To the consumer a warranty should insure that a product meets their quality expectations, and the word quality is understood to mean the absence of any defect. A warranty usually addresses the integrity of a product and the responsibility for the repair or replacement of defective parts by the supplier. So how is a defect … Read more
While the Olympic Pillage Village was under construction there were TV news clips aired nightly of short cuts being taken to complete the project in time for the athletes. Should it be any surprise that CTV News reported on March 17th, Nicholas Gao and Yoko Chen, who took possession of their $600,000 suite in … Read more
Buyer Beware Seminar (free): This unique real estate seminar will provide you with insights to avoid pitfalls and ways to protect yourself as a buyer. A mortgage broker, a REALTOR®, a lawyer and a financial planner in the same room at the same time, offering a FREE seminar, and answering all of your questions about … Read more
Real Estate Highlights of 2010 – continued… Buyer’s Market On April 27th I posted, “Hello Buyer’s Market!” to let my clients know we were in a Buyers Market. It was four months later that the chief economist of the Real Estate Association mentioned “a summer shift to a buyers market”. Balanced Market Locally this past … Read more
Buyer Beware – Buying Real Estate with Confidence A mortgage broker, a REALTOR®, a lawyer and a financial planner in the same room at the same time, offering a FREE workshop, and answering all of your questions about purchasing real estate. This unique real estate seminar will provide you with insights to avoid pitfalls and … Read more
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 … Read more
Since there was no remaining meaningful consumer protection activities or responsibilities being conducted at the Homeowner Protection Office (HPO), it is no surprise to learn that the HPO is quietly closing its doors. HOMEOWNER PROTECTION ACT RESPONSIBILITIES TRANSFERRED The announcement last summer that the HPO interest-free loan program (designed to keep Leaky Condo owners in … Read more
Information savvy consumers have long expected a builder to provide specific maintenance and warranty details in a format that is easy to use and access. Besides, the warranty coverage itself will be dependent upon the homeowner being compliant and doing proper maintenance, which usually requires being able to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions, and regardless … Read more
This is not the place to cut corners in construction When I read this today it reminded me of what became clear during the Barrett Commission hearings over a decade ago in British Columbia. The many engineering assessments being conducted on leaky condos were turning up dozens, and sometimes hundreds, of building code violations. At one … Read more
Times Colonist June 24, 2009 Condo victims deserve better The leaky condo debacle remains one of the greatest consumer ripoffs in Canadian history, costing British Columbians between $1.5 billion and $2 billion. Lives were devastated when people bought homes and found themselves facing huge repair costs. Now the provincial government, without warning, is halting an … Read more