Parade of Homes

Starting next year, Manitobans who wish to build or buy a new home will have peace of mind knowing their homes are protected in case construction- related defects arise. This protection comes from new legislation, called The New Home Warranty Act, which will take effect January 1, 2018. The legislation will require most new homes, including manufactured homes, condominiums and cottages to be covered by a warranty for a minimum of seven years and $100,000. Your coverage will depend on the terms of the warranty your builder secures, but the minimum required coverage for home warranties will be: • 1 year – all materials, labour and design • 15 months – the common elements of shared buildings, such as hallways and roofs in condominiums • 2 years – plumbing, electrical, heating and mechanical systems (or HVAC systems), caulking, windows, doors and exterior, including defects resulting in water penetration • 7 years – structural defects While the legislation covers many new homes, it won't cover buildings like hotels or motels, lodges and camps, dormitories and personal care homes, mobile homes, trailers and rental buildings. BUILDERS RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURING WARRANTIES Builders of new homes in Manitoba must arrange for warranty coverage, usually from a third party provider, on the homes they build. All builders must also be registered with the Consumer Protection Office. The authority having jurisdiction isn't allowed to issue a building permit for a new home unless the builder has proven they are registered and that a warranty provider has agreed to supply a warranty for the home they are planning to build. It's a good idea to speak to your builder about the warranty provider they use and the terms and conditions of the warranty on your home. ONLINE PUBLIC REGISTRY The New Home Registry (Manitoba), a new free online registry will be available in January 2018. It will provide information on registered builders and the status of the warranty coverage on new homes built in the province. You will be able to search the address of any home in the registry, find out who built it and what the warranty coverage is. If you are buying a newer, but previously-owned home, you will also be able to use the registry to find out how much warranty coverage is left on that home. Consumer Protection P R O F I L E MORE INFORMATION For more information about The New Home Warranty Act, visit Manitoba.ca/newhomewarranty or contact the Consumer Protection Office at 204-945-3800; toll free in Manitoba, 1-800-782-0067, or email consumers@gov.mb.ca. NEW HOME WARRANTY LAW OFFERS ADDED PROTECTION TO NEW HOME OWNERS Online public registry to provide builder and coverage information Parade of Homes FALL 2017 53

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