Toronto – March 10, 2016 – CSA Group, a leading global provider of standards development and testing and certification services, announces the publication of the first Canadian standard on home inspections. The voluntary standard will help home buyers to compare inspection services, and it will establish clear requirements for the inspection of homes. Until now there has been no accredited standard for home inspections and inspectors do not all follow one particular guideline. As a result, inspections can vary greatly from one inspector to another and across Canada. With the average price of housing in Canada consistently increasing, there is a growing need for consumer protection. “Purchasing a home is a big and sometimes life-changing decision. This standard will offer buyers peace of mind at an often stressful time, giving them the reassurance of knowing they can select a home inspector who is following a consistent set of rules,” said Magali Depras, President, Standards, CSA Group. “This will help consumers better understand what to expect from a home inspection, including the condition of the home and whether there are any health and safety issues, and it will give inspectors a clearly defined set of requirements to follow – and to stand behind should any disputes arise.” CSA A770-16 Home Inspection was developed to help establish specific guidance for inspection through a single recognized standard. Inconsistency in the approach to inspections can create a risk for both consumers and home inspectors, and the lack of clear expectations for what a home inspection entails may cause increased liability for both parties. The CSA Group technical committee, comprised of a balanced representation of stakeholders including real estate agents, home inspectors, consumer protection groups, governments and others, agreed that a national standard would help provide clarity. A home inspection is intended to be a non-invasive evaluation of the condition and performance of systems and components of a dwelling, and is often carried out when buying or selling a home. It is primarily used to identify and report any items that may be faulty, and the focus is on significant issues that are readily visible to the inspector as opposed to minor building deficiencies. The new standard offers benefits to both consumers and home inspectors. While the standard is not mandatory, by adopting it home inspectors will have a better defined, clear set of requirements to stand behind when disagreements arise. Widespread implementation of the CSA standard will help inspectors to provide the best possible service to clients on a level playing field. Home buyers will have a clearer sense of what a home inspection entails and a better understanding of the scope and purpose of the service, and may seek out inspectors who can conduct an inspection to the benchmark of the standard.

About CSA Group

CSA Group is an independent, not-for-profit membership association dedicated to safety, social good and sustainability.  Its knowledge and expertise encompass standards development; training and advisory solutions; global testing and certification services across key business areas including hazardous location and industrial, transportation, plumbing and construction, medical, safety and technology, appliances and gas, alternative energy, lighting and sustainability; as well as consumer product evaluation services. The CSA certification mark appears on billions of products worldwide. 

For more information about CSA Group visit www.csagroup.org.