General information only — not legal, tax, financial, or real-estate advice. Verify with a licensed BC professional before acting.
The Property Disclosure Statement is the seller's written declaration about the property's known condition. Here's what it covers and its legal weight.
Structural + mechanical systems, water intrusion + moisture, drainage, insulation type, permits/renovations, presence of asbestos/UFFI, prior repairs, oil-tank history, boundary issues, restrictions/easements, environmental hazards.
The PDS is the seller's best-knowledge disclosure. It is NOT a warranty and it does NOT replace a professional home inspection.
A seller may answer 'Do not know'. In law, 'Do not know' is a valid response — but a seller who knowingly conceals a material latent defect is exposed to civil liability regardless of the PDS.
Most BC accepted contracts include the PDS as a schedule. If the seller declines to complete a PDS, the contract typically notes that fact — a red flag worth investigating.
Executors selling on behalf of an estate typically do not have first-hand knowledge and often decline to complete the PDS. That's normal in probate — the buyer's inspection matters more.