February 2022
I purchased a condominium. When reviewing the Status Certificate and documents I noticed a Kitec plumbing disclosure. No mention of this was made in listing information, during conversation or on the Purchase and Sale Agreement. What is Kitec, what does it mean and should I be concerned?
S.G.
Response from Toronto Condo News
You should be very concerned. The seller may be attempting to make you responsible for this cost by hiding it in a disclosure and hoping you don’t notice or react to it.
Kitec plumbing was used in condominium buildings built between 1995 and 2007. It was popular as a corrosion-resistant alternative to copper pipes. In 2005 it was recalled because of premature failure and is no longer manufactured. Buildings that have not yet replaced this plumbing are likely to have a plan for doing so in the near future. Cost can range from $6,000 to $10,000 per unit; payable by the unit owner.
The condominium corporation likely has a plan in place for replacement of Kitec plumbing. The management office can apprise you of their plans and the cost per suite if replacements have commenced.
After receiving the Status Certificate and other documents you have three options:
- Terminate the sale agreement because of this disclosure
- Proceed with the sale and accept the future cost of this repair
- Negotiate with the seller to ensure they pay the cost of this repair work as they are currently obligated to do
A real estate lawyer can advise you on the best way to address this situation.
For more information see Kitec Plumbing Failures (https://tocondonews.com/archives/kitec-plumbing-failures/) in the Condo Archives.
