Protecting Our Property From Copyright Infringers

It seems my own clients aren’t the only ones who appreciate the great qualities of HomeReport®.  Some months ago, I hired a copyright lawyer to serve cease and desist letters to two separate large home inspection firms.  At this time, lawyers for those two firms are passing letters back and forth with my own lawyer and we are still hoping to come to a peaceful resolution. 

 

The documents in question pertain to the HomeReport® contract and page opposite entitled “What You Should Expect From Your Inspection”. We are now in our 12^th edition of HomeReport®, but the publication dates back to the first edition which was written in 1999.

Let me be clear, I have never licensed my material to any third parties, ever.  So, if you are using a home inspection report that incorporates a “What You Should Expect From Your Inspection” page or such a page is near, or is referenced in, the body of your contract page, your report may contain material that has been misappropriated from HomeReport®. HomeReport® starts the What You Should Expect From Your Inspection Page off with the following wording: “A home inspection is part of the path to making a more informed home purchase decision.  It is intended to provide peace of mind by offering a technical review of the home.  This review usually entails a VISUAL INSPECTION of the major systems…..”  

 

Don’t be fooled by the pretenders, get the full benefits of HomeReport®, not the cut and paste imitations that are floating around the market.  We know why others want our material, it’s because it’s the best.  Our Contract and What You Should Expect From Your Inspection pages are invaluable portions of the industry leading HomeReport® Home Inspection Reporting System.

 
If you are in doubt, or at all concerned, about the validity of the contract or “What You Should Expect From Your Inspection” page in your inspection reports, you can contact myself, Sharon Purtill, founder of Canspec Home Publishing and co-author of HomeReport® for more information.   You can reach me through the website at www.canspechomepublishing.com or email me directly at sharon@canspechomepublishing.com

It is sad that anyone can just take copyrighted material and use it and it’s up to the owner of such material to pursue justice and have them cease and desist.  It can be a very draining and costly process protecting copyright, something the thieves don’t seem to care anything about.   Stolen copyrighted material should be no different than stealing a book right out of your house.  Theft is theft, or at least it should be.  However, the Canadian courts don’t see it that way.  They say we must fight for our rights to protect our material in civil court, not criminal court.   So, that is what I will do.  I believe in honesty, integrity and honour, but it seems not all businesses run on these principles. 

 

Sharon Purtill,

Owner, Canspec Home Publishing

www.canspechomepublishing.com