OBD search workflow — search by legal name AND principal name; umbrellas and Phoenix applications hide history under marketing brands

Claim: Effective OBD searches need four queries, not one:

1. Legal entity name from the Agreement of Purchase and Sale (not the marketing brand).
2. Operating/trade name.
3. Licence number (if on the builder's marketing).
4. Principal/director/officer name — to surface related companies that may carry the real track record.

Source: https://www.hcraontario.ca/blog/2022/03/15/the-obd-step-1-in-choosing-a-new-home-builder/

Confidence: Verified.

Common pitfalls:

• Umbrella groups — searching the marketing name may miss the legal entity. Tridel's project pages list separate legal entities (B48141, B61250, B45786, B62950, B45933, B48613, B47771, B47670) under one marketing brand.
• Phoenix applications — principals with revoked licences sometimes re-emerge under new corporate names. Canonical example: HCRA refused Dynasty Home Builders Inc. in March 2024, finding it was a "ploy" by Albion's principals Zamal Hossain and Farida Haque to operate under their daughter Zamila Hossain's name with an Albion ex-employee as the competency holder. See Albion Building Consultant Inc. — $1,018,750 fine December 15, 2025; 124 charges, 39 homes; largest HCRA enforcement case to date.
• Marketing brand ≠ licensed entity. Always confirm the exact corporate entity on the APS matches the licence.

Buyer-side rule: see RULE: Buyers should search the Ontario Builder Directory before signing any Agreement of Purchase and Sale; not listed = unlicensed = walk away.