Thread: CMI use and cease and desist warning

I have noticed this cease and desist letter posted on a few sites and thought its misuse should be pointed out for clarification for the public and inspectors.

I noticed as President of CMI - Cert. Master Inspector you have posted the following on your site.

We mean it. Stop! | Certified Master Inspector

We mean it. Stop! RE: Cease and Desist The Master Inspector Certification Board, Inc., (MICB), a Colorado non-profit corporation owns trademarks on “Certified Master Inspector” and "CMI." The USPTO registration number is 2892104 and the Canadian registration number is TMA712,979. This is a certification mark used by inspectors who qualify for the designation. Those who have earned the designation often use the abbreviations CMI and C.M.I., and MICB also claims common law trademark rights on CMI and C.M.I. in the inspection industry. It has come to our attention that you are using CMI and/or C.M.I. as an abbreviation for “Certified Mold Inspector” or "Certified Microbial Inspector" in marketing yourself or your company. Because inspectors frequently offer mold inspection services, your use of CMI and/or C.M.I. is a direct infringement on MICB’s marks, is causing confusion in the industry, and is diluting MICB’s marks. MICB demands that you immediately cease and desist from all use of CMI or C.M.I. Please remove those abbreviations from your website and any written materials. If you comply with this demand within ten days, MICB will take no further action. Sincerely, MASTER INSPECTOR CERTIFICATION BOARD, INC.

The letter demanding people who use CMI to stop is erroneous and unenforceable. The Trademark states:

TRADE-MARK: Certified Master Inspector (C.M.I.) DISCLAIMER TEXT: The right to the exclusive use of the words CERTIFIED MASTER INSPECTOR is disclaimed apart from the trade-mark.

IN OTHER WORDS THE TRADEMARK CMI IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO YOU NOR CAN YOU DEMAND OTHERS USING IT TO STOP PROVIDING THEY DO NOT USE THE WORDS "CERTIFIED MASTER INSPECTOR" AS PART OF CMI!

CANADIAN TRADE-MARK DATA: 1274564 - Canadian Trade-marks Database - Canadian Intellectual Property Office

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CMI an affront to the inspection industry!

The sum pump (pedestal) didn't have a float switch and was controlled manually by a ceiling switch. The pump was sitting on dirt. The report stated it was in working condition!

As you can see the report is very light on substance.

I guess this is to be expected when anyone can obtain the CMI for the price of admission with no checks and balances, all managed by less than a scrupulous BOD!!!

And they want to be recognized for licencing up here in Ontario? Ya right!

The house in question is circa 1870 and frankly is dozer bait! Sugar coating is nice I guess if you have a sweet tooth as some realtors seem to have!

What the heck is a CMI?

Certified Master Inspector.

or

Certainly Must Improve.

Originally Posted by Raymond Wand

Certified Master Inspector.

or

Certainly Must Improve.

Is that that NACHI thing where you "PAY" for your certification? Like $1000 or something like that?

Yup thats correct.

Originally Posted by Marc M

What the heck is a CMI?

At first I thought they were experienced guys/masters that know more than the rest of us..
After the 2 or 3 them that joined this site and made a couple posts sharing their vast knowledge they never came back.
Now I'm starting think they are impressed with themselves or they may be fools/suckers with too much money.

Originally Posted by Dan Harris

At first I thought they were experienced guys/masters that know more than the rest of us..
After the 2 or 3 them that joined this site and made a couple posts sharing their vast knowledge they never came back.
Now I'm starting think they are impressed with themselves or they may be fools/suckers with too much money.

Someone told me that the owner of Nachi has some pretty powerful friends.

Originally Posted by Marc M

Someone told me that the owner of Nachi has some pretty powerful friends.

Yea I heard that too, from what I've heard they are more than willing to scam you for every $ they can, all in the name of marketing and getting rich. I just haven't figured who's the one getting rich

Originally Posted by Dan Harris

Yea I heard that too, from what I've heard they are more than willing to scam you for every $ they can, all in the name of marketing and getting rich. I just haven't figured who's the one getting rich

Yea, Mob status.

Statements from Nachi/CMI that blatantly lie about a title and its Trademark status and telling others who use the acronym to cease and desist is nothing but another ruse in order to give the appearance that management is looking out after its members interests.

The only thing being looked after is the income being generated by greedy deceptive practices.

Take a look who sits on the BOD of CMI, that should be the litmus test as to ligitimacy of the club.

Throughout the world, Certified Master Inspector (CMI) is the inspection industry’s top professional designation.

Bullshit baffles brains!

There is also nothing wrong with using a term such as I am

"Certified" as a "Master Inspector"

Its not "CMI" or "C.M.I." or "Certified Master Inspector"

I can "Certify" myself as a "Master Inspector"

What is certified? Rigorous training as in classes over a long period of time (or short period of time in this case) along with field training (not necessarily in this case) and years of being a "Professional Home Inspector" (certainly not in this case)

But in my case..........I here by "Certify" myself as a "Master Inspector"!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

There is also nothing wrong with using a term such as I am

"Certified" as a "Master Inspector"

Its not "CMI" or "C.M.I." or "Certified Master Inspector"

I can "Certify" myself as a "Master Inspector"

What is certified? Rigorous training as in classes over a long period of time (or short period of time in this case) along with field training (not necessarily in this case) and years of being a "Professional Home Inspector" (certainly not in this case)

But in my case..........I here by "Certify" myself as a "Master Inspector"!!!!!!

Good point. Today, i will also be a master of inspection.

Throughout the world, Certified Master Inspector (CMI) is the inspection industry’s top professional designation.

False advertising, and misleading.

We know that this designation is NOT the industry's top professional designation.

1. The designation has been given out to several with no questions and no payment.

2. Since CMI and its parent organization is not and has not been recognized nor having met ICE (Institute for Credentialing Excellence) its erroneous and false advertising.

3. ASHI Certified Inspector is by fact the industry's top professional designation.

4. Why are consumers continually being mislead by a so called top organization that has a history of skewing facts?

5. FACT even members of the parent association have repeatedly called into question the designation CMI as a fraud.

You are now all

"Menelly Certified Master Inspectors" (gees, is that a bad or a good thing)

Dated

12/12/2012

OR,
Certified Menelly Inspector = CMI

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

You are now all

"Menelly Certified Master Inspectors" (gees, is that a bad or a good thing)

Dated

12/12/2012

Originally Posted by Stephen G

OR,
Certified Menelly Inspector = CMI

But do you really want to inspect me

Former Sgt Major, I've inspected many soldiers, fall in...

Google - CMI

Because inspectors frequently offer mold inspection services, your use of CMI and/or C.M.I. is a direct infringement on MICB’s marks, is causing confusion in the industry, and is diluting MICB’s marks. MICB demands that you immediately cease and desist from all use of CMI or C.M.I. Please remove those abbreviations from your website and any written materials.

MICB will be busy sending out cease and desist letters.

We mean it. Stop!

Don't use "CMI"...no consumer knows what those initials mean. Use the words written out like this:


"CERTIFIED MASTER INSPECTOR"

Every consumer knows what those words imply.... instantly.

Nick Gromicko, Certified Master Inspector

Ya right! Another blooper! I and every ethical inspector knows what CMI implies ... bull baffles brains!

Never happen no one cares. Last guy caught lying was asked to join! So why not lie until you get caught. If you get caught and if anything is done about it they ask you to join. No one runs CMI, its just a marketing logo for sale.

No one cares and no one wants to care.

Levi's complaint unanswered tells you about the CMI leadership. It sucks and is useless.

It still needs to be addressed, if Nick still wants to sell memberships.
Why pay for a membership when you can claim to be a CMI for free?

Nick says there is life on Mars!

Being a Certified Master Inspector is doubly important in licensed states/provinces because in licensed state/provinces.... every inspector has a head, a license, 2 arms, and a nose. Waving the very same state-issued credential (license) that your newbie competitor was issued by your state last Wednesday is silly.

Licensing turns the industry into an all out marketing race.

Now the general public only buys a house once every 8 years, so they sure don't research or care what association you belong to, what insurance you carry, what license number you have or any of that crap because they don't know what it means or stands for by looking at it.

Certified Master Inspector is different, in that the actual three words themselves are understandable even to Martians who landed here to buy a home yesterday (which in a sense, is how you have to look at your client).

Don't believe me? Go find a friend or a family member who knows nothing of the inspection industry. Write down all your alphabet soup acronyms, professional designations, insurance information, associations (write out the full names of the associations if you want to), and licenses. Make a few up just for laughs and include those too. Throw "Certified Master Inspector" in with the mix. Then ask your friend: "If you had to choose an inspector from just this information in 10 seconds (which is all 90% of them spend choosing their inspectors anyway)... which one would you pick and why?"

This experiment has been performed dozens of times... you'll get the same result as everyone else.

CERTIFIED MASTER INSPECTOR.... 3 words say it all.

Yup, 3 words say it all --- Bull Baffles Brains
Certified Mars Inspector.