you need to let him know that the NC the board has already gone after other for doing this. He's offering services that he's not technically licensed to provide. This thread came up just over a year ago - same thing & NCBELS was issuing cease/desist letter
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in WA state, a licensee has an obligation to report to the state. If it is discovered you were aware and didn??t report, you are liable.
In minor cases (expired or missing stamp or certificate), I notify the license holder, and include the statement ??I am assuming that corrective action will be taken by you, relieving me of the obligation to notify the licensing board?.
In the case of practicing without a license, I would be obligated to inform the board, but I would certainly notify the young man as well. Assuming it is ignorance, and not acting nefariously, I would freely give all the advise I could.
He knew he was skirting the line...
In pretty much ever instance I've seen of unlicensed practice, the person breaking the law knew that was the case, but justified it to themselves by claiming it was just barely doing so because they weren't "really" surveying just telling people where their boundaries were.
You have much more faith in people than I do.?ÿ I highly suspect that was not his first instance of providing such a service.?ÿ Hopefully it will be his last.
Over the last 12 years, I've pretty much heard every story imaginable from unlicensed people providing surveying, engineering, and geology services and I can accurately state...that if they do not experience suitable repercussions as a result of their actions, they will not stop regardless of what they tell you.?ÿ And even then, a very large percentage of those will still try it again....
That's what I would've done too.?ÿ As said above, I wouldn't have reported him unless he made it into a debate or a fight.
Did he give the homeowner his $200 back?
I had a call come in from a homeowner wishing to build a fence. He said he had already had the services of a 'surveyor' but that there was some discrepancy and that he wanted a second opinion.
He explained that after calling through a handful of google results and finding 10-12 weeks out being the norm, he got to a guy who provides Aerial Mapping Services. This guy advised that he could come out and mark his lines within a few days, for $200. The homeowner said he came out with some type of 'machine' and staked the boundary line in question. When asked later, the aerial mapper said he relied up on publicly available GIS parcel data and GPS to mark the line.
Upon marking, the homeowner felt it wasn't right. He asked the 'surveyor' if he was sure, was told it was close though 'it probably wouldn't hold up in court'. When the fence estimator came out, he offered to check a distance with a measuring wheel from one known corner and said that the stakes appeared to be 6 feet out of what the plat says, but smartly clarified he was not a land surveyor and recommended homeowner hire one.
Sensing trouble, the homeowner pulled out all of the stakes set by the aerial mapper and is asking me for a price and schedule for a certified boundary survey.
Homeowner provided me information on the aerial mapper, and I see he is young, recent college grad, with a very new drone business. Offering everything from aerial mapping, inspection, stockpile volumes, to real estate, wedding, and live event aerial video. My read is that he is a kid with a drone and a Part 107 willing to do anything anyone is willing to pay him for. I think he probably means well but is ignorant of where his limits are.
I am in North Carolina. If this kid told homeowner he was marking boundary lines, I believe he's practiced without a license. I don't know what methods he used to locate those lines, but I don't think it matters. The homeowner called him to mark boundary lines, mapper came and put stakes in the ground, and charged a fee. He is not a PLS and does not appear to be supervised or in any other way involved with one.
My first inclination is to call this kid up and offer some unsolicited guidance and advice, and perhaps send a few statues for him to review. Thoughts?
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I would call him, try to provide him with some guidance and mentoring.?ÿ In fact I have already done this in a similar situation with a forester.
His attitude will determine the next step, he's humble and appreciative then good.?ÿ He cops an attitude and argues, then my next call is to the appropriate Board.?ÿ The fact that he set stakes tells me that he has already crossed the line into non-licensed practice.
@tfdoubleyou It does not matter where he sourced the property line data, he represented a property line. Any activity that references a boundary line is considered surveying.?ÿ Glad the chat dissuaded him from further activities.?ÿ The board would have sent a cease and desist notice and if continuously repeats said offences then would be referred to the attorney general.
I'm curious.?ÿ Has anyone paid to have a fence constructed lately??ÿ While a firm believer in let the buyer beware I also believe that as a profession whose duty is to the public that when someone crosses the line the best approach is to let the proper governing agency deal with it.?ÿ His actions have the potential of costing someone thousands of dollars.
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And would that homeowner have any recourse against him - except for the $200??ÿ
He did say that it probably wouldn't hold up in court.?ÿ Who knows other than the judge hearing the complaint.
Sincerely Bill must be on vacation. What's a Licnese? I'm personally offended my the term Licensed Land Surveyor. I'm a Registered?ÿ Land Surveyor.?ÿ
You don't hafta call me Bill.
@skeeter1996 I think the proper term is "Professional Land Surveyor, duly licensed and registered with the State of ______" (insert applicable state name here).?ÿ
We do a "license renewal" every two years.?ÿ We are now to call ourselves Professional Surveyors as opposed to the old Land Surveyor and use PS instead of LS.?ÿ We are what we are.?ÿ We are registered with the State that licenses us to provided provide professional services related to land surveying.
We also do a "license renewal" every two years for being a PE.
They don't take away your registration if you are a bad boy or girl.?ÿ They take away your license.
Sounds like you did the right thing.
Let's hope he does too.
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Sincerely Bill must be on vacation. What's a Licnese? I'm personally offended my the term Licensed Land Surveyor. I'm a Registered?ÿ Land Surveyor.?ÿ
You don't hafta call me Bill.
In 84 when I became licensed I noticed by dog gave me more respect. ?ÿLol
