License only applies for resale properties??

[Monika Hagele]

Hello,
I am a Mortgage Broker here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

As of September 1st, the new rules is requiring that resale home inspectors need to be licensed by the province.

Does it apply for New Home Constructions as well?

I heard that getting a license only applies for resale properties and that for all New Home Constructions it is covered under the Safety Codes Council of Alberta.

I just want to find out, if this is correct and would like to find out more about it. Is the Safety Codes Council of Alberta government based?

There is a misconception in our industry, that a license is required on all homes (New homes includes as well as resale properties), but this is not the case.

Can someone confirm for sure that this is correct or if they could pass on a name or website where I could find out more about it.

Thanks for your time.

Monika Hagele
Mortgage Professional with Mortgage Alliance.

[Rick Strand]

Monika,

As I understand it, if the inspection is for the purpose of determining the condition of the house prior to it's sale, then it is a "home inspection" and must be performed by a licensed home inspector. New or used, it doesn't matter although there is no law stating that every house must be inspected prior to a sale.

A home inspection is not the same as a building code inspection, it will not determine whether or not a house is up to code. Building code inspections are conducted by inspectors that work for (or are contracted by) the governing municipal authority. The Alberta safety codes council provides the education / training for SCO's (Safety Code Officers), some of those courses are required to obtain the designation of a CAHPI Associate that I have. SCO's are exempt from the new home inspector licensing requirements as they are not home inspectors and vice versa.

Definitions:

A Home Inspector is defined as an individual who is employed by one or more home inspection businesses to conduct home inspections.

A Home Inspection means an opinion as to the condition of a dwelling based primarily on a non-invasive examination of readily accessible features and components of the dwelling.

A Home Inspection Business is defined as the activity of providing home inspection services to consumers.

Exclusions:

A business operating in only the way(s) listed below does not require licensing as a Home Inspection Business:

Contracts for inspections of common areas of a condominium property.

Contracts for inspections of dwellings to be used for commercial or business purposes, including use as a rental property.

Contracts for inspections of dwellings conducted by a person participating in a home inspection training course or as part of a test home inspection if the consideration, if any, for the home inspection is paid to the educational institution or supervisor of the test home inspection and no remuneration is paid to the person conducting the home inspection.

Inspections of dwellings by a safety codes officer pursuant to the Safety Codes Act.

Inspections of dwellings for purposes of constructing, altering, maintaining, repairing or improving the dwelling.

New regulations:

http://www.servicealberta.ca/pdf/Reg...Regulation.pdf

[Monika Hagele]

Dear Rick,
I truly appreciate in replying to my email. If this okay with you, are you okay that I may contact you directly and ask you further questions about the licensing process.

I received this information from my mortgage association that the home inspection license excludes new home construction and I would like to do my due diligence, before writing a blog about it.

It seems that they do not have the right information.

Thank you so much for your great explanation. I truly appreciate your time in writing me back.

Monika Hagele
Mortgage Specialist
Mortgage Alliance
Cell: 403-831-2929
Email: mmhagele@gmail.com
Website: www.MortgagesinCalgary.com

[Rick Strand]

I hardly consider myself an authority on the subject (not sure anyone is at this point), but am happy to share whatever info I can with you. Feel free to PM, email or phone.

[Fritz Kamprath]

Why not go straight to the source?
Service Alberta
http://www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/

[Vern Mitchinson]

When all is said and done, the bottom line is a home inspector and a home inspection business must be licensed to do inspections for buyers that are going to buy the dwelling and live in it. If the buyer is not going to live in it the inspector does not have to be licensed. For example if the buyer is a landlord, a developer, renovator, etc. It does not matter whether or not the dwelling is new or used.