A home is one of the biggest investments most Washingtonians will ever make. But shoddy construction and unscrupulous builders are costing consumers thousands of dollars in repairs on top of their initial investment. And worst of all, when consumers try to hold their builder accountable, the law isn't at their backs. Washington needs to safeguard the quality homes at least as well as we protect cars, toasters, and other consumer products. That’s why WashPIRG is taking on the powerful building industry and working to pass a Homebuyers Bill of Rights that will improve warranties, consumer education, and workforce certification.

A home is one of the most important products many Washingtonians will ever buy. A home is a serious investment of time and, of course, money. Unfortunately, some builders cut corners and construct homes with major defects that cause problems within the first years of owning a home. For example, studies have shown that shoddy workmanship is responsible for much of the water intrusion in Washington homes and that defective homes account for roughly 14% of the homes sold in the Pacific Northwest. And the only recourse that Washingtonians currently have is a weak warranty that is waivable and only applicable for the first few years a consumer owns a home. In many cases, builders demand that consumers waive even these weak protections in favor of a warranty of their design. These warranties are typically even worse, with shorter protections and plenty of loopholes.

That's why WashPIRG is pushing for a Homebuyers Bill of Rights that will: - Create a statutory warranty that is unwaivable and lasts at least as long as it takes to find most major defects. - Create an office of consumer education for homebuyers that will empower consumers with basic knowledge of what defects to look for when buying a home and, if problems arise, what their basic rights are. - A certification program for construction workers to promote accountability in the construction industry