BC real property report

Common questions about the Real Property Report

• What is a Real Property Report (RPR)?

  It is a surveyor’s drawing of where the house, garage, fence, deck and shed sit against the legal boundaries of the lot. It also shows easements and rights of way. In BC it is more often called a building location certificate or survey certificate, and a BC Land Surveyor prepares it. Whether your lender wants one, and how recent, is the lender’s call, so ask in writing. Source: Association of BC Land Surveyors (abcls.ca).
• Who pays for the RPR: buyer or seller?

  The contract decides, and nothing in BC law sets it. If you want a report, write into the offer who orders it and who pays. If the seller has a current report, ask for a copy. If not, a BC Land Surveyor can quote the job, and the price depends on the lot. Source: your contract of purchase and sale.
• What is the difference between an RPR and title insurance?

  A report is a drawing of the lot as it stands today. Title insurance is a policy that pays for covered losses, such as survey errors, encroachments and unregistered interests found after closing. It does not show you the problem before you buy. A report does. The premium is typically $200 to $1K, one time. Source: Fact Bank, title insurance overview (bronsonjob.com/codex).
• What encroachment problems turn up on a survey?

  Three are common to look for. A fence may sit over the line. A roof eave may reach past the line onto a neighbour’s lot or a municipal right of way. A deck, addition or suite may have been built without a permit. Ask your lawyer what each means for your title. A lack of the right building permits is one of the listed examples of a material latent defect in the Real Estate Services Rules. Source: Real Estate Services Rules, B.C. Reg. 209/2021, s. 59 (bclaws.gov.bc.ca).
• My lender accepts title insurance instead of an RPR. Should I still want the report?

  Often yes, if the choice is yours. Title insurance pays for a covered loss after closing. It does not change what you buy. A report shows a problem while you can still ask the seller to fix it, adjust the price, or step back. Lenders decide whether a policy can replace a survey, and on detached homes many lenders accept the policy, so ask yours. Source: Fact Bank, title insurance overview.
• When should the RPR be delivered?

  Before you remove subjects, because subjects are your chance to act on what it shows. A report that arrives just before completion leaves you little room to respond. Write the date into the offer, for example a report delivered at least five business days before subject removal. The seller must agree to it. Source: your contract of purchase and sale.
• What if the report shows an unpermitted addition the seller did not disclose?

  Before subjects come off, you can ask the seller for a permit, a price change or a fix, or end the deal under your subjects. After subjects come off, your options narrow. Read the Property Disclosure Statement answers, and talk to your lawyer at once. A visible defect is the buyer’s risk, while a hidden material defect the listing agent knew about had to be disclosed. Source: Real Estate Services Rules, s. 59 (bclaws.gov.bc.ca); Fact Bank, Property Disclosure Statement.
• Do I need an RPR on a strata property?

  Usually not. A strata lot is described by the strata plan, and the Form B and plan give the boundary information. A bare land strata or a duplex conversion is different, so ask your lawyer and your lender. Source: Strata Property Act and Form B (gov.bc.ca, Form B Information Certificate).