bosco

bosco; Mike /Housdoc, Many thanks for your recent and detailed contibutions on the UK forum. While much of what you have said could benefit aspiring HI's over here, I think folk are still reeling from what they thought was a 'sure thing'. We still await further news from the Govt. on their plans, but the whole process is still very much 'up in the air'. Will keep you updated on any changes. Bosco

From the UK Our Housing minister, Yvette Cooper announced 18th of July, that the planned mandatory introduction of Home Reports due in June 2007, will be indefinitely postponed. The minister favours a 'phased roll-out' instead, due to pressures from mortgage lenders, some estate agents and the opposition party. Arguments against range from "there won't be enough HI's to cope with a 'big bang' introduction" to "it will upset the UK Housing Market" and lead to a possible recession. There are 2000 approx, people in training, some almost finished with many having paid $15,000 in course fees alone. Their concern now is that their Home Inspection Diploma will not be worth the paper it's written on. Many people have given up jobs, businesses and taken out sizeable loans to attend the distance learning courses of 9-12 months duration. Seeing the Home Report (HCR) as a fatally wounded proposal, many are now considering legal action against the Government in order to recoup course fees, travel costs and loss of earnings. We are all waiting on whether the Government presses ahead with its controversial plans and as to whether the private sector will take the HCR idea themselves. For the time being, hundreds of future Home Inspectors are calculating the potential losses they face. In the meantime, Scotland, having different legislation on such matters, intends to introduce its own HCR's called PIP's in 2008. A good source of info is http://homeinspectorforum.co.uk Bosco

Hi All, Hope you don't mind me dropping in. I've seen from your postings that you're aware of the proposals to introduce reports in the UK. I am intending to become a home inspector on completion of my (very expensive) course. As you may have heard, the Govt. here did a recent complete U-turn on its plans to introduce mandatory inspections in June of 2007. We have a similar forum in the UK run by Ryan- http://homeinspectorforum.co.uk. It would be great to have some of you guys over for discussion, compare notes and cheer up a couple of hundred, very worried potential Home Inspectors. Some are looking at a loss of $15,000 in course fees alone. Hope to see you. Bosco