Bill > HB609

This bill amends Pennsylvania's real property laws to clarify definitions and create new requirements for builders regarding construction defects. The bill expands the definition of "builder" to include those involved in designing, planning, supervising, or constructing improvements to real property, and defines "construction defect" as a material defect resulting from design, planning, supervision, or installation issues, including the use of defective building materials. It establishes a mandatory notification process requiring builders to inform property owners within 30 days if they become aware of a construction defect in a property they built or facilitated, with specific requirements for the notification, including a description of the defect, reasons for suspecting its existence, and the builder's contact information. The notification requirement applies only to residential real property and does not apply to properties where 15 or more years have passed since construction. Builders who fail to notify property owners can be held liable for actual damages, and owners have two years from discovering the builder's failure to file an action. The bill emphasizes that such notifications do not automatically establish the builder's liability for the defect, and the law will take effect 60 days after its passage.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=609