Buying a new freehold home? Protect your investment by registering with Tarion

You’ve found your dream home, signed the purchase agreement and started counting down the months until move-in.

It’s exciting, and there are a lot of steps involved. One piece you’ll want access to right away is the information about your new home warranty.

When you buy a new home in Ontario, your builder will provide a Warranty Information Sheet at the time of purchase. On it, you’ll see a unique Home ID. Think of it as the key that links your home and purchase to Tarion.

Who is Tarion and how do they support Ontario’s new homebuyers

Tarion is a not-for-profit consumer protection organization established by the provincial government and operates independently from both the government and the building industry. As the administrator for Ontario’s new home warranty program, Tarion’s role is to ensure that homeowners receive the protection they’re entitled to.

If builders don’t meet their warranty obligations, Tarion can step in to help resolve disputes, assess warranty claims, or provide direct compensation to homeowners in certain circumstances.

Buying a newly built home can be exciting, and Tarion is here to help. From understanding the purchase agreement to navigating the pre-delivery inspection to making a warranty claim, there’s a lot to know. That’s where Tarion comes in.

You’ve signed: here’s what to do next

With that Home ID in hand, you can register your purchase. Registration is quick, free, and easy to do online. It creates an official record of your purchase with Tarion, confirms that you want to participate in Tarion’s deposit protection program, and helps you understand what your builder’s warranty provides you with. Registering allows Tarion to provide you with information that outlines what’s covered under your builder’s warranty and what steps you may need to take and when—like the pre-delivery inspection and the early days after you take possession—before you even get the keys to your home.

Tarion encourages home buyers to register within 45 days of signing your agreement, while everything is easy to locate and you have time to get organized before move-in.

Registering your purchase also helps protect you. Once a sale is registered, Tarion can review the information and identify any illegal or unapproved new home sales activity. If something about a sale is not compliant, early visibility helps Tarion take steps to protect you and other buyers.

Ontario’s new home warranty: the basics

Tarion’s support begins the moment you sign your purchase agreement, before your new home is built. If your builder doesn’t deliver your home and doesn’t return your deposit as required, Tarion provides deposit protection coverage up to specific limits.

Once you move in, the builder’s warranty provides coverage for seven years. During that time, homeowners have protection against a range of potential issues, including one-year coverage for unauthorized substitutions and defects in work and materials, two-year coverage for defects in the home’s systems (i.e. plumbing, electrical), as well as issues like water penetration, and seven-year coverage for major structural defects. These protections help ensure that homeowners get the well-built home they paid for - and Tarion is there to support them if their journey doesn’t go as planned.

From start to finish, Tarion is here to help you make informed decisions, avoid unnecessary risks, and feel confident in one of life’s biggest purchases. Whether you’re preparing for your pre-delivery inspection or submitting a warranty claim after move-in, Tarion is here to help every step of the way.

More information is available at Tarion.com.