The CBC have reported that the Homeowner Protection Office (HPO) is ignoring consumers’ complaints and allowing builders to continue with “business as usual”.
Builder relicensed despite unfinished homes
This is a reminder that there is little if any protection for homeowners in BC. For more than 25 years before the HPO was even in existence the builders were running roughshod, and things really haven’t changed.
Building a house is not as simple as it used to be, but the loose standards from past decades prevail, and easily pre-date the birth of many first time homebuyers.
No education or training is required to be a licensed builder in BC, and a window or door installed out-of-square or out-of-plumb is not consider a defect because it is not a building code violation.
The old building industry model that is still in use today is severely broken and doesn’t come anywhere near to meeting consumer expectations.
Senior governments have been downloading the responsibility of consumer protection for more than 25 years to the point that what little is left is now in the hands of the industry and its partners, e.g. warranty insurance companies, HPO, industry organizations, etc.
Buyer Beware!