Habib & Associates Law Office

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Habib & Associates Law Office Ottawa law office focusing on the practice of real estate law, business law, wills and estates, and family law.

Our team of professionals at Habib & Associates believes that good communication is the foundation of a solid working relationship with clients. Through the delivery of quality services across our platform of practices, we have represented our clients with dependability and experience. Whether you are buying your first home or selling your business, we will represent and protect your interests, and we will stay in contact with you every step of the way. We are committed to provide you with comprehensive legal services—on time and on budget.

The Canada Revenue Agency has announced that new Ontario housing rebates introduced earlier this year are now available ...
10/05/2026

The Canada Revenue Agency has announced that new Ontario housing rebates introduced earlier this year are now available for qualifying new construction, home purchases, substantial renovations and rental housing projects.

Learn more here 👉🏻 markhabiblawyers.com/news/new-ontario-housing-rebate

A Toronto condominium corporation’s experience with fraudulent guaranteed investment certificates is a costly warning to...
09/22/2026

A Toronto condominium corporation’s experience with fraudulent guaranteed investment certificates is a costly warning to every condo board entrusted with owners’ money.

Directors thought they were buying secure GICs from a major Canadian bank using professional-looking forged documents. Instead, money went straight to fraudsters impersonating the financial institution. While some funds were tracked and recovered, the insurance claim for the remaining loss was denied.

Requiring multi-person sign-offs and callback verifications for moving corporate funds is one step that can help prevent fraud.

Gifts received from a third party during your marriage are generally excluded from your net family property division upo...
09/15/2026

Gifts received from a third party during your marriage are generally excluded from your net family property division upon separation, as long as you keep them separate and traceable. However, if you use gifted money to buy, pay off, or improve your family home or cottage, the exclusion is lost and the value is shared.

In one example, parents contribute a sum of money toward the down payment on a home. The parents may assume their contribution was protected simply because the mortgage broker documented it as a gift, and buyers assume a 70/30 down payment split would translate into a 70/30 split later. Neither assumption is correct. Without a prenup, the Family Law Act’s equalization scheme governs and it does not care whose parents wrote the cheque.

When an agent hears “my parents are helping with the down payment,” that is the moment to suggest the buyers speak to a lawyer. It takes one sentence and it can preserve six figures, and good relations with two future clients: the buyer and their parents.

Ontario's Family Law Act can override who is listed on a property title when a married relationship breaks down or invol...
09/08/2026

Ontario's Family Law Act can override who is listed on a property title when a married relationship breaks down or involves a matrimonial home.

The case below highlights one such example:
“The client owned a condo for six years before her wedding. She bought it on her own and paid the mortgage on her own. After the marriage, she and her spouse lived in it together. She assumed that because she bought it alone, before the relationship, its value was hers.

Ontario’s Family Law Act says otherwise. Once a property becomes the matrimonial home, the spouse who brought it into the marriage shares its value. Specifically, upon marriage, the entire value of that condo went into the pot to be shared equally, not just the growth during the marriage as with other assets. Had she signed a marriage contract before the wedding, the outcome could have been different.”

Two Waterloo neighbours spent 7 years in a bitter dispute over a driveway extension that crossed their property line by ...
09/01/2026

Two Waterloo neighbours spent 7 years in a bitter dispute over a driveway extension that crossed their property line by just a few inches, resulting in a $150,000 legal bill and zero damages awarded.

This costly conflict highlights the severe risks of ignoring property boundaries and the importance of obtaining a property survey prior to building.

Private equity-backed park owners in Ontario are facing accusations of inflating land lease fees for incoming tenants, m...
08/25/2026

Private equity-backed park owners in Ontario are facing accusations of inflating land lease fees for incoming tenants, making it nearly impossible for current mobile homeowners to sell their properties.

The Loophole: While annual rent increases for existing tenants are capped by the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act (such as 2.5%), landlords can raise lot rent without restrictions when a home is sold and the lease transfers to a new owner.

The Impact: Sellers feel trapped and "held hostage" because exorbitant land leases scare off prospective buyers, leaving seniors and low-income owners unable to downsize or escape rising costs.

One of the most persistent myths in Ontario real estate is that homeowners can protect themselves from title fraud by si...
08/18/2026

One of the most persistent myths in Ontario real estate is that homeowners can protect themselves from title fraud by simply registering a mortgage on title to their property. A recent article explains how a mortgage is not an obstacle to the fraud but rather the fraud itself.

If a criminal can impersonate an owner, create false identification, and forge transfer documents, the existence of a legacy mortgage on title will hardly deter the scheme.

Ottawa's long-awaited renoviction bylaw has passed the committee, despite pushback from both landlord and tenant groups....
08/11/2026

Ottawa's long-awaited renoviction bylaw has passed the committee, despite pushback from both landlord and tenant groups.

A renoviction is a bad-faith effort to push out longstanding tenants and replace them with new ones paying higher rents, using minor repairs or renovations as a pretext. This new bylaw will come into force January 1, 2027.

Can a condominium board legally regulate who sleeps in an owner’s privately owned home?A recent article by Bob Aaron del...
08/05/2026

Can a condominium board legally regulate who sleeps in an owner’s privately owned home?

A recent article by Bob Aaron delves into the Peel Condominium Corporation's "overnight visitors" rule for a condo located in Mississauga.

The rule states visitors may stay for a maximum of one overnight visit per calendar month. A longer or second visit requires advance written permission, and consecutive overnight stays are prohibited without approval.

Boards may restrict behaviour to prevent extreme unit overcrowding or strain on shared building utilities, but strict limits on casual overnight guests are often legally vulnerable and considered an invasion of privacy.

Owning a condominium means accepting reasonable community rules. It should not mean asking the property manager for permission before inviting family to spend the weekend.

Before signing a lease, make sure you're clear on all the details. Ask key questions such as:• Which utilities and servi...
07/28/2026

Before signing a lease, make sure you're clear on all the details. Ask key questions such as:

• Which utilities and services are included in the rent?
• Is parking guaranteed or waitlisted?
• How long can guests stay before being considered an additional occupant?
• What's the process for subletting if you need to leave before your lease is up?
• Ontario's rent increase guidelines cap annual raises, but ask about typical rates in the building.
• Landlords can only collect a rent deposit, not a security deposit. Ask about online payment options.

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16-2450 Lancaster Road
Ottawa, ON
K1B5N3

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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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