By Staff
August 17, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There are a lot of home buyers that are going to be pleased to see this fovernment regulation come into being.
Home inspectors are going to have to be licensed by the province. Minister of Government and Consumer Services, Marie-France Lalonde announced Ontario’s intent to introduce legislation this fall that would, if passed, regulate the province’s home inspection industry in order to better protect consumers.
If passed, the proposed changes would:
• Require home inspectors to be licensed with proper qualifications
• Set minimum standards for contracts, home inspection reports, disclosures, and the performance of home inspections
• Establish an independent Administrative Authority to administer and enforce the home inspection licensing legislation and associated regulations
If the provincial government passes it talked about legislation people buying homes like this will be able to get inspection reports completed by trained and licensed people.
These changes would ensure consumers benefit from quality advice, are protected from surprise costs and aware of safety issues before buying a home. This will also create a level playing field for the home inspection industry, preventing inspectors with little or no training from competing with qualified professionals by offering lower rates.
Did you know:
Home inspectors are one of the only professionals involved in a real estate transaction who are not provincially regulated.
Approximately 65 per cent of resale homes sold annually receive a home inspection.
There are approximately 1,500 home inspectors in Ontario.
The proposed legislation the government intends to introduce was based on 35 recommendations made by a 16-member expert panel which were then supported by both industry and consumers.
There has been some, not all but too many, really shoddy home inspection reports given to people buying a home. This regulation should weed out the really bad apples.
Janedon; you still don’t get what I am saying
The only trades that are regulated are electricians and plumbers and that’s not a start/stop scenario meaning that you have to be licensed. So my question is not about the fairness – if you read it correctly, it’s about the allowable time frame to transition.
Part of my thinking when saying regulated—Is a aprentiship–
not a one day or one week course-
another question(s)? there is a course that is currently offered by Dunlop and perhaps others. It is time consuming and costly.
1. Will the government have it’s own course outline / exam / fees?
2. Will the government recognize/adopt/revise the courses already offered (ie Dunlop)?
3. What will be the time frame allotted for current home inspectors (sole proprietors / corporations) to carry on with business until they have completed the course and are licensed.
4. What will the consequences be if current businesses don’t comply?
5. Will the Province see that the municipalities collaborate and have the same licensing rules and fees (currently, Burlington does not issue renovation licenses and Oakville, Hamilton and Mississauga have completely different licensing requirements and fees.
Any professional have to ump through a few hoops/taking time & costing a few dollars seems fair to me(just think Tradespeople)-
There are already rules for tradespeople-& Insurance & banks ect should Not recognize unlicenced people–
My main concern is the inspectors being held responcible & Quick Easy no cost (to the consumer) remidies for any problems-
the Big question Is—will people have an easy(Not expensive) way to hold inspectors responsible?(for what they miss)
An example–a home bought in the fall–Inspector checks to see if furnace &
central air is working by turning them on—furnace works–No air for the air conditioner–Inspector tells buyers–It a little too cold for it to come on—But it will work in the spring—spring comes–it dosn/t work–Repair man comes & says—The motor & all the workings are gone from the unit–Empty unit outside–
In the legal print it basicly says they can’thold the inspector responsible-