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
