This is a guest article by Tom Barber, Ontario's New Home Ombuds.
The second Thursday of October is internationally recognized as Ombuds Day. So I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight how the New Home Ombuds office helps new homeowners and how we may be able to help you.
The New Home Ombuds office investigates complaints about Tarion and acts as a source of information for homeowners about Ontario’s new home warranty program.
How can we help?
We can review complaints about delay, communication and Tarion’s decision-making process. With your consent we will contact Tarion to gather information about any fairness issues identified. If our review finds that Tarion has treated you unfairly, we can make recommendations to address the issue(s).
It is important that you contact us while you are experiencing the issue. We generally only review issues that are current and may not be able to assist with past issues.
Systemic Issues
The review of an individual complaint might raise concerns about a systemic issue that requires further investigation. We can consider whether Tarion’s processes need to change. If we find that there are fairness issues, we will recommend remedies that will address the systemic issue and result in fair outcomes for all homeowners.
Independence & Impartiality
The New Home Ombuds office operates independently of Tarion’s management. We have our own office and maintain our own website. The Ombudsperson reports directly to Tarion’s Board of Directors and has an administrative reporting relationship with the Board’s Stakeholder Committee. If we identify systemic shortcomings, we make recommendations for improvements and monitor their implementation.
We do not take sides in a complaint. We objectively assess the information we receive in order to identify and address fairness concerns. Our impartiality gives us the credibility to address concerns in a manner that upholds the principles of fairness.
So, if you believe there have been problems with how Tarion handled your file, please contact us at 1-877-880-3828 or ombuds@newhomeombuds.ca.
And have a happy Ombuds Day!