I have sent the following letter to email addresses Rui DaSilva from Royal Pine Homes, Anthony Krimmer from Tarion, Ginette Bowen from Tarion, Sue Ritchie from Region of Peel, ContactUs form at Royal Pine Homes, and ContactUs form at Region of Peel.
July 22, 2013
Royal Pine Homes
200-3550 Langstaff Road
Woodbridge ON, L4L 9G3
To Whom It May Concern:
Re: Washroom switches are outside
I am, [NAME], hereby requesting to fix the light and exhaust fan switches which are outside of my washrooms.
I am the house owner of [ADDRESS] – which I bought from you – Royal Pine Homes – got the keys on November 23, 2012. In my 30 day warranty form, I have submitted to fix the switches to the light and exhaust fan inside my main washroom in the 2nd floor and master bedroom ensuite rather than outside. It is very basic common sense to put the switches to the bedrooms inside the bedrooms, switches to the kitchen inside the kitchen, and so for living room and family rooms. I have never, personally, seen a house that has washroom switches outside of the washroom. It is really inconvenient and is a safety issue if the lights are switched off from outside while someone is inside. I have a toddler and an infant and I am already experiencing the lights turned off by my toddler.
When the serviceman from Royal Pine Homes came, he gave the reason, the switches cannot be put in close to water outlets. He told me that certified electrician checked this and engineer approved. Then I ask, how come they were able to certify and approve switches inside the laundry room and my powder room, which are incredibly closer to the water outlet than my washrooms?
If I have not received a communication from you to fix this issue within 10 business days, that is before August 12, 2013, I may consider filing a legal case, complaint to BBB, and/or post this development on my blog. And I might involve other Royal Pine Homes house owners regarding the safety of switches in their washrooms, powder rooms and laundry rooms. In my filing I may include legal costs, court costs, plus the interest and any liabilities regarding this matter in the court.
I have sent you this formal letter to the above mentioned address, email addresses of contacts – Rui DaSilva from Royal Pine Homes, Anthony Krimmer from Tarion, Ginette Bowen from Tarion, Sue Ritchie from Region of Peel, and posted online a copy on my blog at Royal Pine Homes need to put the washroom switches inside
- I received the following reply back from Ginette Bowen, Warranty Service Coordinator, Tarion – on Mon 22/07/2013 8:31 AM
Thank you for your email. I will update the file accordingly.
- I received a call from Royal Pine’s Vice President – Steve Carogioiello – on Wed 24/07/2013 11:20 AM
He did not even fully read my mail and he was in a rude manner threatening me to take down blog post, facebook post, and anywhere on internet within 4 pm today or he’ll go through lawyer. I asked him first to read the letter and after he took some time to read, I explained and he still stood by the decision that switches for the washrooms cannot be put inside “because its too close to standing water”. He said, even Tarion and everybody else in complete agreement with their decision.
I’m an average man wanted my damn switches to the washrooms inside [not outside]. They said, I have not specified this in my house contract I signed 2 years ago. Come’on, do I have to specify each and everything where it goes? Isn’t that common sense?
I’ll go home and measure the distance and post that and may be some electrician can comment whether its doable or not.
- I received an email from Royal Pine’s Vice President – Steve Carogioiello – on Wed, Jul 24, 2013 at 12:34 PM
Dear Sir, I am in receipt of your letter.
I am quite appauld at your efforts and the time your taking to pursue this alleged discrepancy!
Please find attached all the necessary documents you require, the first is the Tarion Warranty decision and the second is the Ontario Building Code. Hopefully this will satisfy you! And will stop your persistence in continuing to favor this issue!.
I urge you to refrain from posting anything on the internet, if you do not by the end of today, remove any and all blogs or advertisement posted as per your letter, you will leave me no choice but to commence a lawsuit against you for slanderous and defamation of Royal Pine Homes!
Please govern yourself accordingly !!
Attached: Tarion Warranty decision and Ontario Building Code for Electric switches inside washrooms
- Here is my reply to Steve on Sun, Aug 11, 2013 at 10:50 PM
Hi Steve,
I just got back from my vacation, and pleased to find your email.
I saw the Building Code document and I measured my washrooms. Here are the distances from the standing shower outer edge to the possible switch area directly on the inside wall of current switch area.
Main washroom in the 2nd floor
1 m 20 cm
Ensuite washroom in the Master bedroom
1 m 10 cm
Therefore, the distance is safe enough to put the switches inside the washrooms.
I am developing a brand new website for the domain <SECRET DOMAIN> with this case. If I don’t receive a communication from Royal Pine Homes within August 23, 2013 I will release the website to the public.
If you do not trust my measurements, you are more than welcome to come and measure it.
- On Wed, Aug 14, 2013 around 1 PM, Rui DaSilva – Service Manager – came to my house and measured the distances in the washrooms
- On Thu, Aug 22, 2013 at 11:00 AM, I received an email from Rui, carbon copied to Steve
Hi [NAME],
I have recently spoke to my electrical company regarding your displeasure of having the light switches on the outside of your washrooms.
We are willing to help you out but to do so , you must call E.S.A Electrical authorities to give you a letter stating that we can install the switches on the inside of the washrooms. Please call E.S.A at 1877-372-7233(1-877-ESA-SAFE)
THANKS IN ADVANCED
Rui Da Silva
Service Manager
- I replied to Rui, after talking with ESA on Thu, Aug 22, 2013 at 1:14 PM
Hi Rui,
Thank you very much and I’m glad we can work this out. Yes, I did call the ESA, and she said they will only provide those to licensed electrical company. Would you please communicate with them.
If they want to come in, they can come anytime.
- A week passed, and nothing happened – no calls & no emails. So I wanted to get some update so I email on Fri, Aug 30, 2013 at 1:28 PM
Is it OK if I update my posts with the new emails?
http://adadaa.net/1letter/2013/07/20/royal-pine-homes-put-washroom-switches/
- Then I got a harsh reply back from Steve on Fri, Aug 30, 2013 at 2:15 PM [the bolding of text is done by me]
[NAME] you post anything that is slenderize, derogatory, defamation of Royal Pine Homes, our reputation as a reputable builder, I will have my lawyers on you like a wet rag, do I make myself clear!! I’ve been following the emails, incredible the amount of time you are spending on this situation! Clear this up with Tarion and the electrical company, Royal Pine Homes has pride in building homes for over 35 years with an impeccable reputation with Tarion and Home buyers in the GTA.
Please govern yourself accordingly! I ask that you be very careful with what you post, I will be notified of the same!
Steve
- For this, I again, politely replied my plan on Fri, Aug 30, 2013 at 3:31 PM
I already sent the email to both of you, that ESA needs you guys to contact them. I refrained from posting the new emails and releasing the domain [SECRET DOMAIN] as a friendly gesture. I expect you’ll do your part.
Already, when people search for lyngate developments on google, they see my post in the first page.
if they search for royal pine homes lyngate development on google they see it as 2nd result
If I release the domain, it will be much more prominent and will the first result.Please, all I want is the stupid damn switches to be inside as normal houses do. If I don’t get it, I’ll expand my propaganda, may be even pay google to advertise my post, and create a Fan Page on Facebook. In case Rui haven’t told you, I’m a Web Application Developer. I know exactly what to do on web. I can give you in writing, as soon as you fix the switches, I’ll remove everything and do not talk about you or your developer.
Now, if I don’t hear a good response, I may release the domain on Friday Sept 6th. By the way, I am yet to receive a formal reply to the the formal letter I posted to Royal Pine Home’s address through Canada Post.
- On Fri Sept 06, 2013, I unveiled my secret new domain and sent an email to all the involved parties
http://lyngatedevelopments.com/
