Engineering Licensing Body Obtains Order Against Home Inspector

http://peo.on.ca/news/PressReleasesPEO/2007/BarziJune2007.pdf

** Toronto – (Friday, June 29, 2007)** – Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) obtained an Order under the Professional Engineers Act in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Thursday against Siamak Jasmshidi Barzi, also known as Mike Barzi, for holding himself out as engaging in the practice of professional engineering, and in the business of providing to the public services that are within the practice of professional engineering, and for using the titles “engineer” and “professional engineer” in his dealing with a client. Barzi has never held a licence to practise professional engineering or a Certificate of Authorization in Ontario. Neither have his unincorporated businesses, Home Inspection Professionals and Building Inspection Professionals.

Now that’s the kind of power the HI industry needs. There are some new HI’s here that should be called out a bit. The new owners have asked me to re-inspect a home done by one of them this weekend if the hurricane doesn’t get too bad.

The PEO just recently told an OAHI RHI to stop referring to engineers on staff, pretty much the same circumstances as the case above.

You really would think an RHI would know better. Not!

Cheers,

Ray

When I was in College every Tom, Dick and Harry claimed that they were Engineers or Architects! Licensed in their country of origin but not here in Canada. I guess they feel that it’s OK for them to claim the P.Eng tittle here in Ontario. I could go on but I won’t.

Mario;
Maybe they worked for the rail road back home and just didn’t know the difference? :mrgreen: :shock:

Mario good point. I have often taught such a student.

This is often a general misconception by some students studying in that field. In addition, some will exaggerate their credentials to pad their own ego. I know an inspector in my area claiming to be an civil engineering technologist - when in fact he graduated from a community college. There is a huge difference between the two. He is simply a graduate of a civil engineering technology. The other title is earned by applying and meeting the standards to use that title.

Part of their professional practice training is understanding the difference between the right to use a title, and the implications if caught for misusing that title. The other key component is reporting with credible evidence that such a misuse is happening.

This is why it is very important to ensure the accuracy of what inspectors claim they do and what they say they have degree wise or association affiliation. Its easy to embellish and falsely advertise because no one is obligated to ensure accuracy under any current home inspection bylaws.

There are lots of violations and/or questionable advertising statements by inspectors. This is not good for the industry as a whole, and should be cleaned up for the benefit of us all, after all we are suppose to be self regulating, or so we think. Obviously self regulation is not ensuring accuracy of adverting standards.

Regulation, Regulation, Regulation…Needed badly. One local HI has been advertising membership in a municipal inspectors’ association that has been defunct for 7-8 years and that he is WETT certified, but hasn’t been for 5-6 years!!!

By the way, our chapter is voting later this month on further tightening its entry requirements. If passed: Even though a student/applicant has met the point total for entry, they will have a one year probationary period after which they could be asked to leave the association. Reasons for dismissal have not been detailed yet. At that meeting, I will be pushing for further raising the point total required soon.

Brian

OAHI tried to stiffle members rights to freedom of expression and freedom of thought a couple years ago with draconian proposed bylaws, because they didn’t want members talking publicly about questionable activities within the association and to thwart any whistle blowers.

Needless to say the motion to accept these bylaws was soundly rejected, because I and others were instrumental in sounding the alarm bells.

Now I understand there are other bylaw revisions being worked on by OAHI that hopefully will not be a repeat of the earlier attemtps to stiffle questions and accountability.

Be very vigilant!
Cheers,

Brian is is too bad that you as a CAHPI (Atlantic) member do not have an open Canadian BB to Communicate on .
It seems the only open method for the CAHPI members to find out what is going on ion the industry is VIA the NACHI BB.
I am so glad we do have the NACHI BB so all can get the truth.
WE do know much of the information on the OAHI/CAHPI is filtered.
We do know much of the information on the CANUK list is filtered.
WE do know all information is allowed on the NACHI site.
CAHPI had one but Claude removed Me and others as we where not CAHPI members , then is was completely closed down .
This tells me that the CAHPI leaders in all the provinces wish that much information did not get posted to the membership.
Thank You Brian for comming on to the NACHI site and sharing your thoughts .
Canadian home inspectors need more open discusions with out fear of repercussions from the associations…

… Long Live NACHI…Cookie

Roy:

Neither of those statements is true.

The Canuck Forum is just as open as the NACHI Forum as long as the rules are followed, just as the NACHI forum rules must be followed. The information is certailny not ‘filtered’ as you try to make people believe.

A lot of information that was posted to the NACHI forum was not allowed. I can name a number of people who are not allowed to post here, and so can you.

If you have a point to make, keep the facts straight…don’t make them up.

NACHI has enough good things going on that nobody should have to make anything up to brag about it or fabricate stuff about any other group.

Bill Mullen

Is “regulation” or “licensing” your only defense against false advertisement in Canada? Are unregulated and unlicensed people free from any accountability for lying about their services?

Roy for clarification sake - and as a matter of fact I (Claude) did not remove you. I agree that website board was closed down for a number of reasons, but ultimately that was the decision by CAHPI- National, and most likely on the advice of their webmaster at that time. But a no time did I have or ever have control of removing any person or message from that board.

The difference with the other boards is they are mostly monitored and to varying degrees censored. That is the right of the association that sponsors and maintains that board. It goes to the right of following the rules of treating the posted topics in a fair and manner respectful of the terms and conditions of posting.

I like the openness of the NACHI board, but it is a bit too open at times, and can be a place for people to post at their own free will. However, the mileage and value can vary. I belong to a number of boards, and NACHI’s is the most open. If I want good technical help there are several others that can provide that - not that NACHI can’t - it most often gets derailed in other issues.

Your post above - is a good example of how to create the wrong impression and put “personal” blame on me. That’s really unfortunate and not the truth!

So…now…you are going the other way and saying that people should be accountable and able to prove what they publish about themselves? You sure do flop around a lot on this issue.

Come on Bill you know it is its called intimidation from Bill.
You know exactly you would have removed any one who had said things and made posts on you CANUK list like you have on the NACHI site .
You have said many things far worse on the NACHI site then ROY RAY OR WOLF ever said on your CANUK site .
Talk about making things up how about you told us recently there are about 120 who are NC members.
Well last February I would expect it was less how could these people last February do 10,000 to 30,000 inspections in a month.

… Cookie

Not the only defence but the one that’s beginning to make more sense. There are so many associations around with little to no affiliation, that if an HI get tossed from one because of a complaint of false advertising, he can simply join another. And who has the time to personally try to take them into the legal system. Any other suggestions??

Well, at least it’s humourous watching you make things up as you go. Why ruin a good story with facts, eh, Roy?

I’m not going to play your little game, Roy. These people deserve better, so let’s drop the little game for a while. Surely there is something that can be discussed without crapping on other people.

Bill Mullen

I do not know how many in your Province but we only have two with many members in Ontario NACHI and OAHI/CAHPI ( Northern ASHI).

… Cookie

"OAHI tried to stiffle members rights to freedom of expression and freedom of thought a couple years ago with draconian proposed bylaws, because they didn’t want members talking publicly about questionable activities within the association and to thwart any whistle blowers."

Hmmmmm. Sounds like the famous - " I declare myself President and nobody speaks or posts without my permission." of days gone by.

Right, Roy.
The two biggest are CAHPI Ontario and NACHI. However, there is one small one with about thirty members and a newer one that now has around 130 members.

Bill Mullen