The Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) has taken action against two Ontario home builders following investigations into illegal and unethical conduct.
Hira Custom Homes Inc. of Cambridge, has been denied a licence following complaints of unethical conduct around a home sale in Caledon.
The HCRA investigation concluded that before declaring bankruptcy in April 2023, Hira attempted to sell homes that were already under an Agreement of Purchase and Sale, unjustifiably increased prices, did not comply with conditions on its licence, and provided false information to both purchasers and the HCRA.
“In one case, several new homes were being sold without a licence – which is illegal. In the other, there was a failure to conduct business with honesty, integrity and in accordance with the law,” says Wendy Moir, the HCRA’s CEO and registrar, in a press release.
In the second action, Christopher Lamb and his former company Novel Condominiums, also known as 1970175 Ontario Inc., were found guilty of 26 charges of selling new homes illegally, and fined a total of more than $150,000 by the Provincial Offences Court.
The convictions are a result of the HCRA’s investigation which revealed they had illegally entered into 26 Agreements of Purchase and Sale with new home buyers.
Moir says both cases reinforce the importance of new home buyers making an informed decision by checking the Ontario Builder Directory to learn about a builder before doing business with them.
The Ontario Builder Directory provides information on companies, including their licensing status, related Principals, Directors and Officers, and their conduct history with the regulator.
“No one is permitted to take a shortcut or skirt around the rules. If you want to sell new homes in Ontario, you must be licensed by the HCRA and meet our professional standards and expectations,” Moir says.
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