Certified Home Inspector

Local Inspection Issues Canadian Home Inspectors
1

Hello Everyone,

I’ve been lurking around for a while and read a lot of things which has been rather interesting.

I would really like a straight forward answer about this,… can i get into trouble by using “Certified Home Inspector” in Canada,… for real? Has it happened to anyone?

What if you said you are NACHI Certified Home Inspector?

I’m not interested in getting into legal trouble.

Thanks,
CS

2

Chris;I was in trouble with OAHI over my use of CHI
.The letters CHI and the words Certified House Inspector apparently belong to a group out in BC.If you have a membership card from NACHI it may have the letters CRI (certified residential inspector) I would and do use those letters.I recieved my member ID card last month and it has CRI in bold letters right on it.
Rob.

3

Hey Rob,

Thats strange because the by-laws of OAHI only allow OAHI to deal with SOP and COE issues. The by-laws do not permit OAHI to hinder or deny, or refuse membership upgrade. The issue with Trademark infringement is seperate and does not relate to disciplining of members. Nor is there justification for making it an upgrade issue.

Once again if anyone from OAHI would like to discuss these issues, I am all ears.

As to the matter with CHI it apparently is protected because Asttbc is a public authority contrary to what Nick has said in the past. Unfortunatel there seems to be a lack of interest on Nachi’s part in offering clear and defined assistance with this matter.

4

Raymond was the Chair of The OAHI discipline Committee and did a good job he was fair and looked into
concerns and complaints in a very timely fashion.
Unfortunately it does not look like this is now happening with OAHI. I know of one for sure outstanding complaint
that has not been dealt with for over two years.
I have heard of many others that are going no where.
This so unfortunate OAHI could and should have been the association to look after and help all Ontario Home Inspectors .
It looks to me like they have become a completely closed group looking out for them selves and getting as many students
to send them money for packages and take the expensive OAHI courses but seldom do they allow many to become an RHI.
they still maintain the RHI count at just over 200 .
THE OAHI leaders have done this for over 10 years.
It is this attitude that has made NACHI the association of choice for most new Home inspectors
and why it continues to grow at a good pace .

The more I hear,
the more I see!
NACHI is the one for me !
Roy Cooke R.H.I. Royshomeinspection.com
A HAPPY NACHI MEMBER,… More find this out ever day!

Remember Whistler http://www.nachi.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4935

5

Thanks everyone for the information,… I will make the necessary changes to my marketing material.

Everything that has been said about OAHI sort confirms my own thoughts and beliefs from when I WAS a member.

Regards,
CS

6

Hi everyone

I recently cancelled my student membership with OAHI because of their disregard for decency.

Why would anyone join an association that discourages growth? That takes months to verify an inspection report? That uses intimidation and fear rather than doing what an association should be doing - supporting its members.

I would like to see NACHI grow in Ontario to become the #1 game in town. If there is any legwork that can be done in my area to grow the NACHI brand I would like to participate.

Craig

7

Craig and Chris, et al:

I think you mean disregard for the rules.

Lets see…

  • you have a number of people in OAHI on committees who have a product to sell.
  • a executive director of OAHI who sell franchises and sits on the CAHPI BOD, and DPPC of OAHI.
  • Two committee member who sell their wares and college courses.
  • another former Director who put in writing that he was a volunteer and not paid to deal with complaints or questions. (I guess he figures its beneath him) But his election platform was juvenile. He is now president of OACETT. But he still sits on the BOE and the By-law committee ( I think this accounts for some of the stupid decisions and actions by the BOD.)
    -you have other members selling their reports to their colleagues, who keep quiet for fear of ruining thier little mony making efforts.
    -there are no minutes of meetings for members to review.
    -there are improper bookkeeping techniques and lack of financial reports and accountability.
    -you have some members being singled out for using CHI while other members seem to be getting away with using it based on thier positions within OAHI.
    -you have a disfunctional Discipline Committee. I have yet to receive a reply to my long outstanding complaints as do others.
    -you have members who are permitted and condoned for making physical threats against other members and non members.
    -you have a Registrar who doesn’t know her job.
    -you have a CAFE forum monitor who does not know her job and takes marching orders without question and is being paid by membership money, who was formerly employed by one long time director.
    -you have the Secretary Mr. Faux dispensing his own brand of justice and imposing fines contrary to the Association lawyers own rules laid down and posted on this forum. Mr. Faux election platform was a joke and spoke to his intentions that he has carried out.
    -you have a non functional insurance committee.
    -you have a non functional finance committee.
    -you have members admitting to an Appeal Board that they knowingly and with animosities and bias breached the by-laws who go undisciplined and caused $35K of membership money to be wasted.
    -we have had a Past President intimidate, and throw books across the room at other directors for not siding with him.
    -a treasurer who resigned due to improper accounting.
    -in the past a former Treasurer absconded with $65K of association money.
    -you have backroom deals being made with CAHPI in which no membership votes have been conducted.
    -you have an Association lawyer who seems to ignore much of the wrong doings yet still invoices OAHI for his poor advice.
    -you have the OAHI Ombudsman stating that someone should pick up a shot-gun and use it on Mr. Wand!

Yes OAHI certainly seems to be at the forefront of democracy, and objectivitiy and special interests and all round stupidity. But don’t take my word for it, just ask those who have experienced it. OAHI is content on taking Students money, imposing fines under false pretences, and thinks its answerable to no one. Yes membership certainly has it privileges! NOT !

8

I use to like Ding Dongs, but not anymore! <img>

box_dingdongs.jpg

9

Just one small addition to Raymond’s post it was TWO (2 ) treasures who have resigned do to serious discrepancies with the books .
If OAHI ever hopes to put this behind themselves they owe do diligence to the membership by having a full forensic investigation of their books.

Chance of this happening are unfortunately very small as this BOD will not stand for any member challenges .

I left OAHI when I got the feeling the BOD are not for Home inspectors or the membership .

Roy Cooke Sr.

10

I used to like Ding Dongs, too…but lately I’ve been spending more time with Twinkies.:slight_smile: :slight_smile:

11

Ray

That is quite the list. Unfortunately even though there are so many faults they have been successful in creating recognition in Ontario. Many people I have spoken with on the subject say “I joined them but they don’t like them.” People join because they feel there is no other alternative. They hear about national certifion, they hear about talks with CREA about only allowing agents to refer CAHPI inspectors. They are basically told that OAHI is the only legitimate game in town. Growing our NACHI brand here in Ontario will lower thier credibility and offer a better choice to HI’s…

The best way to beat them is not to join them!

12

In my area the Realtors could care less who one is affiliated with, at least in my experience.

I have a pile of Questionaires from clients and of the 120 plus questionaires I have rec’d back only a few commented on using me because of my professional affiliations. Actually less than 6 replies stating professional affiliation was the reason. That should tell you something.

Rest assured many in OAHI come here and read these posts because OAHI and CAHPI will and actively censor thier discussion board.

I would even go one better then Roy, and have stated it many times before, OAHI not only needs a forensic audit, but it needs a full audit of its other activities, form vote rigging, to membership qualifications, to by-laws.

13

I agree that “it doesn’t really matter”, I think subliminally some folks think it’s nice that we belong to something–whatever it is.

Most people don’t have a clue what a “NACHI” is, but isn’t that cute–he belongs to it.

14

Just to read Jae is enough reason to join NACHI , every thing else is just an added bonus.

If you think I am a fan of Jae’s you would be right aftel all we are of the same generation and simular build.
Roy Cooke Sr. . Royshomeinspection.com

15

Roy,

It sounds like you guys have a real mess up there regarding licensing, certification, etc.

16

It is far from good we also have many inspectors who belong to nothing doing inspection for $200:00 or less.
The agents love them we also Have OAHI and its BOD and CAHPI and its Directors and many colleges turning out Thousands ? of new inspectors every year.
Many do not even try to start inspecting when they find the truth . This is so unfortunate that it continues to happen . Of those who do try to make a living I am led to believe about 90% do not last three years .
In my small are there are over 20+ HIs and only4 have been at it over 3 years.
I have had 5 phone me in the last few weeks who wish to become home Inspectors . They do not want to hear the truth . Last night the guy told me I am not with out some talent you know.
I wish them all the best but the pie is not big enough to feed all.

Roy Cooke sr
Roy Cooke Sr…

17

Strange, most all of the newbies coming into the field have been taught by OAHI members running home inspection mills, aka puppy mills. Not to mention two colleges that rely on OAHI inspectors to teach their courses and indoctrinate the pupils into their report writing systems.

18

A lot of people are saying there isn’t much work (in HI) so I’m currious,… can you guys state where you guys are located. I’m in the Ottawa valley area and there is plenty of work but tons of HI’s in the area. It is hard to get realtors to promote you when your new but I feel I’m starting to make a significant break through.

Everything you guys said about OAHI is true. I still can not get over how they justify spending 10 grand on writing a HI agreement form. In the end it looked just like all the others,… I could have wrote the damm thing. Actually a lot of members don’t even like it! It’s nuts! Anyway I’m out of there!

19

Chris

I am in the Orangeville area. I charge more than my competition and work by referral, repeat biz, reputation. I do not advertise and have been in biz since 1991. I deal with approximately 8-12 agents only most of whom are the high earners.

Here is a good read for ya Chris I like to post this from time to time to show how things are run in OAHI. The strange thing is OAHI pulled out all the stops with Mr. Cooke, yet the two principal players mentioned in this appeal remain undisciplined even though there are outstanding complaints filed and they admitted acting outside the confines of the by-law. The DPPC new this at the time, and I even I was powerless to stop the abuse, and ended up being canned myself along with the committee for trying to stop the abuses. You see certain people and certain acts are condoned in OAHI for reasons never fully understood. The major problem being they are a self regulating body with no outside oversite or review, they answer to themselves the same way CAHPI answers to itself with no outside accountability.

Who says NACHI is inferior when you have this crap going on? Only those folks with the most to hide, thats who!

20

Chris

What is this $10 000 agreement form?