June 2, 2017 - A training course on the Guarantee Plan for New Residential Buildings has just been created. It will be offered this fall by EQUER (Undertaking for the quality of residential buildings). The courses offered are intended for homeowners, syndicates of co-ownerships, condominium managers, and also for co-owners and those who plan to become co-owners.
Administered by Garantie GCR, the Guarantee Plan remains a well-kept secret to its beneficiaries and the general public. "The training offered will provide general knowledge on the subject, and will explain to the participants how to rely on the plan, if necessary, in accordance with a given situation ," says Jean Dion, co-founder of EQUER and former president of l’Association des consommateurs pour la qualité dans la construction (ACQC). (The Consumers Association for Quality in Construction)
"Several owners have not taken advantage of guarantees since the Guarantee Plan Regulations came into force in 1999, either because they knew very little about them or because they were simply unaware of their existence, "says the higher management of the Regroupement des gestionnaires et copropriétaires du Québec (Association of managers and co-owners of Quebec) (RGCQ).
The RGCQ will share its expertise with EQUER, which will in turn be able to guide any beneficiary of the Plan toward the appropriate resources. This will allow them to better know their rights, and thus to exercise them in a timely manner.
Of course, this training will be useful to owners of single-family homes, but co-owners will also benefit from it as they are faced with two-levels of guarantee. The first level is intended for their syndicate, which must proceed to the reception of the common portions of their immovable. As for the second level, it concerns co-owners whose unit is affected by construction problems.
It should be noted that the Regulation of the Guarantee Plan provides for a budgetary package to support initiatives such as those proposed by EQUER. As of January 1, 2015, an amount of $ 20 is collected for each unit accredited to the Guarantee Plan. These funds, deposited with and governed by the RBQ, are still awaiting to be invested to support initiatives such as those of EQUER.
Montreal, June 2, 2017
