Means any unresolved orders, notices, or directions received by the strata corporation that still need to be completed or dealt with for the strata lot, common property, or common assets. In plain language, it flags open compliance items—such as repair orders, deficiency notices, or other municipal/authority notices—that have not yet been closed.
In British Columbia, Outstanding Work Orders / Notices refer to unresolved orders, directions, or deficiency notices issued by a municipal authority, fire marshal, building inspector, or other regulatory body that have not yet been remedied by the strata corporation or strata lot owner. These open compliance items may affect common property, common assets, or individual strata lots. Under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), a strata corporation is required to manage and maintain common property and common assets, which includes addressing such outstanding items.
A buyer can request a Form B Information Certificate from the strata corporation under section 59 of the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), which must disclose known outstanding work orders or notices affecting the strata lot or common property. The Form B must be accompanied by the strata corporation's bylaws, rules, and other prescribed documents that may reveal unresolved compliance matters. Buyers should also review strata council meeting minutes and consider requesting a search of municipal records for any registered orders or notices against the property.
Yes. Under section 59 of the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), the strata corporation must provide accurate information in the Form B Information Certificate, including details of any court judgments, orders, or significant outstanding matters affecting the strata. If a strata corporation knowingly provides false or misleading information in a Form B, it may face legal consequences. Buyers and their licensees should carefully review all Form B disclosures as part of due diligence.
Under the Real Estate Services Act (RESA) and BCFSA conduct standards, a licensee representing a buyer owes a duty of loyalty and must take reasonable steps to discover and disclose material information about a property, which includes outstanding work orders or notices. A licensee should advise their buyer client to request a Form B Information Certificate and to review strata documents, municipal records, and any disclosed orders before waiving conditions. Failure to identify and communicate material deficiencies may constitute a breach of the licensee's duties under RESA.
Yes. Outstanding Work Orders / Notices can be material facts that affect the value and marketability of a property, and buyers may negotiate a lower purchase price, require the seller or strata corporation to resolve the items before completion, or include conditions in the contract of purchase and sale that allow the buyer to withdraw if the orders are not addressed. Sellers and their licensees, under BCFSA conduct standards and RESA obligations, must disclose known material latent defects, which can include unresolved municipal orders that render a property unsafe or non-compliant. The precise impact on price and conditions is a matter of negotiation between the parties.
Under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), the strata corporation is responsible for managing, repairing, and maintaining common property and common assets, which means it bears the primary obligation to resolve work orders or notices that affect those areas. The costs associated with addressing such orders are typically funded through the operating fund or, for significant capital repairs, the contingency reserve fund. Individual owners are generally responsible for addressing work orders or notices that relate solely to their strata lot, as set out in the strata corporation's bylaws.
A depreciation report, required for most strata corporations under section 94 of the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) and the Strata Property Regulation, provides a long-term plan for the repair and replacement of common property and common assets but is distinct from outstanding work orders or notices, which represent immediate compliance requirements. If an outstanding work order identifies a deficiency in common property, that item may also appear in the depreciation report as a required repair, but the work order itself demands more urgent attention than a routine planned maintenance item. Buyers should review both documents together to gain a comprehensive picture of the strata's physical and financial condition.
Yes. Lenders and insurers may treat outstanding work orders or notices as material risks, potentially declining to approve financing or insurance, or imposing special conditions, until the orders are resolved. For example, a fire safety order or structural deficiency notice on common property could lead a lender to withhold mortgage approval or an insurer to exclude coverage related to the deficiency. Buyers should consult directly with their lender and insurer regarding how any disclosed outstanding work orders or notices may affect their specific financing and insurance arrangements.
If a strata corporation fails to comply with a work order or notice issued by a municipal or regional authority under applicable local government legislation, the issuing authority may escalate enforcement, which can include fines, remedial action orders, or in serious cases, the authority carrying out the required work and recovering the costs from the strata corporation. Continued non-compliance can also expose individual strata lot owners to reduced property values and potential liability. Strata councils have a statutory duty under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43) to manage and maintain common property, and persistent failure to act on work orders may constitute a breach of that duty.
Some outstanding orders or notices—particularly those formally registered by a municipality or other authority—may appear as notations on the property's Land Title Office record in BC, and a title search can potentially reveal them. However, not all work orders or notices are registered on title; some may only appear in municipal records or strata corporation files, meaning a title search alone may be insufficient to uncover all outstanding compliance items. Buyers should therefore conduct a thorough review of strata documents including the Form B Information Certificate under the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), as well as consider requesting a search of the local government's property file to identify any registered or unregistered orders.
Verify the specific statutory language, thresholds, deadlines and current guidance directly with the governing authority: