Strata Tip of the Week - The Importance of Ordering a Copy of the General Index

When purchasing a unit in a strata corporation, having access to all the strata documents is crucial. Missing or incomplete documents can lead to misunderstandings about the property or unexpected headaches down the road.

The biggest issue we’ve encountered since starting Condo Clear Services has been missing, incomplete, or outdated documents. Time and time again, strata corporations and management companies neglect to provide the complete set of strata documents.

Whether it’s incomplete bylaws or strata plans, a missing schedule of unit entitlement, missing minutes, incomplete financial documents, etc., over 95% of the strata document packages we receive are missing some documents.

These gaps can leave buyers with an incomplete picture of the strata’s financial health, legal obligations, or restrictions—potentially leading to costly surprises later. For this reason, we now always recommend that consumers obtain a copy of the General Index from the Land Title and Service Authority (LTSA).

From a strata documents review perspective, the General Index allows consumers to verify if the strata has provided the latest:

• Bylaws and any amendments

• Strata plan and any amendments

• Schedule of unit entitlement (sometimes referred to as the Form V) and any amendments

• Any other resolutions or accompanying documents that are required to be filed in the LTSA

The General Index is now part of our Strata Documents Checklist, which is a list of documents we recommend obtaining and reviewing when assisting consumers looking to purchase a strata-titled property. Feel free to use and share this checklist with anyone who might find it useful!

That’s it for this week. If you have any suggestions for other topics you’d like us to cover, please let us know at info@condoclear.ca.

Disclaimer: The information provided is for general purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal advice or opinions of any kind. No one should act, or refrain from acting, based solely upon the materials provided, any hypertext links or other general information without first seeking appropriate legal or other professional advice.

A little about Condo Clear:

They are a fully licensed brokerage under the BCFSA, and carry Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance.

They have been in business since 2017 and have completed over 3,000 strata reviews to date province-wide.

Their Review Advisors have firsthand knowledge and experience. They’ve all been practicing strata managers.

A little about Condo Clear Services: 

FAQs: How do Condo Clear’s services work?

Pricing: How much do Condo Clear’s services cost?

Learn More: https://condoclear.ca/