Increased protection for consumers

Since June 24, 2009, all contractors who hold a licence issued by the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), the Corporation des maîtres mécaniciens en tuyauterie du Québec (CMMTQ) or the Corporation des maîtres électriciens du Québec (CMEQ) must have licence security.

The security is an amount required by the Building Act that contractors applying for a licence must deposit with the RBQ or its mandatary (CMEQ or CMMTQ) as a guarantee for the performance of the contractor’s contractual obligations to clients. For consumers, this requirement provides increased protection because it makes it possible to compensate those who are harmed by faulty performance or non-performance of construction work.

The only exception to this requirement concerns contractors who hold only a subclass of the general contractor’s licence for new residential buildings; their work is already covered by the compulsory Guarantee Plan.

Points to consider when doing business with a contractor

1. Make sure you are doing business with a contractor who holds a building contractor’s licence issued by the RBQ [Fr], the CMMTQ or the CMEQ. Moreover, make sure that the name of the contractor shown on the contract matches the name of the enterprise that holds the licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec.
2. Get bids from more than one contractor.
3. Contact former clients to get their opinion of the contractor’s work.
4. Insist on a contract that has a precise description of the work to be done and a performance schedule.
5. Make the smallest deposit possible.
6. Hold back your last payment until all the work is completed to your satisfaction.
7. If you suffer damage covered by the licence security, send a formal demand for performance to the contractor without delay, preferably by registered mail.
8. Keep the proof of delivery; it will be useful if you decide to bring legal proceedings.