More Canadian developers are slowing their pace of building or nixing projects completely. Here’s what you need to know about your rights if you bought a pre-sale home.

  • cheery_coffee@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    I don’t know how long it’s been the case, but in Canada if you’re an individual consumer you don’t have any rights against the construction industry.

    Hire a contractor and they do a shit job? Sorry, you have to let them finish or pay them out, you don’t have the right to fire them unless a person gets seriously injured by their work. They’re allowed to fix their work indefinitely.

    It doesn’t matter what your contract says, doesn’t matter that they fail to meet the minimum standards outlined in it. If you do try to fire them they just put a lien on your house without anything further than their word and $30. And careful posting a review online, you can get sued for defamation over that, even if it’s the truth (look it up, it’s a thing).

    Got stiffed by a contractor after your prepayment? Too bad, they changed their name so now they don’t exist. That was the old company and they’re bankrupt, the new one was their creditor and acquired all their assets. Oh, and if they fail to pay their subcontractors you’re personally liable.

    Bought a prebuild? Sorry, the contractor can just walk away anytime and resell the unit if the value increases. Good luck on your deposit. I have no idea why they can just relist the properties a couple months later but I guess they can.

    And don’t get me started on the “cash discount” aka “we don’t pay taxes and don’t get audited”.

    The construction industry in this country get treated better than royalty. Can’t speak ill of them, can’t go after them legally, and it’s all tax free!

      • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        Frequent enough to be well known; condo owners that bought prior to them being built were told they’d need to pay an extra $X because the builder could get more for them after they were built (housing prices were more)

        It is also fairly common for a contractor to relist if there’s a complaint against their company

        The rest I am unsure of but they sound plausible, there is too much need for skilled trades because boomers a lot of time refused to grant people working under them apprenticeships, instead just using them as labourers that way they could charge more and not be replaced.