Toronto, ON, April 5, 2006 – Consumers who are considering buying a new home and homeowners who have recently purchased one can learn about the statutory warranty that comes with their home at Tarion Warranty Corporation’s consumer seminars, to be held in Ottawa on May 8 & 9, 2006.
Last October, the first seminar series was introduced to the Ottawa-Carleton area and due to high consumer interest additional seminar dates have been scheduled. The two free seminars will provide consumers with what they need to know before and after buying a newly constructed home.
Under the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act (“the Act”) every vendor and builder of a new home sold in the Province of Ontario must be registered with Tarion and enrol each new home prior to its construction. Tarion licenses new home builders and sets the minimum customer service standards they must follow. Its mandate also includes providing educational programs for builders and consumers.
The first seminar, called ‘Buying a New Home’, will be held on Monday, May 8 and features a panel of experts – including a real estate lawyer and a mortgage specialist – who will guide new home buyers through the purchasing process and provide helpful tips. In addition, Tarion representatives will explain the terms and benefits of the warranty which all builders are required to provide to new home buyers in Ontario.
A second seminar called ‘Understanding Warranty Coverage’ will take place on Tuesday, May 9. It is designed for homeowners who would like to better understand their warranty rights and responsibilities as well as the process involved in resolving warranty-related issues should they arise.
“We have received a lot of positive feedback from the first series of seminars. We are aware of the need for more homeowner education to effectively explain to homeowners what they can expect from a builder and how the process works,” stated Greg Gee, President and CEO of Tarion. “The Ottawa-Carleton area has seen an increase in new home developments which presents the opportunity for a lot of new homeowners and potential buyers to benefit from the valuable information that is provided in our seminars.”
The seminars will be held at 1145 Hunt Club Road. Both seminars will begin at 7:00 PM and light refreshments will be served. Registration is free, but space is limited.
For more details or to register for a seminar, consumers can visit www.tarion.com. Under ‘What’s New at Tarion,’ click on the seminar information page link or call 1-877-9TARION.
About Tarion
Tarion Warranty Corporation is a private corporation established in 1976 to serve as the Regulator of the home building industry in Ontario. In this role, Tarion licenses all home and condominium builders pursuant to provincial legislation. This statute requires home builders to provide purchasers with warranty coverage that is guaranteed by Tarion. The Corporation also establishes minimum time standards for after-sales service, and adjudicates issues between homeowners and builders. Over 1.3 million homes in Ontario have been protected under warranty by Tarion.
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