Real Property Report (RPR)
Also known as: RPR · Real property report · Surveyor's certificate · Building location certificate
A surveyor drawing that shows where the legal boundaries actually run and where the buildings, fences and decks sit against them. On a detached purchase in BC, lenders commonly accept title insurance in its place; the two answer different questions.
A Real Property Report (RPR), sometimes called a Building Location Certificate or Surveyor's Certificate, is a drawing prepared by a BC Land Surveyor showing the property's legal boundaries and the location of every building, deck, fence, shed, and major improvement relative to those boundaries. An RPR identifies setback violations, boundary encroachments (your fence on your neighbour's land or vice-versa), unpermitted additions, and zoning compliance issues at a level of detail that no other document captures.
Cost and turnaround depend on the lot and the surveyor, so get a quote.
A seller is not obliged to provide a current Real Property Report. Lender title insurance commonly replaces the lender's requirement for an updated RPR on detached homes. The result: many buyers close on detached homes with no current survey, then discover years later (when they go to renovate, sell, or refinance) that the deck or shed encroaches on a setback or onto a neighbour's lot.
A lender's title insurance policy insures the lender, not the owner, so check what an owner's policy covers and excludes before relying on it. If you're buying a detached home and the seller's RPR is older than 5 years (or there have been improvements added since), you can commission an updated RPR before subject removal.
Related terms
- Title InsuranceA one-time-premium policy bought at closing that covers the owner, the lender, or both against loss from a title problem that pre-dates it.
- BC Land Title Office (LTSA)The BC land registration system operated by the Land Title and Survey Authority (LTSA) under the Land Title Act, RSBC 1996, c.
- Material Latent DefectA serious defect an ordinary inspection would not reveal.
- Closing Day (Completion)Closing day, or completion, is when the buyer's lawyer registers the title transfer at the BC Land Title Office and the money reaches the seller.
See also
Review dates, licence and how to cite this entry
License: This definition is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Cite as: "Real Property Report (RPR)", BC Real Estate Glossary by Bronson Job, https://www.bronsonjob.com/glossary/real-property-report-rpr.