Warranty

We've been in our new house for six years. We have a two-story foyer with a large stationary window that doesn't open or close. We can't even reach it. About three years ago, I noticed that this window fogs up, which means that the seal is no good. This makes the window unsightly and not energy efficient. I contacted the builder's office regarding the fogging problem. They said that they aren't at fault, the warranty has run out and that I need to contact the manufacturer. I contacted the distributor who informed me that the manufacturer has gone out of business.

Q: We have just placed our house, which is nearly 30 years old, on the market. We are concerned whether we will be responsible for any defects in the property or whether we will be liable for any damages which the buyer might find after settlement. Are we required to give the purchaser any guarantee or warranty? Under what circumstances might we be liable for any damages in the property?A: In Maryland, it is generally accepted that there are no implied warranties in the resale of a home. In other words, if the contract does not state that the seller specifically guarantees the condition of the property, then no warranty will be implied.

Most buyers of new homes in the state will enjoy extended warranty protection next year, under a new law expected to make such guarantees standard in Maryland.The New Home Warranty Security Plan disclosure law, which requires builders to notify buyers whether their homes are covered by extended warranties against faulty workmanship or defects, should also boost quality standards in the industry, says a Baltimore real estate attorney."The bill should spark a healthy competition to provide quality construction in new homes," says Richard L. Miller of Cable, McDaniel, Bowie & Bond.

You mess with your iPhone, you void your warranty. That's the blunt message Apple sent to the iPhone hacking community in a statement. Many had wondered when or if Apple would retaliate against the widespread unlocking schemes and other iPhone hacks that have emerged over the past two months on the Internet. Here's what Apple had to say: "Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone's software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed.

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Shares of General Motors Corp. went into a slide yesterday after an analyst, expressing concern that the world's largest automaker might be drawn into a costly warranty war, downgraded the company's stock. Ronald A. Tadross, an analyst with Banc of America Securities, dropped his rating on GM to market performer from buy. The decision was based on his belief that GM will be forced to follow DaimlerChrysler's recently announced 7-year/70,000-mile warranty plan. G. Richard Wagoner Jr., GM's president and chief executive, said the company will not match DaimlerChrysler's offer.

The developers and warranty company of a troubled northwestern Baltimore County condominium project have agreed to a $4.2 million settlement on the eve of a jury trial on allegations of consumer law violations and shoddy work. Condo owners say the money is enough to pay legal fees and make structural repairs.The owners of the Club at McDonogh Township condominiums voted Sunday to accept the settlement offer on the suit, which alleged negligent construction, fraud, breach of warranties and violations of the Maryland Consumer Protection Act.The development, built 10 years ago, has problems that include water and air leaks, ill-fitting windows and doors, hazardous fireplaces, water-damaged siding and leaking heat pumps.

Prompted by consumer complaints against homebuilders, members of the House Economic Matters Committee hope to strengthen home warranty protections during next year's legislative session, the head of a subcommittee on home construction said last week.The subcommittee led by Del. A. Wade Kach, a Cockeysville Republican, also is reviewing whether builders, like home improvement contractors, should be licensed in Maryland. Currently, no state agency regulates homebuilders, who are not licensed or bonded.

In June 1994, the new, four-bedroom house on a quiet cul-de-sac in Odenton seemed a perfect fit for Tolano and Cathy Anderson. It had a deck, finished basement, bay windows, upgraded carpet, jumbo soaking tub and a garage.It even came with a warranty against defects -- or so the buyers from Texas thought.This spring, the Fort Meade Army aviator and his wife, a state data security manager, discovered something in common with neighbors who had bought homes in the Seven Oaks development from C. C. Building Corp.

Manchester firm honored by councilMasonry Contractors Inc. of Manchester, owned by Martin K. P. Hill, was honored recently for 15 years of participation in the Home Owners Warranty Council of Maryland.