Home Construction Regulatory Authority revokes licence of Hamilton builder

TORONTO – Mariman Homes of Hamilton, Ont. has had its licence to build and sell homes in Ontario revoked, the most severe action the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) can take against a licensed builder.

Acting on complaints from purchasers, the HCRA suspended Mariman’s licence in December 2023 after an inspection revealed the company had entered into agreements of purchase and sale for 108 homes without proper authorization and enrolment in Tarion’s warranty program, a recent release explained. Further, the HCRA discovered Mariman had allowed its creditors to seek improper price increases from purchasers and failed to hold the deposits it received in trust, as was required under Mariman’s purchase agreements, states the release.

To minimize harm to purchasers, the HCRA gave Mariman the opportunity to enrol the homes and prove it could complete construction within the timeframe and price it promised to purchasers. The HCRA’s goal was to find a solution that would have resulted in purchasers obtaining their homes, rather than revoking Mariman’s licence which would have shut down the builder’s operations immediately.

Unfortunately, Mariman was unable to satisfy its commitments, stated the release. As a result, the HCRA revoked its licence to build or sell homes and ordered it to pay administrative penalties totalling $400,000.

“Given these infractions, including a history of financial mismanagement, the HCRA has revoked Mariman’s licence to build and sell new homes,” said HCRA CEO and registrar Wendy Moir in a statement. “This builder’s past and present conduct raises serious doubts about its ability to operate their business lawfully, and with honesty and integrity.”