Is Ontario's new home warranty program up to scratch?
Did you buy a new home in the last year? Are you happy? Or do the pipes rattle every time someone turns on the shower.
If you got something to say, then watch your mailbox or inbox in the next week or so for the opportunity to rate your builder.
Sent out by Tarion, the private corporation that regulates Ontario builders and provides warranties on new houses and condos, the surveys are used to provide feedback on builder customer service and new buyer satisfaction.
But don't expect that anybody will be really listening, says one disgruntled home inspector, who feels Tarion is not as responsive as its mandate suggests.
But they should be, says Toroto realtor Charles Hanes, who argues that many consumers are not as agressive as they might be.
"Many buyers don't realize that the Tarion Warranty is something that you have contracted directly with Tarion to have to protect you. If you look in your "disbursements" at closing you will see the fee (usually around $850) and in accepting your money, Tarion actually contracted to protect you," he says.
But even then, there are lots of unhappy buyers who feel that Tarion has let them down.
“Tarion is much more interested in protecting the builder than the consumer,” Carol and Dale Egan told the Toronto Star last year after their custom-built home's high-efficiency furnace burned through four motors in four years.
What about you? Are you a satisfied new home buyer? If there were issues, were they resolved quickly by the builder? Was Tarion of any value to you?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
Posted by: unhappy | Oct 23, 2021 9:13:33 AM
Tarion is a ripoff. When you buy a new car, you get more years of warranty than when buying a house.
Posted by: Mike | Oct 24, 2021 11:07:59 AM
After a bitter and long breakup, I was finally excited to move into my 1 yr old home that required little to no work since I did not have energy after a split, job change and with the future endeavour to re-start my life.
From day one, nothing but problems related to water damage that I found out despite my challenging of the seller, sellers agent, and my own agent and inspector that the roof top design had faulty design and workmanship as a reuslt of the builder taking over the project midway from another builder.
After a year long battle, inquiries with lawyers, all the proper documentation with Tarion, working on the contractors word, inquiries to the city inspectors, calling on friends/experts, all to no avail.
Finally I had a bit of a receptive ear from an unbiased Tarion inspector, but after what felt like a staged consigliary meeting, all i got for my troubles was a bandaid paint job in one room, and my $250 meeting fee returned to me.
I have zero faith in Tarion, still am worried every time it rains outside that my house will be flooded, and my feedback is that any new home you buy, just assume you have absolutely zero support from an agency/Tarion, etc, and just expect to have to pay for the repairs yourself or through insurance.
sadly deflated consumer that should have been excited!!!!
Posted by: Greg | Oct 24, 2021 10:42:18 PM
I do lots of Tarion warranty inspections and I am shoked that owners are forced by law to pay for a warranty service that is rn by Builders. The Board of Directors are builders a serious conflict of interest. Tarion is truly only there to protect Builders.
Tarion as an organization treats Home Owners with great disrespect and indifference. Home Owners are not viewed as "fee" paying customer but a nuisunce to the Builders.
Until the Board is comprised of "all" stakeholders nothing will change.