Date: February 4th, 2013

Re: Template News Story - Home Inspection Regulation

Delivery: Email


As you know, the Government of Ontario is currently consulting on minimum qualifications for home inspectors. At present, any individual in the province can, without any training or accreditation, call themselves a home inspector.

OREA has supported the government’s efforts to regulate the home inspection industry. Regulating the industry will help ensure home buyers and sellers receive reliable, informative and professional advice when making one of the largest decisions of their lives.

OREA has drafted the attached template news story for local boards emphasizing our industry’s support for the government’s initiative. Please submit the completed story to your print media outlets at your earliest convenience.

The news story is part of OREA’s ongoing efforts to promote the value of a REALTOR® and to position our members as strong advocates on behalf of Ontario home buyers and sellers.

Please contact me with any questions mthornton@orea.com. Feel free to refer any media requests for comment to Katarina Markovinovic, OREA’s Media Relations Specialist Katarinam@orea.com or 416-445-9910 ext. 615.


Matthew Thornton, MA, CAE | Director, Government Relations
Ontario Real Estate Association
T: (416) 385-6624 | 1-800-265-OREA(6732) | F: 416-445-2113 | E: mthornton@orea.com
99 Duncan Mill Road | Don Mills, ON M3B 1Z2
Let's connect! | OREA Blog | @OREAGR

Attachment reads

Regulation of home inspection industry needed, say Ontario Realtors

Currently in Ontario, anyone can call themselves a home inspector. This could pose a problem for Ontarians who might base their decision to buy or sell a home on information they receive from an unregulated, unlicensed home inspector.

Home inspectors play an important role in the home buying and selling process,” says [insert board president’s name]. Professionals with this much influence should be licensed and have proper training to ensure consumers receive a consistent and standardized service.”

The Ontario Real Estate Association is working with the Ministry of Consumer Services to improve consumer protection in the real estate marketplace by encouraging efforts to regulate the home inspection industry. In August 2013, the Minister of Consumer Services, the Honourable Tracy MacCharles, asked a volunteer panel of experts to review home inspector qualifications in Ontario. The panel, comprised of members from home inspection associations, consumer advocates and real estate industry representatives, developed a report with 35 recommendations for the home inspection industry.

“One of our main recommendations is to establish parameters for licensing the industry,” says [insert board president’s name]. “Regulating the industry will help ensure homebuyers and sellers receive reliable, informative and professional advice when making one of the largest decisions of their lives.”

Unlike home inspectors, Ontario REALTORS® are regulated under the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 (REBBA). REBBA is administered by the Real Estate Council of Ontario.

“Realtors are regulated professionals with a duty to provide accurate information to our clients,” says [insert board president’s name]. “We are subject to strict standards of client care, which were designed to deter unethical behaviour in the real estate marketplace. We hope to accomplish the same in the home inspection industry.”

The panel's report and any public feedback the ministry receives will guide the government as it considers whether to bring forward legislation to establish qualifications for home inspectors.

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