Home inspection
A home inspection is a visual, non-invasive examination of a residential property's condition by an inspector, usually done before a purchase becomes firm. It is commonly arranged as a subject condition in the contract of purchase and sale. It is not legally required, but it lets the buyer identify defects and renegotiate or withdraw.
How BC law treats it
In BC, home inspectors must be licensed by Consumer Protection BC. Buyers generally bear the risk of patent defects they could have found on reasonable inspection, while sellers must not conceal or misrepresent known latent defects.
What it means for your business
A business buying residential property, or an owner buying a home, should make the purchase subject to a satisfactory inspection.
Risks and common mistakes
Waiving the inspection subject to win a competitive offer can leave the buyer with no remedy for defects a reasonable inspection would have revealed.
Fulcrum's real estate lawyers can help with these issues.
General information about British Columbia and Canadian law, current to October 2026. It is not legal advice.
