The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Contractors that build homes in Flin Flon should not be forced to offer warranties to their customers, in city council's view. Council passed a resolution last week calling on the NDP government to let communities opt out of a province-wide plan for mandatory third-party warranties on all new homes sold. Coun. Bill Hanson, who introduced the motion, said he is concerned about the cost the compulsory coverage will add to the price of a home. Under the current system of optional warranties, he said, no claims are being made by homebuyers. 'But once everybody has to do it, there will be tons of claims against it, so then the cost of it will rise steadily,' said Coun. Hanson, speaking at the April 2 council meeting. Coun. Hanson also questioned whether contractors who build just a few homes a year can afford obligatory warranties. He said it appears that even an individual who builds their own home, without a contractor, will have to buy a warranty _ but won't be able to make a claim as they would be filing against themselves. Coun. Hanson said it's already the job of the city's building inspector to ensure new homes are properly constructed. He said he has no problem with warranties being sold on a voluntary basis, but sees a negative impact from making them a requirement. Exemptions Council's resolution calls for exemptions for any municipality that opposes mandatory warranties as well as people who build their own homes and contractors who build three or fewer homes per year. The resolution will now be forwarded to the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, a lobbying group. Council hopes AMM can convince the province to adopt the exemptions. Consumer Affairs Minister Jim Rondeau unveiled plans for the mandatory warranties last November, but the law has not yet been voted on. 'For many Manitobans, buying a new home is one of the most important investments they will make for their families' future,' Rondeau said in a news release. 'Our plan will help protect Manitobans buying a new home with better, extended warranty protection against construction-related defects.' Under the plan, homebuilders would be required to secure a warranty, issued by a third-party warranty provider, on new houses and condominium properties. Warranties would cover: Êany defects in labour, materials and design in houses and condominium units for one year, and condominium common elements for 15 months; Êmajor systems such as electrical and plumbing, and building code violations resulting in unreasonable health or safety risks or material damage to the home for 24 months; and defects in the building envelope, including water penetration, for two years and structural defects for seven. The Manitoba Home Builders' Association supports the NDP's plan.
