Definition : Defect

Pour plusieurs, l’effondrement de la tour Champlain située à Surfside, en Floride, qui a entrainé dans la mort près de 100 personnes, était essentiellement une problématique de bâtiments anciens spécifique aux grandes tours de condo de cet État. Or un reportage de l'émission "la Facture", diffusé le 27 septembre 2022, en a troublé plusieurs, en raison d’incompétence et de laxisme affectant l’industrie de la construction résidentielle ici même au Québec. À preuve une construction récente de 6 logements en copropriété divise où se sont manifestés, coup sur coup,  « Un électricien qui ignore l’existence de certaines normes, un entrepreneur qui abandonne le chantier, un mur qui menace de s'effondrer ». 

March 10th 2022 - The pre-acceptance inspection is a critical step in the process of acquiring a new property. A thorough and careful inspection is the best way to protect buyers from any unforeseen issues. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about the pre-acceptance inspection of the private portions and common areas of your co-owned property. LITTLE REMINDER : Let us start by reminding you that in the new co-owned property market, the mandatory guarantee plan administered by Garantie de construction résidentielle (GCR) covers buildings held in divided co-ownership that have no more than four private portions stacked one above the other, as well as detached, semi-detached or row-type single-family houses held in co-ownership. “Condo towers” are not covered by the mandatory guarantee plan.

The Guarantee Plan for New Residential Buildings differs from the private guarantee plans offered on the market by the nature of the guarantees offered and the mechanisms for asserting its rights. In this regard, the terms and conditions are set out in the the Regulation respecting the guarantee plan for new residential buildings, which is the responsibility of the Régie du Bâtiment du Québec (RBQ). Finally, unlike private guarantee plans, any purchaser of a building covered by this plan automatically benefits from it. As this is a system aimed at the minimum protection of consumers'rights, consumers cannot waive this mandatory guarantee, even if they sign a document to that effect.

In the same way as any other natural or legal person, a syndicate of co-owners is likely to incur civil liability towards third parties, including co-owners. Responsibility is the counterpart of power: where authority is, there is responsibility. This responsibility can be translated into the financial contribution of the co-owners, since in the event of a judgment condemning the syndicate to pay a sum of money, this judgement will be enforceable against him and each of the persons who were co-owners at the time the cause of action arose, in proportion to the relative value of their fraction.Therefore the law obliges any syndicate of co-owners to take out insurance covering its civil liability towards third parties.

En tant que conseil d’administration, nous suspectons la présence d’un vice de construction dans l'immeuble. Quelles démarches devrions-nous engager afin de sauvegarder nos droits et ceux des copropriétaires?