Strata for Multiplex Homes
Most duplex, triplex and fourplex homes in BC are owned as a strata: you hold the title to your own home, and you share the roof, walls and grounds with the other owners through a strata corporation. Some are owned another way, with no strata at all. This guide explains how to tell which kind you are buying, who makes decisions in a small strata, and which documents to read before you commit.
Questions about this guide: Gary Paul, REALTOR®, Personal Real Estate Corporation, Grand Central Realty, 778-828-7476
Key Topics
Every owner on council, under 4 homes
Under BC's Standard Bylaw 9, if a strata has fewer than 4 homes or fewer than 4 owners, all the owners are on the council, unless the strata has filed its own bylaws that say otherwise. In a triplex you will be on the council.
One home, one vote
At owners' meetings each home has one vote, whatever its size (Strata Property Act, section 53). Size matters for money: your share of the budget follows your home's unit entitlement.
Bylaw changes need 3/4
A bylaw change needs a 3/4 vote and has no effect until it is filed at the land title office. In a triplex that means all three owners. In a fourplex, three of the four are enough.
At least 10% goes to savings
Since November 1, 2023, every BC strata must put at least 10% of its yearly operating budget into its contingency reserve fund, the savings account for large repairs. The owners approve the budget by majority vote.
Depreciation reports depend on size
Since July 1, 2024, a strata with 5 or more homes must get a depreciation report every 5 years. A strata of 4 or fewer homes does not have to, so a duplex, triplex or fourplex may have no written repair plan.
The building is insured in full
The strata must insure the building at full replacement value and tell owners when the deductible goes up. If a loss starts in your home and you are responsible, the strata can ask you to pay the deductible.
What You Own, and What You Share
In a strata you hold the title to your own home. The shared parts belong to all the owners together. The strata plan filed at the land title office draws the exact line for your building, so read it for the home you want.
Usually yours (your strata lot)
- ■ The inside of your home
- ■ Anything the strata plan includes in your lot, such as a parking stall
- ■ Use of any limited common property set aside for you, such as a patio
Usually shared (common property)
- ■ The roof and outside walls
- ■ Shared paths, driveway and gardens
- ■ Pipes and wires that serve more than one home
Strata, or Not Strata
The kind of title decides who makes decisions and which BC rules protect you. Ask which one you are buying before you make an offer.
| Question | Strata | Not strata |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs the building | A council of owners, under the Strata Property Act | The owners, by agreement between themselves |
| Monthly fee | Set by the yearly budget; many small stratas list $0 | No strata fee |
| Savings for repairs | At least 10% of the operating budget each year | No legal rule |
| Depreciation report | Every 5 years if the strata has 5 or more homes | Not required |
| Renting your home | The strata cannot restrict it (section 141) | Depends on the owners' agreement |
Read more: Strata or not: what fee simple means when you buy a duplex in BC
How Many Owners Have to Agree
Each home has one vote. The law counts the votes cast at the meeting, so the counts below assume every owner attends and votes.
| Decision | Vote needed | Triplex | Fourplex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approve the yearly budget | Majority | 2 of 3 | 3 of 4 |
| Change a bylaw | 3/4 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 4 |
| Approve a special levy | 3/4 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 4 |
Budget: BC government, Budgeting and strata fees. Bylaw change: Strata Property Act, section 128. Special levy: section 108. One vote per home: section 53.
Documents to Read Before You Remove Conditions
Make your offer subject to reading these. Your realtor asks for them, and your lawyer can explain anything that concerns you.
Our view
The council rule is the part buyers think about least. In a triplex you will be on the council whether you want the job or not, and every bylaw change needs all three of you. Meet the other owners before you buy if you can.
The size rule for depreciation reports matters more than it looks. A fourplex has no legal duty to plan its repairs on paper, so a well kept savings fund and clear minutes are the best evidence you will get. If those are missing, ask why before you go further.
Where these rules come from
- Strata Property Act, Schedule of Standard Bylaws (bylaw 9, council size), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Strata Property Act, Part 4: Governance (sections 25 to 65), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Strata Property Act, Part 6: Finances (sections 91 to 118), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Strata Property Act, Part 7: Bylaws and rules (sections 119 to 138), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Strata Property Act, Part 8: Rentals (section 141), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Strata Property Act, Part 9: Insurance (sections 149 to 160), BC Laws. Current consolidation, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Budgeting and strata fees, Government of British Columbia. Published April 22, 2024, accessed October 8, 2026.
- The contingency reserve fund (CRF) in strata corporations, Government of British Columbia. Published April 22, 2024, accessed October 8, 2026.
- Strata depreciation report requirements, Government of British Columbia. Published November 12, 2025, accessed October 8, 2026.
General information only. The voting rules, savings rule and depreciation report rule on this page are as published in BC's Strata Property Act and on the BC government's strata pages on the dates noted. A strata can change some of them by filing its own bylaws. None of this is legal advice. Before you buy, read the documents for the home you want and ask a BC real estate lawyer about anything that concerns you.
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Key Takeaways
- Most multiplex homes in BC are strata, but some are not. Check the title before you buy.
- In a strata of fewer than 4 homes or owners, every owner sits on the council under Standard Bylaw 9.
- Each home has one vote at owners' meetings. Your share of costs follows your unit entitlement.
- A bylaw change or a special levy needs a 3/4 vote: all three owners in a triplex, three of four in a fourplex.
- Every strata saves at least 10% of its operating budget each year for repairs.
- A depreciation report is required every 5 years only for a strata of 5 or more homes.
- A strata cannot restrict renting your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a strata in a multiplex?
A strata is the way most multiplex homes in BC are owned. Each owner holds the title to their own home, called a strata lot, and all the owners together own the shared parts, called common property, through the strata corporation. Under BC's Strata Property Act every owner is a member of that corporation, and a council of owners runs it. The strata plan filed at the land title office shows which parts are yours and which are shared.
Is every duplex, triplex or fourplex a strata?
No. Many multiplex homes in BC are strata, but some are owned another way, with no strata corporation and no strata fee. In that case the owners share the costs of the building by agreement between themselves, so the agreement matters as much as the home. Ask your realtor which kind of title the home has, and your lawyer's title search will confirm it before you remove your conditions.
Who runs a triplex or fourplex strata?
A council of owners runs it. Under BC's Standard Bylaw 9, if the strata has fewer than 4 homes or fewer than 4 owners, every owner is on the council, so in a triplex all three owners make up the council. A fourplex with four owners follows the usual rule instead: the standard bylaws set a council of 3 to 7 members, elected by the owners at each annual general meeting. A strata can change these numbers by filing its own bylaws.
How many votes does each owner get?
Each home has one vote at an owners' meeting, whatever its size, under section 53 of BC's Strata Property Act. When every owner sits on the council, each home also has one vote at council meetings. For a meeting to make decisions, owners holding 1/3 of the votes must normally attend, or 2/3 when the strata has fewer than 4 homes or owners, unless the strata's bylaws set a different number.
What vote does it take to change a strata bylaw?
In a residential strata a bylaw change needs a 3/4 vote at an owners' meeting, under section 128 of BC's Strata Property Act, and it has no effect until it is filed at the land title office. With every owner voting, a triplex needs all three owners to agree, because two of three is less than 3/4. A fourplex needs three of the four, so one owner cannot block a change alone.
How are strata fees set in a small multiplex?
The owners approve a yearly budget by majority vote at the annual general meeting, and each home pays a share of it set by its unit entitlement, which the BC government says is often based on the habitable size of the home. BC sets no limit on increases. Many duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes for sale list a fee of $0, while most larger buildings charge one; our strata fees guide shows the current count.
Does a small multiplex strata need a depreciation report?
Only if it has 5 or more homes. Since July 1, 2024, a BC strata with 5 or more homes must get a depreciation report every 5 years, and since July 1, 2025 it must come from one of six professional groups the province names. A strata with 4 or fewer homes does not have to get one, so in a duplex, triplex or fourplex ask the seller how future repairs are planned and paid for.
What is a special levy in a strata?
A special levy is a one-time charge on every owner for a cost the monthly fees and savings do not cover, such as a new roof. Under section 108 of BC's Strata Property Act it needs a 3/4 vote at an owners' meeting, and it is shared the same way as strata fees unless every owner agrees to another split. An owner who does not pay can face a lien on their home after two weeks' written notice.
How does strata insurance work in a multiplex?
The strata must insure the whole building at full replacement value, which is the cost to rebuild it, under section 149 of BC's Strata Property Act. It must review the insurance each year and tell owners about material changes, including a higher deductible. If damage starts in your home and you are responsible for it, the strata can ask you to pay the deductible, so ask your own insurer whether your home policy covers that.
Can a strata stop me from renting my multiplex home?
No. Section 141 of BC's Strata Property Act says the strata must not screen tenants or otherwise restrict the rental of a strata lot. If you buy a strata home planning to rent it out later, the strata cannot forbid that. Your tenant still has to follow the strata's bylaws, such as rules on noise and pets, and you remain responsible to the strata for your home.
Which strata documents should I read before I buy?
Ask for the Form B information certificate, which the strata must provide within one week of a request under section 59 of BC's Strata Property Act. Read it with the bylaws as filed, the current budget, the minutes of recent meetings, the insurance summary and, in a building of 5 or more homes, the latest depreciation report. Make your offer subject to reviewing these, so you can cancel if they show a problem.
Living Articles
How Much Are Strata Fees on a Multiplex Home?
What homes for sale list as their fee today, and what the fee pays for.
Strata Documents to Read Before You Buy
How to get the Form B, bylaws, budget, minutes and strata plan.
Strata Bylaws
The standard bylaws, how they change, and what to read before you buy.
Strata Insurance Guide
The building policy, your own policy, and the deductible.
Depreciation Reports & Reserve Funds
What the savings fund is for, and which buildings need a report.
Council Governance for Small Stratas
Who sits on council, how votes work, and how meetings run.
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