Texas Comptroller Says Construction Commission Favors Builders
Texas / South Central News • January 25, 2006
The Texas Residential Construction Commission is acting as a "builder protection agency'' and has no power to force homebuilders to repair construction defects in new houses, according to state ...
Insurance Journal is not responsible for the content of the message below.
Subject: Self Regulation isn't working
Posted On: January 25, 2006, 6:55 pm CST
Posted By: CS
Comment:
TX is a shining example of why self-regulation in the home building industry has failed. I personally don't want to see more gov't in our lives but home building is too important and too expensive of an undertaking to just say "caveat emptor," and not require a reasonable standard of performance, and enforcement of laws and contracts.
Half the states don't even license home builders or require any qualifications, and the other half allows the very people licensing agencies are supposed to oversee, to run the show.
The TRCC is similar to "right to repair" type laws that restrict homeowners' legal recourse even further, after arbitration clauses, and sheer cost of litigation, have already removed or hindered their ability to try and hold a builder accountable for defective construction.
Consumer advocates predicted this is what builder-sponsored and builder-run "regulation" would be, and were correct. It is refreshing to read that someone in the state government in TX has recognized it also. I hope this causes states that have not yet succumbed to builder pressure, lobbying, and campaign contributions, to take another look at builder legislation and reject it, for the sake of citizens of their states.*
(*"Right to Repair" type laws, often disguised as consumer protection, have already passed in about half the states, and have not delivered the promised benefits to anyone, unless you consider making it harder to hold bad builders accountable a "benefit.")
Subject: Self Regulation isn't working
Half the states don't even license home builders or require any qualifications, and the other half allows the very people licensing agencies are supposed to oversee, to run the show.
The TRCC is similar to "right to repair" type laws that restrict homeowners' legal recourse even further, after arbitration clauses, and sheer cost of litigation, have already removed or hindered their ability to try and hold a builder accountable for defective construction.
Consumer advocates predicted this is what builder-sponsored and builder-run "regulation" would be, and were correct. It is refreshing to read that someone in the state government in TX has recognized it also. I hope this causes states that have not yet succumbed to builder pressure, lobbying, and campaign contributions, to take another look at builder legislation and reject it, for the sake of citizens of their states.*
(*"Right to Repair" type laws, often disguised as consumer protection, have already passed in about half the states, and have not delivered the promised benefits to anyone, unless you consider making it harder to hold bad builders accountable a "benefit.")