MPP Andrea Horwath, the NDP critic for government and consumer services, says people who purchase sub-standard new homes deserve to have Ontario’s Ombudsman looking out for their best interests.

“Ombudsman oversight is the sure and best way to bring real accountability and real solutions regarding the systemic problems experienced by the new home-buying public,” Horwath said.

Currently the Ombudsman has no authority to oversee Tarion, the McGuinty government’s “arm’s length” private agency when it fails to compensate and satisfy the purchasers of shoddily built new homes under its warranty program.

Today Horwath reiterated her call for independent Ombudsman oversight of Tarion’s activities with the release of Ontario Ombudsman André Marin’s annual report. One week ago during Question Period she pressed the McGuinty government on the same matter.

“Who does the Minister actually have in place to cut through the bureaucratic runaround at Tarion to ensure quicker compensation and better satisfaction to new homebuyers who’ve been victimized by shoddy builders? Nobody -- that’s who,” Horwath said. “When the family dream home becomes a nightmare because of shoddy building practices, Tarion has failed to deliver and is accountable to no one, not even the Minister.”

Canadians for Properly Built Homes have brought to light a litany of horror stories involving costly repairs required to new homes for which owners were never fully compensated by Tarion, if at all.

“Families have been devastated financially and personally after purchasing a seriously flawed new home under a warranty that Tarion refused to honour,” Horwath said. “We need the Ombudsman as a strong, independent watchdog to bring some justice to the process and excellent customer service for a change.”