Darren* applied to change the use of his commercial condo unit to a medical one, but his request was denied. He was told by the municipality that the site plan agreement had not been complied with as the condo corporation required another 97 parking spaces to be added. The municipality then issued a Notice of Violation of the Site Plan Agreement due to the lack of parking spaces. The condo corporation has to decide whether it will add the parking to comply or try to change this requirement in the site plan agreement. This may mean an increase in common expenses or a special assessment to be paid by Darren and the other unit owners. Because Darren had a commercial title insurance policy from FCT, we are paying for the legal costs to defend him in dealing with the Notice of Violation.
In Darren’s case, the Site Plan Agreement would have needed to be compared with the Strata Plan to make sure they matched. However, having a strata plan would have provided no protection as it would not have covered his legal expenses or potential loss of value to his property if he can’t use it as he planned to.
A strata or condominium plan, like a survey, is created by a surveyor and it documents unit sizes and structures as well as what is common and exclusive use property. It also includes any parking or lockers that are part of the unit. However, if there’s an error in the strata plan or the structure does not match the plans – it’s the owner who may be responsible for part or all of the costs associated with remedying the issue.
A legal professional can provide an opinion on title based on the accuracy of information provided to them and an up-to-date or existing strata plan or survey. However, without a title insurance policy, a strata plan by itself offers no protection for the property owner or legal professional in case of incorrect information or discrepancies.
With an FCT title insurance policy, we protect both the legal professional and owner by providing loss of value coverage, duty to defend, funds to fix most municipal enforcements, fraud protection and more. It benefits lawyers by shifting the risk and liability associated with the title and strata/condo plan to us. Our condo endorsement also covers lack of disclosure in a Status Certificate, if the condo corporation has not been properly created and it results in a title defect. A Status Certificate is not always necessary for a loan policy depending on the insured amount.
While both a strata plan and title insurance are important in a condo or bare land purchase, choosing the one that offers you more protection is a safe bet!
*name changed to protect privacy
Insurance by FCT Insurance Company Ltd. Services by First Canadian Title Company Limited. The services company does not provide insurance products. This material is intended to provide general information only. For specific coverage and exclusions, refer to the applicable policy. Copies are available upon request. Some products/services may vary by province. Prices and products/services offered are subject to change without notice.
®Registered Trademark of First American Financial Corporation.
