B.C. home inspectors to get standardized training and testing

B.C. will require acommon professional standard for home inspectors to ensure a more uniformapproach to home inspections, Rich Coleman, theminister responsible for housing said Friday.

Coleman says professional standards will improve licensing requirements and streamline the licensing process for home inspectors who arecurrently governed by four different associations.

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Under the new guidelines, Consumer Protection B.C. will be given an expanded role to set new education and training requirements, establish standardtesting and evaluation, implement provincial inspection standards and a common code of ethics.

It will also be responsible for expanded compliance and enforcement.

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"We want to ensure home buyers have every possible confidence that their home inspector is qualified to help them with what is often the largest investment they will make," said Coleman.

In 2009, British Columbia became the first jurisdiction in Canada to require licensing of home inspectors.

CurrentlyB.C. and Alberta are the only two provinces that regulate home inspectors in Canada.

On mobile? Read the provincial report on home inspector licensing