If you remember I have posted a few things going on in the UK re HIPS .
This was a system they pushed to have all homes inspected .
Many spent huge amounts of money to take the courses and become certified ,
This seemed to carry on forever and they said how big a shortage there would be on inspectors
and how so many where going to make a lot of money and how every home was going to need one .
Well it finally got of the ground late Summer and now it looks like it was all wrong not needed and not wanted.
And the cost was huge! I reported how this system sounds so much like what is going on with the National Certification .
Well it looks like they will be going back to the status quo as many said all along
The home information pack idea is not like national certification, it is quite a different concept. I lived in the UK for nearly twenty years, bought and sold several houses so I know how the system worked then and now.
The British equivalence of a home inspection is an inspection by a charter surveyor, which is a very cursory look at the structure, to judge its general condition. This is something that the mortgage company insists on having, in the same way that homes get an appraisal in north america.
The home info pack was an idea to expand the information a buyer would receive, bring it closer to what a north american home inspection resembles.
The idea in training people was to try and provide a standard so that people would get the same type of information. Since the government was involved originally it was thought that this was going to be a ‘nice little earner’ which is why many people jumped at the idea and paid for training.
Which is why on another post I was horrified at the thought that the government would become involved in licensing or certifying home inspectors.
So no, I don’t think there is much of a parallel to be made between what is happening in the UK and what is happening in Canada.
I am sure you know much more then I but I see a lot of people out a lot of time and money and nothing to show for it .
They had a carrot hung in front of then and told how great it would be .
To me this is what happened in Whistler and is happening now .
Why are so many kept in the dark with no information chasing a ball that keeps changing direction.
We are fed lies and no information.
… Cookie
The difference is that in the UK the government was hinting that the new home pack idea would be mandatory, that everyone selling a home would have to provide a home pack which would include a standard number of items.
If it had become law it would have been a license to print money for the inspectors.
The national certification idea is that the holders of such will have shown proficiency in certain aspects of home inspection. There is nothing in this idea that forces a home buyer to use a national certificate holder, or for that matter to have a home inspection at all.
You might say then, why bother?
Since at this stage it is still voluntary (and I think it should remain voluntary) it is IMHO an opportunity to gain knowledge and to compare oneself against other home inspectors.
Is that any different then A Certified Master Inspector ? they too have shown they are well trained and well educated.
CMI does not have to pay every year at a continuing rising rate.
CMI also is excepted for reduced E&O insurance .
CMI is recognized in many places .
CMIs also make more money then other Home Inspectors.
CMI is recognized all over Canada and the USA
CMI is Board registered Trade mark both in Canada and USA.
People can also see who a CMI is http://www.certifiedmasterinspector.org/
CMI has an on line members training session every month.
CMI has supported many new starting our Home Inspectors helping them to buy tools.
CMI is also voluntary run by the members.
CMI are open for all to see not a closed unknown group.
On your next inspection ask your client who they would pick for an Inspection a National Certified Inspector
or a Certified Master Home Inspector .
The name sure helps to sell it self .