The Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) today launched its ‘Homebuilders Road Map’ with the aim of eliminating issues that persons interested in constructing or renovating a home may encounter. 

Speaking at the launch at the Roraima Duke Lodge at Kingston, Georgetown, Director of the CCAC Feyona Austin-Paul said an analysis of the complaints brought to the CACC concerning domestic construction along with other unofficial reports revealed abuses through shoddy works done by building contractors. She noted that some of those works should be considered a threat to the safety of consumers.

She added that the commission recognised that providing a source of redress was not enough and that it needed to take an “ex-ante” approach by empowering persons to make wise decisions before and during the building processes.

Additionally, Austin-Paul noted that the construction industry is developing rapidly as many persons are building their own homes and with the government’s primary focus being to provide affordable housing, the CCAC intends for the Homebuilders Road Map to run in tandem with its objectives by ensuring that consumers get their money’s worth. “It is CCAC’s aim to ensure that consumers always receive adequate protection across all sectors and we know that this initiative is one step closer to empowering consumers to always demand value for their money,” she said.

Austin-Paul explained that through the Road Map, persons will have access to steps, processes and methods of building or renovating a home and they will have access to correct legal procedures of the respective processes. In addition, she said, it will provide ease of access to the information of the relevant authorities, their requirements and documentation for every stage in the process of constructing or renovating their home or buying a property and also identify and scrutinise available, qualified and registered contractors.

She described the journey to bring alive the Homebuilders Road Map as rewarding before thanking the staff of the CCAC for their hard work. She singled out Rusante Perry, who she says played a critical role in the development stages of the road map.

The road map addresses six phases – Acquiring land; Planning with your architect; Approval of the Plan; Selecting a contractor; Obtaining Finance; and Construction – with details of each process. Persons wishing to access the road Map can visit the CCAC website here.

The CCAC is a statutory body responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Competition and Fair Trading Act and the Consumers Affairs Act.