Property Disclosure Statement (PDS) for a Resale Duplex in BC

A Property Disclosure Statement, or PDS, is a form on which the seller of a BC home answers written questions about what they know of its condition. BC law leaves it up to the seller whether to fill one in: the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) calls it "a voluntary form" and says "there are no prescribed forms in B.C. to disclose property information."

Two rules apply either way. Sellers must tell buyers about hidden defects they know of. And a seller who does fill in a PDS must answer honestly, because the BC Court of Appeal has held a seller responsible for a form that misled the buyer.

This guide covers the strata version of the form, the one you will see on most resale strata duplex, triplex and fourplex homes. Pre-sale buyers in projects of 5 or more strata lots receive a separate, much longer document from the developer, which our guide to reading a pre-sale disclosure statement explains.

What a Property Disclosure Statement is

A PDS is a list of questions about a home, answered and signed by the seller, that records what the seller knows about the land, the services and the building. BCFSA describes it as "a starting point for the buyer to make further inquiries prior to proceeding with a purchase."

The forms in common use come from the BC Real Estate Association (BCREA). BCFSA's advisory to licensees of July 24, 2025 says they are widely used in BC sales that involve a licensee.

BCREA publishes more than one version. The one for a home in a strata building is titled Property Disclosure Statement, Strata Title Properties (Non Bare Land). A half duplex on its own lot, with no strata, is owned differently, and our guide to strata and non-strata duplexes explains how to tell which one you are looking at.

Does a BC seller have to give you one?

No. A BC seller can decide to provide no PDS at all. What the law does require is disclosure of certain hidden defects the seller knows about.

BCFSA's page for sellers explains the two layers:

• The seller's own duty. "Sellers have a duty at common law to disclose latent defects about their property to a buyer." Common law is the law built up by court decisions. BCFSA describes a material latent defect as one "that cannot be discerned through a reasonable inspection," including a defect that makes the home dangerous, unfit to live in, or unfit for a purpose the buyer has told the seller about.
• The REALTOR®'s wider duty. Section 59 of BC's Real Estate Services Rules requires a licensee acting for a seller to disclose any material latent defect the licensee knows of, "promptly and before any agreement" is signed. The rule's list adds a defect that "would involve great expense to remedy", a notice from a city saying something must be fixed, and "a lack of appropriate municipal building and other permits."

If a seller tells their licensee to hide a known defect, section 59(3) says the licensee must refuse to keep working for that seller on the sale. BCFSA's consumer guide to material latent defects adds that the disclosure must be in writing, in a document separate from the purchase contract, and that "most sellers will use a document called the Property Disclosure Statement."

A patent defect, in BCFSA's words, is one "that can be discovered upon reasonable inspection," such as broken windows. Finding those is your job.

The Property No-Disclosure Statement

In July 2025 BCREA released a new form, the Property No-Disclosure Statement, that a seller signs to make no disclosure at all. BCFSA's advisory of July 24, 2025 (number 25-026) makes three points that speak to buyers:

• Receiving it should be treated "as an indication that there is a defect in the property" that needs more checking to find.
• "Buyers are best protected by requesting the seller complete the PDS" as a condition of their offer.
• Buyers should ask their lender whether a no-disclosure form is enough to support their mortgage application.

The same update changed the PDS itself. It now carries a disclaimer, BCFSA says, "emphasizing any disclosures made are accurate at the date of the disclosure and may not reflect current conditions."

In our view, a no-disclosure form on a strata half duplex calls for a full inspection, the full set of strata records, and a talk with your lender before you write the offer.

Why a crossed-out form still counts

BCREA made those changes after a BC Court of Appeal decision, Sewell v. Abadian, 2025 BCCA 158, released on May 20, 2025. The court held that a seller who drew a line through every question on a PDS had still told the buyer something, and that what he told her was false.

The facts, from the decision:

• The seller drew a line through the form, ticked no boxes, and wrote in the comments: "Tenanted Property, Owner has never occupied."
• He knew the house had an addition built without a building permit.
• He had once been a licensed REALTOR®, and he agreed that the form would be part of the purchase contract.
• The buyer paid a first deposit of $300,000, found the addition through her own checks, and refused to complete. The seller sued for the second deposit of $200,000.

The Court of Appeal reversed the trial judge. Justice Griffin wrote that, read as a whole, the form told the buyer the seller "did not know there were any unpermitted additions," and that "this was a misrepresentation." The buyer got judgment for her $300,000 first deposit, and the claim for the second deposit was dismissed.

The lesson for a buyer: a seller who hands you a form must be complete and accurate, and making the form part of the contract helps you if it proves false.

What the strata version asks

The strata PDS asks about the strata lot you are buying and about the common property shared by every owner. Each question has four answer boxes: Yes, No, Do Not Know and Does Not Apply.

We read the January 2023 edition of the strata form (BCREA form BC1003). Its questions fall into four parts, and the strata questions sit inside the building part:

• Land: underground oil tanks, tenancies, special city charges on the property and court cases that affect the property.
• Services: the type of water supply, and known problems with the water or the sewer connection.
• Building, for the unit and the common property: permits, work done without a permit, structural problems, damage from wind, fire or water, leaks, insects or rodents, and the heating, electrical, gas and plumbing systems.
• Strata questions within the building part: special levies, coming bylaw changes, rules on pets, rentals and age, home warranty insurance, who manages the strata, which strata records are available, what the monthly fee pays for, parking stalls, storage lockers and radon testing.
• General: past cannabis growing or illegal drug production, other latent defects, and heritage designation.

BCREA revised its disclosure forms in July 2025, so the copy you receive may word some questions differently.

How to read the form

Read the PDS with your REALTOR® before you remove subjects, and treat each answer as something to check. BCFSA's buyer page says to "make sure you understand any disclosure being made by either the seller or their real estate licensee."

A routine that works:

• Check the date. Every answer is true as of the date on the form. A PDS signed months before the listing may miss a recent leak or a new levy, so ask for an updated one.
• Check who filled it in. A seller who rented the home out or inherited it may know less, so plan to check more yourself.
• Follow every "Yes". A yes to past water damage or a special levy is the most useful part of the form. Ask for the repair invoice, the plumber's report or the minutes where the levy was approved.
• Compare it with the strata records. If the PDS says no levy is planned and last spring's minutes discuss a roof levy, ask why.

In our view, buyers in a two-lot or three-lot strata should expect clearer answers on the common property than condo buyers get. In a strata duplex, the two owners usually make up the whole strata council, so the seller took part in the decisions about the shared roof and walls.

What "Do Not Know" and "Does Not Apply" mean

A "Do Not Know" answer tells you only that the seller says they lack the information. Treat each one as a question your inspector, the strata records or your lawyer has to answer.

The form tells sellers how to use those boxes. The version quoted in Sewell v. Abadian said the seller "where uncertain should reply 'Do Not Know'", and its instructions added that "it is important that the seller not answer 'do not know' or 'does not apply' if, in fact, the seller knows the answer."

For a buyer, this matters in two ways:

• A seller who writes "Do Not Know" while knowing the answer is making a false statement about their own knowledge, and Sewell shows the courts treat that seriously.
• A seller who honestly does not know has said nothing about the defect. If you remove subjects without checking, the risk of whatever they did not know is yours.

A "Does Not Apply" on a question about water damage or permits deserves a direct question to the listing agent.

How the PDS becomes part of your contract

A PDS forms part of your purchase contract when you and the seller agree to that in writing. The form version in Sewell said it "constitutes a representation under any Contract of Purchase and Sale if so agreed, in writing, by the seller and the buyer."

Your REALTOR® adds a term to the Contract of Purchase and Sale that names the PDS and its date. BCFSA's page on offers to sellers lists, among the subjects (conditions in your offer) a buyer may add, a requirement for the seller "to complete a Property Disclosure Statement." In Sewell, the court said the seller "agreed she could rely on the disclosure statement by incorporation of it into the contract," so he could not argue she had not relied on it.

The timing that protects you:

• Before the offer, if you can. Ask the listing agent for the PDS and the strata documents before the offer date. Our guide to making an offer on a resale duplex or multiplex covers subjects and dates.
• Inside your subject period. Make your offer subject to receiving and approving the PDS, and read it before you remove subjects.
• In the first three business days. The Home Buyer Rescission Period lets you cancel within three business days after acceptance for 0.25% of the price, so a worrying answer found in those days can still end the deal.

What a PDS cannot tell you

A PDS covers what the seller knew on the day they signed. These gaps matter most on a resale strata home:

• Defects the seller never knew about. Water inside a wall can go unnoticed for years, and the seller's duty covers known defects.
• Changes after the form's date. The 2025 disclaimer says the answers "may not reflect current conditions."
• Stigma. BCFSA's consumer guide says sellers "are not obligated to disclose the existence of a stigma unless they are specifically asked about it," such as a death in the home. If it matters to you, ask in writing.
• The strata's finances. The seller can tell you what one owner knows. The Information Certificate (Form B) comes from the strata corporation, and section 59(5) of the Strata Property Act makes its contents binding on the strata toward a person who relied on it and acted reasonably.
• Hidden electrical or gas problems. BCFSA warns that home inspections "are primarily visual inspections and they may not reveal problems with electrical or gas systems," and suggests a specialist where there are signs of trouble.

What to ask for alongside the PDS

For a resale strata duplex, triplex or fourplex home, ask for these as well:

• The Information Certificate (Form B). Section 59 of the Strata Property Act requires the strata to provide it within one week of a request. It lists the monthly fees, approved special levies, the reserve fund (savings for future repairs), unfiled bylaw changes, court cases, outstanding work orders and an insurance summary, with the rules, the budget and any depreciation report (a long-term repair plan) attached.
• The bylaws, minutes and financial statements. In a small strata, read every set since the strata was created if you can.
• The title search. Your lawyer or notary checks the registered owner and any rights or limits registered against the property, such as a neighbour's right to use part of it.
• A home inspection. Book it early so the report arrives while you can still act. Our resale inspection checklist lists what to check in an older multiplex.

What this comes down to

• A BC seller can choose to give no PDS. Known hidden defects must still be disclosed, and a seller's REALTOR® must disclose the ones they know about.
• BCFSA says a Property No-Disclosure Statement should be treated as an indication of a defect that needs more checking.
• A seller who fills in a PDS is responsible for its accuracy. In Sewell v. Abadian (2025), a crossed-out form was found to be a false statement and the buyer got her $300,000 deposit back.
• "Do Not Know" describes the seller's knowledge. Checking the condition of the home stays your job.
• Make the PDS part of your contract in writing, and read it with the Form B, the minutes and your inspection report before you remove subjects.

Frequently asked questions

Is a seller required to provide a Property Disclosure Statement in BC?

No. BCFSA says there are no prescribed forms in BC to disclose property information and calls the PDS a voluntary form. A seller must still disclose known latent defects, and a seller's REALTOR® must disclose material latent defects they know about before a contract is signed.

What does "Do Not Know" mean on a PDS?

It means the seller says they lack the information. The form tells sellers to use it where uncertain and warns against using it when they know the answer. Treat each "Do Not Know" as a question for your inspector, the strata records or your lawyer.

Can a seller be sued for lying on a PDS?

Yes. In Sewell v. Abadian, 2025 BCCA 158, the BC Court of Appeal found that a seller who crossed out the form, while knowing of an unpermitted addition, had made a false statement. The buyer got judgment for her $300,000 first deposit. Speak to a lawyer if you find a false answer.

What is a Property No-Disclosure Statement?

It is a BCREA form, released in July 2025, that a seller signs to make no disclosure at all. BCFSA's advisory 25-026 says receiving one should be treated as an indication of a defect that needs more checking, and buyers should ask their lender whether it is acceptable.

Does the PDS become part of the contract?

Only if you and the seller agree in writing. Your REALTOR® adds a term to the Contract of Purchase and Sale naming the PDS and its date. In Sewell v. Abadian, that agreement meant the seller could not argue the buyer had not relied on the form.

What is the difference between the PDS and the Form B?

The PDS is the seller's statement of what they know. The Form B Information Certificate comes from the strata corporation and lists fees, levies, the reserve fund, lawsuits and insurance. Under the Strata Property Act, its contents bind the strata toward a buyer who relied on it reasonably.

Do I still need a home inspection if the seller gave me a PDS?

Yes. The PDS covers only defects the seller knows about, and a patent defect, one a reasonable inspection would find, is the buyer's responsibility. BCFSA also notes that inspections are mostly visual, so ask for a specialist if there are signs of electrical or gas problems.

Does a seller have to disclose a death in the home?

BCFSA's consumer guide says sellers are not obligated to disclose a stigma, such as a death in the home, unless the buyer asks. If asked, the seller can refuse to answer or answer truthfully. If this matters to your family, ask the question in writing.

What if the PDS arrives after my offer is accepted?

Make your offer subject to receiving and approving the PDS, with enough days to read it alongside the strata documents. The Home Buyer Rescission Period also lets you cancel within three business days after acceptance by written notice, for a fee of 0.25% of the price.

Can I ask the seller to correct or update the PDS?

Yes. If an answer is wrong, unclear or out of date, your REALTOR® can ask the seller to correct and initial it, or to sign a new form with a current date. The form version quoted in Sewell v. Abadian says important changes the seller learns of will be disclosed before closing.

General information only. The rules, form contents and court decision described on this page reflect BCFSA guidance, BC law and the BCREA forms as we read them in October 2026, and the dollar amounts come from one court case. This is not legal advice and not a guarantee of any outcome. Forms, rules and court decisions change. Always ask an independent real estate lawyer or notary to review the Property Disclosure Statement, the strata documents and your contract before you remove subjects.

When you are ready to look at homes, browse new duplexes for sale in Vancouver, see every multiplex home on our site, or talk to our team about the documents to request on your next offer.