Cardston County sent a letter regarding the negative experiences with the implementation of the New Home Warranty (NHW) Program. Their concerns are the
1. Lack of response from the Governments New Home Warranty personnel.
a. People do not answer phones, we must leave voicemails,
b. Calls have not been returned for over three weeks in some instances,
c. When calls have been returned, the NHW personnel have been unable to even send out a simple email to assist our taxpayers.
2. Inability of NHW personnel to explain how applications for exemptions for self-build homeowners will be assessed, our citizens have had to submit the mandatory, and nonrefundable $750 exemption application fee not knowing the requirements in order to have the application approved,
3. As there have been delays in simply receiving information from NHW personnel, delays in a person's ability to acquire the necessary safety code permits, as well as financing commitments from financial institutions,
4. Banks have their own requirements and some will not recognize an exemption for a self-build home,
5. The estimated cost of a new home warranty prior to the program implementation was approx. $1700. The reality is that the cost of a warranty is closer to $3400, and
6. The $750 non-refundable exemption application fee is punitive and merely seeks to dissuade people from applying for an exemption. The potential costs associated with the exemption were not disclosed before the program was implemented.
Is this something that should be addressed at the Zone meeting? Do we want a resolution on the NHWP? If so what do we want to see changed? What outcome do we want?