Story lingers after Vaughan residents ask how to get their grading deposits

12 years after, residents still want their money back

Yorkregion.com
June 20, 2019
Dina Al-Shibeeb

After reading the story of Sharon Andrews, a resident at Vellore Village in Vaughan who was finally refunded her grading deposit after 12 years, some residents approached York Region Media to determine how that was possible.

One of them is Mandrew Zhao, who is also on his 12-year waiting period for his $1,000 deposit from the developer Edenbrook Homes.

Unlike Andrews, who received her $1,000 from her builder Vogue Group, Zhao, who lives Mahogany Forest Drive in Maple said, “Edenbrook never returned our calls.”

Builders take the deposit, which is also called a security or damage deposit, to make sure any newly built neighbourhood is acting in accordance with the city’s regulations.

But it’s not only Zhao looking for a deposit. He said the topic of refunding the grading deposit is part of conversations he has “once in a while” with his neighbour, who is also in the same boat.

When researching Edenbrook online, York Region Media also saw a review dated May 28 by Michou M, saying: “Purchased a home from these builders in July of 2007. I am still waiting for them to assume the development and return our grading deposit in June of 2019!

“It is almost impossible to find or contact this builder, seems they build and disappear as fast as possible. Their after-sales service was very poor as well. Try to buy from a more honest builder.”

Although York Region Media found a phone number for Edenbrook on the internet, attempts to reach the builder were unsuccessful.

It’s also confusing for some homeowners on whether the deposit must be retrieved from the city, the builder or the developer.

Confusion

James Davenport, who purchased his home from Edgeport Home Corp. in 1999, said in an email: “We have been misguided as to how the building grading deposit was collected and whether it is in trust with the city or builder.”

Citing Andrews’ success story, Davenport said: "We along with our neighbours would like to collect what is rightfully ours as was the case with Sharon.”

Davenport, who lives in Sonoma Heights Diamond, almost 10 minutes drive west of Vellore Village, speculates that Edgeport has gone bankrupt but adds that the grading deposit is expected from the developer.

“We aren’t given any written information. I am told that they are no longer a company. After 2005-6, we are still trying to track down our money,” he said, posing a question: how is it possible to get any refund when the company goes bankrupt?

“We have been to city hall to ask them what happened to our money, we are getting the runaround by the engineering department ... different answers.”

York Region Media tried to contact Edgeport, but with no luck.

According to the city, Vaughan “does not control the return of such deposits and purchasers/tenants must direct inquiries regarding deposit return directly to their builder. The city doesn't require direct cash deposits from the purchasers to the Builder for lot grading purposes."

Zhao also shared Homeowners’ Guide to Assumption and Lot Grading Deposits from the city, which is also available online, where it says the city can’t “return your lot grading deposit nor can it require the builder to return the deposit.” The guide urges people to review their purchase and sales agreement for details of the conditions that must be satisfied prior to return of the deposit.