Home inspections began as a consumer service in the early 1970's in direct response to the growing demand by home buyers, and it soon became apparent that, for the consumer, selecting a qualified home inspector was becoming as important as finding the right home. To meet this need, the Canadian Association of Home Inspectors (CAHI) was formed in 1982, and is the national organization of duly recognized provincial/regional associations. The Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI) was formed in in 1987. The OAHI operated as a chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), until 1994 when the OAHI became a self-regulating professional body with the passage of Ontario Association of Home Inspectors Act. by the Ontario Govenment.
The Ontario Association of Home Inspectors Act received royal assent (passage of Bill Pr158 by the Ontario government) on December 9th, 1994, granting the OAHI the exclusive right to define qualification and performance requirements, regulate its members and grant the designation "Registered Home Inspector" and "RHI" to qualified practitioners in the Province of Ontario.
A Registered Home Inspector is an individual with training and experience to provide technical advice to buyers and owners of rea estate. The current RHI requirements include: successful completion of community college level courses in Ontario Building Code Part 9 Buildings; and Residential Electrical and Residential Heating Systems. In addition, members must complete a course in Defect Recognition and Reporting, meet one of the options under the introducation to home inspection requirement, and have written reports verified as meeting specific quality standards. Finally, before the RHI designation is granded, a technical background in construction, building science or additional courses are required, as well as the completion of a minimum number of inspections. A Registered Home Inspectior must renew the designation annually.
One of the major goals of the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors is to enhance the technical and professional performance of home inspectors through education. It is also devoted to promoting the Standards of Practice and Code of Conduct, as the broadly accepted requirements for home inspections. The Standards of Practice provide inspection guidelines and the Code of Conduct stresses the home inspector's responsibility to act in a strictly fair, impartial, and professional manner.