When you purchase a resale or previously owned condominium unit, the seller is under no legal obligation to provide you with documentation about the complex. However, under the Condominium Property Act, a condominium corporation must provide the following documents within 10 days of receiving a written request from a potential buyer. Download Buying a Resale Condo: Document Checklist.
Note: A condominium corporation can charge a reasonable fee for preparing and reproducing any requested documents.
Finance & Operations
- Reserve Fund Report & Plan
- Budget & Financial Statements
- Annual Report
- Estoppel Certificate (details about condominium contributions)
- Statement outlining unit factors and criteria used to determine unit factors (information also included on Condominium Plan)
- Management Agreement
- Minutes of the general meetings of the condo board
Bylaws & Rules
- Bylaws (will also be filed with the Condominium Plan)
- Recreational Agreement
- Exclusive Use Agreement or Lease for Common Property
Insurance / Structural Information
- Insurance Certificate
- Insurance Policy (corporation has 30 days to provide after receiving request)
- Details about post-tension cables on property (information also available with the Condominium Plan)
- Statement outlining any structural deficiencies the corporation has knowledge of at the time of the request
Legal
- Legal actions or claims against corporation, including outstanding judgment orders
- Any written demands against corporation that exceed $5,000
Additional Documents – Note: The 10 day timeline does not apply to these documents but they should still be requested and reviewed. Talk to your lawyer or real estate agent obtaining these documents.
- Condominium Plan, including any Condominium Additional Plan Sheets (CAD) – can be requested from Land Titles Office or Registry Agent)
- Certificate of Title – can be requested from Land Titles Office or Registry Agent
- Condominium Newsletters – request from Condominium Corporation
- Contact information for Condominium Board of Directors – request from Condominium Corporation, also available on CAD
- Real Property Report (for bare land units only) – request from seller
Further Resources
- Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta – Buying a Resale Condo: Document Checklist (PDF, Alberta-specific information)
- Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta – Before You Buy: Understanding Condo Finances (PDF, Alberta-specific information)
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation: Checklist for Buying a Resale Condo (not Alberta-specific)
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation: Physical Evaluation Checklist (not Alberta-specific)
July 2015
