Once again PHPIO has made Canadian Home Inspection History. Your BOD is proud to announce that on October 6, 2009, PHPIO officially became the first and ONLY Canadian Home Inspection organization to be professionally evaluated and officially recognized as being 'reasonably aligned' to CAN-P-9 standards for certifying bodies. PHPIO is the unquestionable leader in Ontario and continues to do everything right for its members. Achieving this validation endorses our mission statement and continues to strengthen our responsibility to you the Ontario inspector. As we continue to raise the bar in Ontario and for the rest of Canada we will not rest on our laurels and unprecedented achievements........we will continue to move forward with licensing our profession and other important issues as they arise.
PHPIO's dedication to the National Certification Program and the National Certificate Holder designation as the gold standard for Canadian Home Inspectors is our primary mission. We have been able to keep our membership fees reasonable in this era of restraint while achieving what no other association has been able to do in Canada. With the dedication and commitment of your Board of Directors, your Advisory Council and you, the members, we will continue to lead the Canadian home inspection profession.
Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Board of Directors:
Paul Wilson, President
Wayne Fulton, Vice President
Bill Mullen, Treasurer
Mike O'Grady, Secretary
Brian Callaghan, Registrar
George Webb, Director
Claude Lawrenson, Director
Advisory Council:
Jim Robar
John Lueck
Kim Courtney
Garnett Hamilton
Bob Ridley
Jan Delaney
Bud Jobin
Tom Lloyd
Gerry Weir
Brad Comeau
Ombudsman:
Bob Johnston
Special Advisor:
Laura Leyser
Tips on Reducing Your Liability
Sometimes simply spending a few more minutes on your report can save you hours of work, reduce your liability and allow you to sleep worry free. Market fluctuations have resulted in a significant increase in lawsuits filled against home inspectors. Being sued at some point in time is a reality of our profession. There are basically two types of inspectors, those that have been sued and those that will be sued. So every step we can make to help reduce our liability should be incorporated into our daily business.
While having your contract agreement signed prior to the inspection seems like a given, many claims that are filed actually lack a signature. Without a signature the claim becomes very difficult to defend, as most agreements contain limitations on your liability, exclusions and the Standards of Practice by which the inspection was conducted. You might have 99 out of a 100 signed contracts but given "Murphy's Law" it's the one you didn't that comes back to haunt you. So always double check to ensure your client has signed the contract.
Not being specific can also lead to future problems, many times inspectors properly note the problem but fail to identify the location. Stating there is a crack in the basement foundation does little to address the problem, however being specific pin-points the exact defect. By stating there was a horizontal or vertical crack noted on the north wall of the foundation under the kitchen, pin-points the location so it cannot come back to haunt you. Many times claims are settled as a nuisance value because there is no documentation to refute the claim. Stating that you went over this area verbally with your client will not protect you, it's the he said she said scenario that ultimately has to be settled not defended.
Try to avoid excessive use of boilerplates and disclosures. If your report is specific and addresses the defect properly, boilerplates do little to enhance the report. You should also try to tailor your report to your client, young first time buyers or someone who doesn't fully comprehend the situation may require a little more information. We are in the information business so keep the technical stuff for the classroom and consider your clients needs. A picture is worth a thousand words has never been truer than in the case of the home inspector. With to-days electronically generated reports it's more important than ever to supplement your report with plenty of photographs. Photos strengthen your position by providing unequivocal evidence of the defect or condition. When photographs are combined with a well written report you create a true position of strength.
These four simple tips may seem like common sense reminders but they should be paramount in your mind and reflected in your reports. Following the above will only strengthen your position should a claim be filled.
The ASHI Reporter: Business Risk Partners
The PHPIO Forum
Very shortly the PHPIO Forum will be going live and be available to our members only. This is a password protected site and your access login and password will be sent to you within the next two weeks. This is an excellent area to learn, share your experiencesand gain Knowledge.
Cell Phones
REMEMBER --Cell phone Numbers go public this month
This is easy to do and is worth passing on to your family and friends.
REMINDER..... all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.
YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS
Use the "Do Not Call List Canada" web site and register your phone there. Register Here HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS... It takes about 20 Seconds.
Regional Meeting Groups!
Regional Meeting Groups will be starting very shortly in your area. Information on these groups can be found on our website in the 'For Inspectors' menu. Please visit this area regulally for the lastest updates.
PHPIO is a member driven organization, that is to say, it's yours. If you have any suggestions as to how we can improve our services please send your comments to admin@phpio.ca . We won't promise to address them all, but we will try!
Baseball pitcher Jim Palmer is the only Hall of Famer to notch World Series wins in three different decades. He was on the Baltimore Orioles team when it won in 1966, 1970 and 1971, and again in 1983.....HUH!!!!
