A Family Joint Venture
The number of couples choosing to live together outside the bonds of matrimony is steadily increasing. Many of the benefits and legal protections afforded to married couples are now being extended to couples living common law. One of the main exceptions to this rule however, is in the case of the relationship ending. When a […]
Buyers and Vendors Beware
The purchase and sale of homes are common activities that happen on a daily basis and ones that many people will be involved with at least once in their life. When deciding whether to sell or buy a home, the first professional that most will contact is a real estate agent. While vendors and purchasers […]
Working With a Real Estate Agent
The GTA housing market remains red hot. If you are one of those looking to either buy or sell a home then one of your first jobs will probably involve finding a real estate agent. Selling a Home Although you are not legally required to employ the services of a real estate agent when selling […]
Oh Those Noisy Neighbours!
Unless you live on a deserted island, you must learn to coexist with your neighbours. But if you do run up against a problem neighbour, the law may be able to provide some assistance. “Neighbour law”, including pets, fences, junky looking yards and noise are generally dealt with by way of municipal bylaws. In this […]
The Personal Property Security Act: Establishing Your Priority
Every day throughout Ontario, people are borrowing money to buy cars, appliances, equipment, and businesses and they are putting up a variety of personal property as collateral. In order to track these loans and collateral, the Ontario government enacted the Personal Property Security Act (PPSA). The Act sets up a registry system, the Personal Property […]
Victory for Homeowners Confirmed
In the recent winter edition of Legal Issues we told you about a family whose home had been fraudulently sold and mortgaged. The family successfully sued to have the sale and mortgage set aside. In 2005, Susan Lawrence was a victim of a similar fraud. Unfortunately the judge in her case refused to set aside […]
The Second Land Transfer Tax
Last fall, the City of Toronto put into place its own land transfer tax, referred to as the Municipal Land Transfer Tax (MLLT). This tax is similar to the Ontario Land Transfer Tax and is an additional tax that must be paid by those purchasing land within Toronto, at the time a conveyance is registered. […]
Pools, an Accident Waiting to Happen – Who is Responsible?
Pools, an Accident Waiting to Happen – Who is Responsible? A pool can provide hours of pleasure for the whole family. However, it only takes an instant for things to go very wrong. In such cases, who must shoulder the blame? The Ontario Court of Appeal was asked to consider this question in a recent […]
Ontario Extends Tax Rebate to Resales
Ontario Extends Tax Rebate to Resales For many years, the province of Ontario has sought to provide financial assistance to first-time homebuyers with its Land Transfer Tax Refund Program. However, one of the key qualifying conditions has always been that the home being purchased be a newly constructed home. As of December 13, 2007, the […]
Did You Know?
Did You Know? The Right of Survivorship When purchasing a home, most couples will take title as joint tenants. This means that both parties are equally owners of the whole property. What you might not realize is that the key aspect of joint tenancy is the right of survivorship. When one half of the couple […]