Permit Certainty... and Barry is Retiring!
Well, it's finally happened, time for Barry to retire! But first, this weeks tip.
I had a call from a nervous buyer. When they bought, they got a brand-new, clean RPR and compliance but no title insurance.
Two weeks after they moved in, a City of Edmonton inspector banged on their door wanting to talk about permits and final inspections. Apparently, the seller applied for the development permit as confirmed by the clean RPR and compliance. BUT they didn't do at least some of the required and quite separate Safety Code inspections. Remember, 6.1(g) in the current Residential Purchase Contract requires a seller to disclose lack of permits.
This is what it says on the City of Edmonton Compliance Certificate Report.
"… this report does not comment on compliance with the Alberta Building Code… Please contact a Safety Codes Officer…"
So, in the city of Edmonton at least, the seller needs to contact a Safety Codes Officer (buildingsafetycodes@edmonton.ca) and obtain a final, approved, 'Permit Services Report'. That report will clearly state that all the work has been completed and no further inspections are required.
If a property is new construction or there is any kind of interior or exterior renovation that might require permits:
- Seller's realtor's should ask their sellers and be ready with that final, approved Permit Services Report.
- Buyer's realtors should require that final, approved Permit Services Report as a condition of the contract.
- The proper protective package for a buyer would be a current, clean RPR and compliance, final, approved Permit Services Report and title insurance.
Protect yourself.
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