Thread: Summary Report on Home Inspector Licensing Consultation - BC Canada

Summary Report on Home Inspector Licensing Consultation
Office of Housing and Construction Standards September 2014

http://www2.gov.bc.ca/local/haveyour...ult_report.pdf

Interesting findings.

Fascinating that 89% of HI respondents didn't have any complaints in last year. Yet, the conclusion recommends more stringent licensing even among HIs. A cynical guy might wonder if those HIs think that stronger standards would reduce their competition. Too bad one of the questions for the public wasn't Name a licensed profession where licensing has eliminated the incompetent and unethical members of that profession?


It's a knee-jerk reaction by most folks to proclaim "They oughta be licensed" but with further conversation, most will admit it's tough to name a profession that licensing has cleaned up or even made much of a difference.

Originally Posted by Lcann Henderson

Fascinating that 89% of HI respondents didn't have any complaints in last year. Yet, the conclusion recommends more stringent licensing even among HIs. A cynical guy might wonder if those HIs think that stronger standards would reduce their competition. Too bad one of the questions for the public wasn't Name a licensed profession where licensing has eliminated the incompetent and unethical members of that profession?


It's a knee-jerk reaction by most folks to proclaim "They oughta be licensed" but with further conversation, most will admit it's tough to name a profession that licensing has cleaned up or even made much of a difference.

Surveys can be constructed such that the desired results will be achieved, both by the inclusion of desired questions and the exclusion of questions which may produce an unwanted result, and by the wording of the questions themselves.

Straight forward questions such as you proposed would surely skew the results from the intended outcome.

The licensing in Cananda is all a knee jerk reaction! It is a joke that the various associations are basically the gate keeper with no standard exam or requirements for each province.

In the USA we have a couple of states that have similar requirements by using the standards of various organizations, but they use the NHIE (National Home Inspector Exam) as their licensing exam. I understand that EBPHI has or in the process of releasing the Canadian National Home Inspector Exam, maybe this would help to solve some of the problems.....

Statistically speaking, the numbers of respondent is quite low in my opinion. But none the less some interesting facts come to light.

As to standards I keep reading that the SOP are all different, when in fact they are all pretty much aligned.

I would like to see licencing remove the associations from the equation (too many politics and other games) and have oversite by the government who appoints people to an oversite board.

Also the facts relating to the number of complaints rec'd indicates to me that some associations and you can guess which one has always been lacking in a proper discipline body.

Further I don't see the CSA proposed standards increasing consumer confidence.

Thanks Raymond. 5 years of licensing and we now have a report that says not much of anything.

440 licensed inspectors will pay $480+ this year for more of the same.That is $211K/yr and increasing every year with inflation. The highest license fee in al of North America. Yes, we are instructed to police and educate ourselves as always. Sorry, I am not impressed.

Originally Posted by John Kogel

Thanks Raymond. 5 years of licensing and we now have a report that says not much of anything.

440 licensed inspectors will pay $480+ this year for more of the same.That is $211K/yr and increasing every year with inflation. The highest license fee in al of North America. Yes, we are instructed to police and educate ourselves as always. Sorry, I am not impressed.

We have about that same number in Tennessee. Our renewal fee is $250 every two years..... Our licensing program is just one of many under one huge department. They are hurting for money and have just started charging CE providers, $50 per course every two years, $50 course application fee and $25 to inspectors who take a course that has not been approved if they want to get it approved. INACHI is not very happy with this from what I understand! So sad....

I have always believed,and still do,that licensing will not solve or change any thing,it is just a money grab,and will only benefit burecrats,do we want more government intervention,I dont.

Originally Posted by Harry Janssen

I have always believed,and still do,that licensing will not solve or change any thing, ...

I completely disagree in the grand scheme of things - licensing DOES have its benefits for the consumer as it provides a means and method for the states to discipline wrongdoers. Some licensing departments go after the wrongdoers with a vengeance (as they should) and some licensing departments kind of shrug their shoulders and go "Oh, well." (those departments should be cleaned out and replaced with people who actually go after the wrongdoers).

... it is just a money grab,and will only benefit burecrats, ...

Not from what I have experienced, but from some of the fees I am seeing posted here, I can understand why others say that.

I guess it comes down to the attitude of the states - consumer protection versus business protection. Consumer protection from the state can lead to a better business environment and fewer lawsuits, business protection almost always ends up with more lawsuits (there is no other way to go after businesses that to file suit against them).

So, what it may come down to is: do you want more regulation of the good kind (get involved and help make it happen) or do you want more lawsuits (in which case when you become involved you have no choice but to become involved ... and throw $$$$ away).

Your choice ... make it wisely.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

I completely disagree in the grand scheme of things - licensing DOES have its benefits for the consumer as it provides a means and method for the states to discipline wrongdoers. Some licensing departments go after the wrongdoers with a vengeance (as they should) and some licensing departments kind of shrug their shoulders and go "Oh, well." (those departments should be cleaned out and replaced with people who actually go after the wrongdoers).



Not from what I have experienced, but from some of the fees I am seeing posted here, I can understand why others say that.

I guess it comes down to the attitude of the states - consumer protection versus business protection. Consumer protection from the state can lead to a better business environment and fewer lawsuits, business protection almost always ends up with more lawsuits (there is no other way to go after businesses that to file suit against them).

So, what it may come down to is: do you want more regulation of the good kind (get involved and help make it happen) or do you want more lawsuits (in which case when you become involved you have no choice but to become involved ... and throw $$$$ away).

Your choice ... make it wisely.

I agree with Jerry….

Experience shows that pretty much everyone who says licensing will not solve anything or that it is just another form of tax are making those assumptions from the sidelines and are now working in an unregulated area.

I have yet to see a home inspector licensing entity making a profit that is going to make a dent in any budget, most work in a deficit and cost more than they bring in.

One huge benefit that many overlook is the law also protects the home inspector as well as offering some protection to the consumer. Look at licensing from the glass is half full concept instead of the glass is half empty concept!

Yup time for licencing up here in Ontario too much crap, past and present, and too many conflicts of interests and business interests at the association levels.

Its gonna happen its just a matter of time. The big concern is the CSA standards if adopted in the revised version which has yet to be released.

Originally Posted by Raymond Wand

I would like to see licencing remove the associations from the equation (too many politics and other games) and have oversite by the government who appoints people to an oversite board.

Be careful what you wish for... I agree politics and other games should be removed from the equation BUT just because the government is involved does not mean politics go away. Quite the contrary here, the Texas Real Estate Commission has rule over Realtors, Inspectors and Appraisers and guess who runs the show? Yep, the ones with the biggest lobby, the Realtors. We have been trying for years to get out from under the thumb of the Realtors and transferred to the Board of Licensing like the vast majority of other professionals and trades but for some reason the old guard wants us to play by their rules.
Don't jump out of the frying pan and into the fire!

Jim

Good points. Thus far the two provinces which licenced HI have not permitted this to happen. I think I am also safe to say it won't happen in Ontario. But its not over till the fat lady sings.

I pity Texas inspectors. That should never have been allowed to occur. Its a conflict of interest big time. But I guess them hat has the gold make the rules.

Ontario gradually will get it right, all the inspector groups will fall into line, the standards will be reasonable and everyone will prosper from it.
Ever seen 10 people in a room agree about anything?

As far as the survey goes, some people were happy to walk away from a disaster so they respond to the survey, and some were disgruntled about something, so they respond to the survey. Hordes of satisfied clients did not bother to respond.

They don't need to be in a room, we have a forum where most of the time no one agrees.

John

What happen to insurance rates when licencing was instituted in B.C.? Have they remained somewhat the same or increased?

No change AFAIK.
Guys that did HI part time along with handyman jobs disappeared. Like the lawn mower guy that had HI signs on his trailer? He's gone.

A slightly different venue, perhaps, but one still having problems: Here in Oregon, the State agency that issues licenses to building contractors has a seriously flawed system in place. A few years ago I was researching all bidders on a DHS contract we were administering, and was surprised to find that some contractors had licenses issued under multiple names and license numbers. One guy in particular had been licensed under 7 different business names, setting up shop with a new name (and closing down previous ones) every time a current one became tarnished with too many reprimands or claims on the public record. A woman at the licensing agency I spoke with about the practice said she was aware of it, but that there was nothing she/they could do to prevent it from happening.