Strata and condo questions, answered

What is bare land strata, and how is it different from freehold?

Bare land strata is a subdivision where each lot is a strata lot drawn on the ground by survey markers, not by walls or floors. You own your lot and the house on it, but you also belong to a strata corporation that owns shared land like roads, and you pay strata fees and follow its bylaws.

Freehold (fee simple) land has no strata corporation. You answer only to the City of Vernon, the District of Coldstream or the RDNO, with no council, bylaws or monthly fees.

• Insurance: In a bare land strata the corporation insures common property. The Strata Property Act lets owners insure the buildings on their own lots, so check who covers your house.
• Look-alikes: The Province notes a house in a bare land strata can look identical to the freehold house across the street. Only the title tells you.
• Trade-offs: Shared roads, gates or amenities are looked after for you, but bylaws can limit things like short-term rentals, pets or exterior changes.

I compare strata styles in my condo vs townhouse guide, and my strata buying checklist covers what to read before you write an offer.

Sources: Strata Property Act, s. 1, 149, 161, Different kinds of stratas (Gov. of BC).

General information only, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a lawyer or accountant.

What is a strata plan, and what is common property vs. limited common property?

A strata plan is the survey plan filed at the Land Title Office that shows every strata lot and its boundaries. Anything on the plan that is not part of a strata lot is common property, owned by all owners together. Limited common property is common property set aside for the exclusive use of one or more specific lots.

Typical examples of limited common property are a balcony, patio, parking stall or yard that only your unit can use. It can be designated on the original strata plan or later by a 3/4 vote filed at the Land Title Office with a sketch plan.

Common property also includes pipes, wires and ducts inside walls between units. Each owner owns a share of the common property based on their unit entitlement.

You can order the official strata plan from the LTSA. My strata buying checklist shows where the plan fits in your review, and my condo vs townhouse guide covers how this plays out in each style.

Sources: Strata Property Act, s. 1, 66, 73, 74, Find strata property information (LTSA).

General information only, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a lawyer or accountant.

Which strata documents should I read before buying, and in what order?

Start with the Form B Information Certificate, because it flags money issues fast: fees, approved special levies, the contingency reserve balance and any lawsuits. Then read the depreciation report, two years of minutes, the bylaws and rules, the budget and financial statements, the insurance summary and the strata plan.

Here is the order I use with buyers, and why:

• Form B: It must also list proposed 3/4-vote resolutions and outstanding work orders, and it comes with the rules, the budget and the latest depreciation report attached.
• Depreciation report: What big items are ageing, and is the reserve keeping up?
• Minutes: Council and general meeting minutes show leaks, disputes and levies being discussed before they are voted on.
• Bylaws: Pets, short-term rentals, age limits and renovations.
• Insurance: The deductibles, so you can match your own policy.
• Strata plan: Which parking, storage and patio space is really yours.

I go deeper in my Form B guide and my depreciation report explainer.

Sources: Strata Property Act, s. 35, 59, Find strata property information (LTSA).

General information only, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a lawyer or accountant.

How do I read strata minutes, and what should I look for going back 2 years?

Read every council and general meeting minute from the last two years and look for repeated problems: water leaks, roof or envelope repairs, insurance claims, bylaw fights, lawsuits and any talk of a special levy. Patterns matter more than one bad meeting, because the same item showing up again and again often means a big bill is coming.

What I scan for:

• Money words: levy, loan, deficit, reserve, quote, engineer.
• Building words: leak, mould, envelope, balcony, roof, elevator, plumbing.
• People words: complaint, fine, hearing, lawyer, Civil Resolution Tribunal.
• Insurance: claims, premium jumps and deductible changes.
• Bylaw changes: votes on pets, short-term rentals or age limits.

The strata must keep minutes for at least six years and provide copies within two weeks of a request from an owner or someone the owner authorizes in writing, at up to 25 cents a page. As a buyer, you get them through the seller. My strata council guide explains how councils make these decisions.

Sources: Strata Property Act, s. 35, 36, Strata Property Regulation, s. 4.1, 4.2.

What is a special levy, and who pays if one is approved during my purchase?

A special levy is a one-time charge to owners for a cost the regular strata fees and reserve do not cover, such as a new roof. If it is approved before the sale completes, the seller owes the portions due before the completion date and the buyer owes the portions due on or after it.

That split comes from section 109 of the Strata Property Act, and it turns on the payment due dates in the levy resolution, not on when the work happens. A levy shared by unit entitlement needs a 3/4 vote at a general meeting, and the resolution must state the purpose, total, each lot's share and the due dates.

Watch two places. The Form B must show any approved levy still owing and any notice of an upcoming 3/4-vote resolution. The minutes and meeting notices show levies being planned. If a levy is coming, a price change or credit can be negotiated in your contract.

I explain what to check on the certificate in my Form B guide, and you can test your monthly costs with my strata fee calculator.

Sources: Strata Property Act, s. 59, 108, 109.

General information only, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a lawyer or accountant.

What is the strata insurance deductible, and why do I need deductible coverage?

The strata deductible is the part of a claim on the building's insurance that the strata corporation pays before the insurer does. If a loss starts in your unit and you are found responsible, the strata can charge that deductible back to you, so owners carry deductible coverage on their own condo policy.

The Province says strata deductibles can run from $100,000 to $750,000 or higher, and an owner can be found responsible even without being at fault or negligent. Under the Strata Property Act, a deductible is otherwise a common expense shared by all owners.

Before you buy, check the Form B, which must include a summary of the strata's insurance coverage. Note the deductible for each type of loss, then ask your insurer to match them. A condo policy also covers your contents, upgrades, temporary living costs and personal liability.

My Form B guide shows where to find the insurance summary. If you are looking at lakefront, my flood insurance guide adds the flood side.

Sources: Strata owner and tenant insurance (Gov. of BC), Strata Property Act, s. 59, 158.

General information only, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a lawyer or accountant.

What are strata bylaws and how do I find them?

Strata bylaws are the legal rules every owner, tenant and visitor in a strata must follow. They cover things like pets, noise, renovations and short-term rentals. A strata uses the provincial Standard Bylaws unless it has filed its own bylaws at the Land Title Office, and amendments have no effect until filed.

To find them, ask the seller or the strata manager for a current copy. The strata must provide bylaws and rules within one week of a request from an owner or someone the owner authorizes, at up to 25 cents a page. Filed bylaws can also be ordered through a registry agent from the Land Title Office.

Bylaws are different from rules. Rules can only govern common property and assets, and if a rule conflicts with a bylaw, the bylaw wins. Check the Form B too, because it lists bylaw amendments passed but not yet filed.

Pets and rentals are the bylaws buyers ask about most. I cover them in my pet bylaw guide and my strata rental rules guide.

Sources: Strata bylaws and rules explained (Gov. of BC), Strata Property Act, s. 36, 59, 120, 125, 128, Find strata property information (LTSA).

General information only, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a lawyer or accountant.

How do I order strata documents in BC, and what do they cost?

Order strata documents from the strata corporation or its management company, either as the owner or with the owner's written authorization. By law, a Form B Information Certificate costs no more than $35 plus up to 25 cents a page, and copies of records such as minutes cost up to 25 cents a page.

• Form B: Due within one week of the request. Owners and buyers can both ask for one.
• Minutes, financials, contracts and reports: Due within two weeks. Inspection is free.
• Bylaws and rules: Due within one week.
• Certificate of Payment (Form F): Needed to complete the sale, up to $15.

Many managed stratas use the eStrataHub online portal, which may add its own fees. The registered strata plan comes from the LTSA, and filed bylaws can be ordered through a registry agent; LTSA fees apply.

If you are the seller, my guide to selling a strata home covers what to gather early. Buyers can read my Form B guide.

Sources: Strata Property Regulation, s. 4.2, 4.4, 6.10, Strata Property Act, s. 36, 59, Find strata property information (LTSA).

Can a strata stop me renting my unit or having a pet?

A BC strata cannot stop you from renting your unit long term. Since 2022, rental-restriction bylaws are not allowed. A strata can still restrict or ban short-term rentals, and it can limit or ban pets through its bylaws, though pets already living there when a ban passes can stay.

• Rentals: The strata cannot screen or approve tenants or add terms to your lease. You must give tenants the bylaws, rules and a Notice of Tenant's Responsibilities, and send the signed notice to the strata within two weeks.
• Pets: The Standard Bylaws allow one dog or one cat, up to two caged birds, and a reasonable number of fish and small caged mammals. Many stratas set their own limits. Guide and service dogs are exempt from pet bans.

Short-term rentals also have City of Vernon and provincial rules, separate from the strata. Disputes over bylaws can go to the Civil Resolution Tribunal.

More detail: my strata rental rules guide and pet bylaw guide.

Sources: Strata Property Act, s. 123, 141, 146; Standard Bylaws s. 3, Landlords and strata corporations (Gov. of BC), Strata disputes, Solution Explorer (CRT).

General information only, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a lawyer or accountant.

In a 55+ building, can my adult kids stay with me?

Often, yes. Since 2023, BC's Strata Property Regulation exempts an adult child from a 55+ age bylaw if they live with a parent or former caregiver who meets the bylaw. Your spouse is also exempt, as are children under 19 and live-in caregivers for a resident who needs ongoing care.

The exemption covers people who actually live in the unit. Short visits are a separate question, handled by each strata's own bylaws on guests and occupancy, so read the bylaws and recent minutes for any limits.

Also check the exact wording of the age bylaw. A bylaw can require that one or more residents be at least 55, and it can set an age above 55, so the details differ from building to building. People already living in a unit before the bylaw passed are also protected.

I explain how 55+ stratas work and list local options in my 55+ communities in Vernon guide, including complexes like Gracelands.

Sources: Strata Property Act, s. 123.1, 123.2, Strata Property Regulation, s. 7.01, Changes expand exemptions to 55+ bylaws (Gov. of BC, 2023).

General information only, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a lawyer or accountant.

What is the difference between a duplex, a half-duplex and a townhouse?

A duplex is one building with two homes sharing a wall or floor. A half-duplex is one of those two homes, sold on its own. A townhouse is usually one of three or more attached homes in a row. The ownership structure, strata or not, matters more than the building style.

The Province points out that strata housing can include duplexes and townhouses, and that a strata townhouse can look identical to a row house that is not strata-titled. A half-duplex might be a two-lot strata with shared bylaws and insurance decisions, or it might sit on its own titled lot with no strata at all.

Before you buy, check the title and ask if there is a strata plan. Then confirm who insures the building, who fixes the shared roof and wall, and whether there are bylaws or fees, even small ones.

Browse current Vernon townhouse listings, compare styles in my condo vs townhouse guide, or read about buying a duplex in East Hill.

Sources: Different kinds of stratas (Gov. of BC).

What is a presale condo, and how do assignments work in BC?

A presale condo is a unit you buy from a developer before it is built or finished. In BC, developers marketing five or more strata lots must give you a disclosure statement, and you have seven days to cancel without penalty. Your deposit is held in trust by a brokerage, lawyer or notary.

An assignment is selling your presale contract to someone else before completion. Under the Real Estate Development Marketing Act, if the developer allows assignments, its contract must require the developer's consent first. The developer collects details on both parties and reports them to the Province's Condo and Strata Assignment Integrity Register, which shares data with BCFSA and the Canada Revenue Agency.

• Property transfer tax: Before the strata plan is filed, the buyer taking the assignment pays tax on the total amount paid, including any assignment price.
• BC home flipping tax: Since January 1, 2025, profit from a presale contract disposed of within 730 days can be taxed, at up to 20%, with some exemptions.
• Developers may charge assignment fees, and the original buyer usually stays liable.

See a local example on my Harwood Springs page, and estimate closing costs with my BC home buyer calculator.

Sources: Real Estate Development Marketing Act, s. 18, 20.3, 21, Consumer guide to pre-sale purchases (BCFSA), PTT on pre-sold strata units (Gov. of BC), BC home flipping tax: pre-sale contracts (Gov. of BC).

General information only, not legal or tax advice. Talk to a lawyer or accountant.