hpo: More Leaky Condo Woes...
- 05/23/10 07:08 AM
Arrival of HST to add to leaky condo woes - by Wanda Chow - Burnaby NewsLeader - Published: May 19, 2010 Letter to the Editor, What a crock… 1. A provincial government spokesman said: “…the loan program delivered far more money than originally expected” This is because the government was completely inept at understanding the extent of the on-going multi-billion dollar leaky condo disaster, and through the government appointed board of the HPO, the portfolio has been completely mismanaged. 2. A provincial government spokesman said: “…the government more than met its commitment to help homeowners with the cost … (4 comments)
hpo: HPO Sponsorship Questioned...
- 05/21/10 07:15 PM
Letter to the Editor - Re: “Builders showcase new homes this weekend” (The Times, May 14). Sponsorship Questioned - published May 20, 2010 The Homeowner Protection Office, and what little it did for homeowners, has been completely dismantled by Rich Coleman and his cronies. No-interest loans and PST rebates for leaky condo owners have ceased, and the costs to these victims will soon be increasing due to the HST. So while leaky condo owners, or any homeowners for that matter, don’t get one red cent for homeowner protection from the province, the HPO is now sponsoring the very industry responsible for … (2 comments)
hpo: Homeowner Protection Never Existed...
- 03/20/10 11:40 AM
This is a reminder that there is little if any protection for homeowners in BC. For more than 25 years before the Homeowner Protection Office (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 home buyers in BC today. It is regrettable and shameful that the leaders of the building industry still represent and tout work practices and standards from the dark ages that carry with … (6 comments)
hpo: Yet Another Homeowner Protection Gap...
- 01/24/10 07:17 AM
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 of whether the warranty comes from a third party insurer or the manufacturer. New homeowners receive only 10% of the information required for proper care, maintenance, and warranty coverage for the components in their new home, according to CONASYS Inc., a provider of information management services … (2 comments)
hpo: BC Government Abandons Leaky Condos…
- 11/23/09 06:02 AM
The sudden discontinuation on July 31, 2009, of the HPO Reconstruction Loan Program by Housing Minister, Rich Coleman and his government was unconscionable. They have now brought consumer protection to an all-time low in BC. In the Fall of 2007 the Homeowner Protection Office received an independent report from McClanaghan and Associates which clearly pointed out that we were not even half way through the leaky condo disaster in BC. After 9 long years of under-estimating the full extent of the leaky condo disaster it would finally be acknowledged in the report. Direct costs to B.C. families for the various types … (2 comments)
Local REALTOR® John Grasty will be holding a seminar this month to discuss the potential pitfalls home buyers face when entering the real estate market. Photo: COLLEEN FLANAGAN/THE TRI-CITY NEWS John Grasty knows the pitfalls that can come when buying real estate. In 1997 he discovered the condo he purchased in Coquitlam's Town Centre neighbourhood was one of thousands caught up in the Lower Mainland's leaky condo disaster. Following the incident Grasty became an outspoken critic of building practices and the provincial governments handling of those affected by … (5 comments)
hpo: End of HPO Reconstruction Program
- 08/31/09 07:35 PM
As of July 31, 2009, the Homeowner Protection Office will no longer be accepting new loan applications for the Reconstruction Program. All applications received prior July 31 will be reviewed by project on a first-come first-received basis, and those deemed eligible will be offered a no-interest repair loan provided that the building permit for their building envelope renovation is obtained by January 31, 2010. The reconstruction fee of $750 per multi-unit building constructed for sale in the coastal climatic zone remains in place to continue to fund the program. All other purposes and requirements of the Homeowner Protection Act - … (1 comments)
hpo: Unproven 6-Storey Wood Frame Buildings Raise Serious Questions...
- 11/13/08 02:41 PM
http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2005-2009/2008HSD0079-001459.pdf It is difficult to understand the motivation of our provincial government to throw so much of the housing ministry's resources into another initiative (this time 6-storey wood frame buildings) that does nothing to improve homeowner protection in BC. How are the same people that can't build a 4-storey building right, possibly going to achieve a defect-free and safe 6-storey building? According to reports from the Homeowner Protection Office (HPO), home buying is still very risky business, and British Columbians are being lulled into a false sense of security with a home warranty insurance program full of exclusions, limitations, and other … (5 comments)
hpo: New Homes Warranty Act is no guarantee...
- 09/21/08 02:40 PM
As a British Columbian outsider I am utterly disgusted reading this article on the plight of the Shuman's. I have a great deal of difficulty comprehending how a certain percentage of performance value or work disqualifies a claim for sub-standard workmanship or materials. Okay, so it is none of my business poking my BC nose into how the Ontario homeowner protection system is structured, or what the legislation and justice allows. Well maybe it is my business because precedence doesn't seem to have provincial boundaries. Furthermore, the first place other provinces look when reviewing their own homeowner protection is other parts … (0 comments)
hpo: Fewer than half of B.C.'s leaky condos fixed so far, says report
- 06/24/08 06:44 AM
It is interesting to read that more than $460 million has been approved by the Homeowner Protection Office (HPO) for no-interest leaky condo loans from the launch of the program to date. The Tri-City News June 21, 2008 Since only about 20% of victims pass the HPO means-test for a no-interest loan, and there have been 13,226 loans approved, this means that over 66,000 families in BC have already been directly affected by builder fraud. It also means that the direct costs to BC families for the various types of fixes, many inadequate, have exceeded a staggering $2.3 billion to date; … (0 comments)
(formerly the Adoxographist's Blog)
...skilled writing about an unimportant subject, or is that unskilled writing about an important subject?
Well I don't know so as things unfold please judge for yourself...
...don't forget to leave a comment, and thanks for visiting.
John Grasty is a REALTOR® serving the Tri-Cities (Coquitlam - Port Coquitlam - Port Moody) real estate market.
Please check out John's website: http://www.RealEstateEvolved.com
Arrival of HST to add to leaky condo woes - by Wanda Chow - Burnaby NewsLeader - Published: May 19, 2010
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