Tom Smeraldo and Emilio Ojeda walked into their new Cabbagetown-area condo, took one look at their “view” (a brick wall), “balcony” (more of a ledge), and “hardwood floor” (actually laminate) and phoned their lawyer.

“We were so disappointed. We just wanted out of the deal,” said Smeraldo.

They couldn’t. Not unless they wanted to lose tens of thousands in deposits. Instead, the couple set out on a three-year battle with the builder over what they say are broken promises and lingering deficiencies.

Theirs is a cautionary tale, one you’ve likely heard before and will hear again as the GTA increasingly becomes a community of condo dwellers. As of December, there were about 264,000 condo units in the region.

Despite the considerable size and affluence associated with the demographic, it’s a vulnerable segment of the population, says NDP MPP Rosario Marchese.

With the Trinity-Spadina representative leading the charge, the NDP has vowed to tackle condominium act reform if elected this fall.

The proposed changes include clearer, “good faith” language in the purchase paperwork, as well as the creation of a judicial board to handle disputes between condo owners, boards and developers.

“Right now there’s nothing quick and nothing cheap about that process at all,” Marchese said. “If a renter has a problem with the owner of that building they’re able to go to renter’s tribunal, pay a $25 fee and defend themselves. If you’ve got a problem as a condo owner, where do you go? A lawyer. That’s the problem.”

This tribunal would be separate from Tarion, which regulates builders of new homes, enforcing construction standards.

For Smeraldo and Ojeda, a dispute resolution process would have been welcome. Smeraldo says a sales person specifically told them their second-floor unit would clear the brick building next door. The builder got away with chopping their balcony because it was listed as a “common element,” which could be changed without notice.

“We were completely lied to,” said Smeraldo. “But we didn’t want to do a lawsuit on our own. . . . I think strengthening the condo act is the key here. It’s a falsehood. It’s supposed to be consumer protection but it isn’t.”

Toronto’s development boom has lead to a “condo underworld,” said Marchese, where buyers are unable to take on rich developers. Many owners are also reluctant to go public with their issues, for fear of harming resale values.

So while buyers in jurisdictions such as Quebec — where brokers can be sued for mismeasuring a unit by as little as 10 square feet — and British Columbia — where a superintendent of real estate monitors developer disclosure with new builds and handles complaints if that information is inaccurate or incomplete — enjoy numerous protections, Marchese said Ontario condo owners are left with inadequate protection.

Marchese has been championing the issue for five years.

His most recent attempt — Bill 79, The Condominium Owners Protection Act — failed this spring, when a Liberal-dominated committee essentially killed it by not sending it out for public consultation.

Marchese believes the Liberals may have felt pressure from the development industry. Conservative MPP Bill Murdoch, who represents Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound and sat on the committee, said it came down to Liberal priorities.

“They’re humans. And they’re the government. And they don’t want anybody else to get any kudos,” said Murdoch.

Senior policy advisor Elaine Flis with Minister of Consumer Services said the Liberals support updating the out of date act.

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Ontario’s condominium act has not been updated since 1998. At that time, a number of protections were added, said Stephen Dupuis, president of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD).

Buyers were given a 10-day window to back out of a sale without explanation. Protections were put in place in case a builder goes bankrupt. Builders were legislatively required to take all reasonable steps to finish on time or buyers could be compensated.

“It’s easy to ask for something, but is it truly needed and who would pay for it?” said Dupuis. “One of the reasons the condo agreements are so ‘complicated’ is all the disclosure provisions and frankly, there needs to be some onus on the buyers to do their homework.”

The renter’s tribunal currently gets about $10 million from fees and $15 million from the province, said Marchese, adding a condo tribunal should work in a similar manner.

Harry Herskowitz, a senior real estate lawyer with DelZotto, Zorzi who primarily represents developers, said in theory, a tribunal adjudicated by a qualified individual, such as a retired judge, could be beneficial to all parties.

But overall Marchese’s legislation is flawed, he said. The condo act already requires good faith language. Builders, as long as they’re up front about it, should be able to have some flexibility.

“What Marchese is trying to do is create a level playing field which in principle is a very noble thing to do. The problem is . . . it allows for no gray area,” Herskowitz said. “Why shouldn’t the builder have the flexibility to say I might do this?”

The fact is, he said, most problems could be avoided if purchasers hired a lawyer to go through the agreement beforehand. Many aren’t willing to pay the $1,500 to do this, he said.

In October, Marchese will face off against a high-profile Liberal candidate, former mayoral hopeful Sarah Thomson. Since 45 per cent of his downtown Toronto constituents live in condos, this is an issue Marchese no doubt hopes will score him some political points.

It’s enough to get Liberty Village condo owner Todd Hofley interested. For him, the ability to have fast and cheap access to a judicial body is a tempting political promise.

“Whether it’s on the side of an owner, developer or the board, it just really creates a level playing field whereas right now there isn’t one,” he said.