, membership is not compulsory and virtually anyone who takes an online course can set up shop as a home inspector. The industry calls these players "cowboys."

Terry Carson was one of the five founding directors of OAHI. He told me earlier this week that licensing was one of the long-term objectives of the group, "an extension of our self-regulation."
"The current system works quite well," he added, "but the cowboys are always going to be a problem."

Bill Mullen is past president of the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors. He told me that he is "quite pleased" with the B.C. move, and that his group is in favour of mandatory licensing as long as it establishes a high enough standard.
Alberta and Quebec are expected to implement licensing in the near future. I don't know whether the Ontario government has an appetite for creating a self-governing regime of licensed home inspectors, but it seems to me that it is badly needed in this province, and that the OAHI would be the perfect body to take over the job.

Regulating Ontario home inspectors could be implemented in much the same way as the province recently legislated the regulation of paralegals by the Law Society of Upper Canada.

The government could follow the B.C. example and let OAHI, or a government body similar to the BPCPA, set up a regulatory framework involving training, testing, licensing, regulation and insurance.

Ontario's homebuyers are entitled to the same protection as their counterparts in B.C.
Bob Aaron is a Toronto real estate lawyer and board member of the Tarion Warranty Corp. Email: bob@aaron.ca. Visit his website at aaron.ca.

and my reply to Mr. Aaron's article:

Dear Mr. Aaron,

I would like to correct your article as published in the Star on February 14, 2009.

OAHI is contrary to your sources not following PR 158, and has failed miserably at administering its mandate and its policies and bylaws.

Mr. Carson is the last person to be quoted as a reliable source given what is going on within OAHI and its lack of governance and oversight of its members to established defendable standards of governance. As a long time member since 1991 and as former Discipline Chair of OAHI I could tell you horror stories about abuse of process, conflicts of interest by directors and committee members, misfeasance, improper financial irregularities, accountability, misuse of proxies, improper imposition of fines and penalties, illegal removal of directors and regional meeting group chairs.

The evidence to support these matters is overwhelming, and many disgruntled members have found themselves expunged for standing up and calling to question the abuses. Many members are actively soliciting government ministers and the media in an attempt to expose the serious short comings and improprieties OAHI has created and fostered.

The fact the Mr. Mike Holmes has found it necessary to create a new program in the fall of 2009 with regard to home inspections will be no doubt a wake up call as to the soft underbelly of the inspection profession in Ontario.

There are also several other valid home inspector associations in Ontario and they are ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) CFIHI (Canadian Federation of Independent Home Inspectors) and PHPIO (Provincial Home and Property Inspectors Ontario) and CAHPI (Canadian Association of Home Property Inspectors) which also is responsible for establishing National Occupational Standards for home inspectors through National Certification.

The time for licencing inspectors in Ontario cannot happen soon enough and should be modeled after BC legislation, which will take governance out of the hands of home inspectors overseeing themselves once and for all.

Should you require further documentation in regards to these matters I would be more than pleased to provide you with the documents.

Thank you for your continued commitments of fostering public awareness through your column.

Raymond Wand RHI
Raymond Wand Home Inspection Service

Yeah. So I have been away from here for a bit on purpose due to the following and me not being too happy.

I phone about the BC Licensing and request licensing information. I get a 15 minute conversation on the phone about who, what and why and who to call. Request a mail package. (Beginning of March...nothing yet)

So not to mention names I call who she said to and get the run around and am told that despite my RS in Carpentry and the fact that I have been doing inspections since the 70s I have to take a course. I tell him that I have been taking a course from a Canadian company,(recommended) but they are not recognizing that company and that I took it because they were allegedly not going to recognize the American on-line courses, if licensing came in.

I am told that I cannot possibly pass the test by challenge, under the current course guidelines from that school, even with my background? It would be best I go to BCIT and take the course. Yeah okay that really works for me. I just pack up and move to Vancouver away from my family and other commitments for two years. They tell me there is another on-line course that is recognized and that I should take that.

Yet last year I was given that name of the school as one that was a good one.

The whole time he is talking down to me about my background and actually just being plain fn rude, running down carpenters etc. So is this how this is to be run in BC?

So I guess the games afoot.

PS the course is American based as are most of the others I looked at?

Well it certainly sounds as if the licencing has been poorly instituted and administered. That should not happen and the licencing folks should be more accommodating!