Stratify Your Plex | Family Plex
Splitting Titles With Family
When parents and adult children share a BC multiplex, strata titles give each household its own title to sell or mortgage, while co-ownership keeps one title that everyone shares. A family strata follows every rule in the Strata Property Act, and in a small building those rules decide who can outvote whom. This page compares the two choices, works through the votes for common family setups, and lists what stays the same when the owners are related. Wills, gifts and transfers are for your lawyer.
The short answer
- 01Strata titles give each household its own strata lot and title. A strata bylaw cannot limit an owner's right to sell, lease or mortgage their lot (Strata Property Act s.121).
- 02Co-ownership keeps one title that everyone shares. It needs no strata plan, and none of the Strata Property Act's rules on fees, votes or disputes apply.
- 03The Real Estate Development Marketing Act (REDMA) counts 2 or more shared interests in land in one parcel as a development property. Ask a lawyer whether a sale of shares to family members is caught.
- 04In a strata with fewer than 4 owners, every owner sits on council and a general meeting needs 2/3 of the votes to start. That can apply in a fourplex if parents own 2 of the 4 lots.
- 05If two co-owners of one lot, such as a married couple, disagree on a vote, their vote is not counted (s.57).
- 06Being family changes none of the strata rules: a sale still needs a Form F, a Form B can still be requested, and the strata still needs a budget, a reserve fund and insurance. Wills, gifts and transfers between relatives are for a lawyer.
Strata titles or co-ownership
"Not covered by our sources" means the laws and official pages we read on October 29, 2026 do not answer it. The title choices page adds bare land strata, separate lots and air space parcels.
| Strata titles | Co-ownership of one title | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | One title for each strata lot, each with its own parcel identifier (PID) | One title shared by all owners |
| Approval | A strata plan. No city approval for a new building nobody has lived in; city approval under s.242 if anyone has. | No strata plan |
| Selling one home | The owner sells their own lot. A bylaw cannot limit that right (s.121). | Selling one share is not covered by our sources. REDMA applies to 2 or more shared interests in one parcel. |
| Mortgage | Each lot can carry its owner's mortgage; a bylaw cannot limit the right to mortgage a lot (s.121). | Not covered by our sources. |
| Shared costs | Strata fees by unit entitlement, with at least 10% of the operating budget to the reserve fund each year. | Whatever the co-owners agree. No statute in our sources sets the split. |
| Decisions | Strata Property Act and bylaws: council, AGM, one vote per lot. | No statute in our sources sets how co-owners decide. |
| Disputes | Council hearing, then the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) or court. | Not covered by our sources. |
REDMA is the one co-ownership rule our sources cover. Its definition of a development property includes "2 or more shared interests in land in the same parcel" (s.1). A strata lot sale is caught only at 5 or more lots, so a family fourplex sold as strata lots is outside REDMA. A sale of shares in one title is counted at 2. Our sources do not say how this applies to a sale between relatives, so ask a lawyer before any share changes hands.
A strata can also end as co-ownership. An 80% vote can cancel the strata plan and turn the owners into tenants in common, with shares based on assessed values (s.272, s.273). In a fourplex, 80% of 4 votes means all 4 (our arithmetic). Under 5 lots no court order is needed if every registered lender consents in writing (s.274(c)).
Each household's mortgage
Here is what the sources support. Each strata lot has its own title and its own parcel identifier, and it is taxed as a separate parcel. A strata bylaw cannot limit an owner's right to sell, lease or mortgage their lot (s.121). A lender on a strata lot can file a Form C, Mortgagee's Request for Notification, with the strata, and it expires after 5 years (Regulation s.4.5).
Before the plan is filed, the property is one title, and any existing mortgage sits on all of it. Every holder of a registered charge, such as that lender, must sign the strata plan (s.244). Talk to the lender early: its signature is a step in the filing.
How lenders treat a share in a co-owned title is not covered by our sources. Each lender sets its own rules, so ask before you choose co-ownership.
How votes work in a family strata
Each strata lot has one vote, whoever owns it (s.53). Some rules turn on the number of owners: when there are fewer than 4 lots or fewer than 4 owners, every owner sits on council and quorum at a general meeting is 2/3 of the votes (Standard Bylaw 9(2); s.48(2)). A 3/4 vote means 3/4 of the votes cast by those present and not abstaining. These examples are our arithmetic from those rules.
| Family setup | Council | Meeting quorum | 3/4 vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duplex: parents own one lot, a child owns the other | Both owners on council, 1 vote each. | Both must attend (2/3 of 2 votes). | Needs both. Either one can block it. |
| Triplex: parents own 2 lots, a child owns 1 | 2 owners, so both on council. Parents have 2 council votes, one per lot. | Parents alone hold 2 of 3 votes, which is 2/3. | If the child votes no, 2 of 3 is 66.7%, under 75%, so it fails. The child can block it. |
| Fourplex: parents own 2 lots, two children own 1 each | 3 owners, which is fewer than 4, so every owner is on council. | 2/3 of the votes: 3 of the 4 lots must be represented. | 3 of 4 passes, so the parents and one child can pass it over the other child. |
| Fourplex: 4 different owners (parents as co-owners of 1 lot) | 4 owners and 4 lots: council of 3 to 7 under the Standard Bylaws. | 1/3 of the votes. | 3 of 4 passes. If the parents disagree with each other, their lot's vote is not counted (s.57). |
When every owner is on council, each lot has one council vote (s.29(4)) and no council member can be removed (Standard Bylaw 11(1)). In a 2-lot strata, the president has no tie-breaking vote at council or at a general meeting (Standard Bylaws 18(2), 27(6)). A unanimous vote needs every owner, and no court can override one holdout in a strata under 10 lots (s.52).
The co-owner rule matters in families. When two people own one lot together, for example parents, and they disagree on how to vote, the lot's vote is not counted (s.57). And an owner or group holding 50% or more of the votes is named in the law: the court can remedy their significantly unfair actions (s.164), and the CRT can hear claims about their voting. Parents who own half the lots are in that position. Try the voting calculator with your own numbers.
What stays the same when the owners are family
- A budget passed by majority vote at each annual general meeting (AGM), and at least 10% of the operating budget to the reserve fund every year (s.103; Regulation s.6.1).
- Strata insurance on the buildings at full replacement value, and at least $2,000,000 of liability insurance (s.149; Regulation s.9.2).
- A Form F Certificate of Payment to register any sale of a strata lot, at most $15 and current for 60 days (s.115, s.256).
- A Form B Information Certificate for any owner or buyer who asks, within 1 week, at most $35 plus 25 cents a page (s.59).
- Records kept for set periods: minutes and books of account for 6 years, the strata plan permanently (Regulation s.4.1).
- An AGM every year, unless every eligible voter waives it in writing and consents in writing to the budget, council and other business (s.41).
Two rules help a family. A strata cannot restrict renting a strata lot (s.141), so a household that moves out can rent its unit. And a strata that limits residents by age must use a minimum of 55 or more; the Regulation exempts children of a qualifying resident, adults that resident raised, and spouses (s.123.1; Regulation s.7.01).
Building a plex for the family
An owner builder authorization cannot be used for a multiplex. It covers a detached home on one title, or one unit in or attached to an existing building or a new non-residential building, plus a secondary suite (Homeowner Protection Act Regulation s.19). A family duplex or larger needs a licensed builder with home warranty insurance, or an exemption.
The rental exemption is one such exemption, and it comes with a covenant that restricts "the sale or other disposition" of any unit for 10 years from first occupancy. Ask BC Housing and a lawyer whether a transfer to a family member counts before you build under it.
A family member who will live in a secondary suite, laneway home or coach house cannot get that home as their own strata lot in any city whose rules we read on the point. The suites and laneways page lists each city's rule. If each household needs its own title, design the building with a principal unit for each. File the strata plan before anyone moves in, or the plan will need city approval as a conversion.
What to take to a lawyer
- Wills, gifts and transfers of a unit or a share between family members, and any tax on them.
- A written agreement among co-owners, if you choose co-ownership.
- Whether REDMA applies to any sale of shares.
- Bylaws for the family strata, filed before the first sale. Until the second AGM, changing a bylaw in an all-residential strata needs a unanimous vote (s.127).
Best For
- ✓ Strata titles: each household wants its own title to sell, mortgage or pass on, and its own say in a vote.
- ✓ Co-ownership: a family that will hold the whole property together and never sell one home on its own.
- ✓ Either: a family that settles bylaws, limited common property and the cost split in writing before anyone moves in.
Usually Fails When
- ✕ One family member needs to sell or borrow alone, and the property is one shared title.
- ✕ The plan counts on a child owning a secondary suite or laneway home: those cannot be their own strata lot.
- ✕ The family runs the strata informally, with no budget, reserve fund or strata insurance.
- ✕ The building was built under the rental exemption, whose covenant restricts the sale or other disposition of any unit for 10 years.
What To Verify Before Spending Money
- → With a lawyer: wills, gifts, transfers between relatives and whether REDMA applies to a sale of shares.
- → With each lender: how a strata plan affects the existing mortgage and each household's own mortgage.
- → With the city: whether your building can be stratified, and when.
Common questions
Can I split title with my family in BC? +
Yes. One way is a strata plan, which turns each unit into a strata lot with its own title that each household can own. Another way is co-ownership, where everyone holds a share of one title. Subdividing the land into separate lots is a third, if an approving officer approves it.
Is strata or co-ownership better for a family multiplex? +
It depends on whether each household needs to act alone. A strata lot can be sold, leased or mortgaged by its owner, and a bylaw cannot limit that right (s.121). Co-ownership needs no strata plan, but our sources set no statute for how co-owners decide, sell a share or split costs, so agree those rules in writing with a lawyer's help.
Can each family member get their own mortgage? +
With strata titles, each lot is its own title, and a bylaw cannot limit an owner's right to mortgage it (s.121). Any lender with a registered charge on the whole property must sign the strata plan before it is filed (s.244). For a share in a co-owned title, how lenders treat it is not covered by our sources. Ask each lender.
Does REDMA apply if I sell shares of my house to my children? +
Not confirmed. REDMA defines a development property to include 2 or more shared interests in land in the same parcel, and our sources do not say how that applies to a sale within a family. Ask a lawyer before you sell any shares.
Do family members need a Form F to sell a strata unit to each other? +
Yes. A Form F Certificate of Payment is required to register any sale of a strata lot at the Land Title Office (s.256). The strata issues it within 1 week for at most $15. A buyer can also request a Form B, at most $35 plus 25 cents a page.
How do strata votes work if parents own two of the units? +
Each strata lot has one vote, so parents who own 2 lots have 2 votes. In a fourplex where parents own 2 lots and two children own 1 each, a 3/4 vote passes with 3 of 4, and every owner sits on council because there are fewer than 4 owners. Anyone holding 50% or more of the votes can face a claim for significantly unfair actions (s.164).
What happens if my spouse and I disagree on a strata vote? +
If co-owners of one strata lot disagree on how to vote, their vote is not counted (s.57). Your lot does not vote on that question.
Can my adult child live with me in a 55-plus strata? +
A strata may limit residents by age only with a minimum age of 55 or more (s.123.1). The Regulation exempts children of a qualifying resident, adults that resident raised, and spouses (Regulation s.7.01). Existing residents and caregivers are also exempt (s.123.2).
Can my child own the secondary suite in my house? +
No. In every BC city whose rules we read on the point, a secondary suite cannot be its own strata lot, and laneway homes and coach houses are barred too in Vancouver, the City and District of North Vancouver, New Westminster, Coquitlam and Nanaimo. Your child can own a strata lot only if it is a principal unit.
Can I build a family duplex as an owner builder? +
No. An owner builder may build a detached home on one title, or one unit in or attached to an existing building or a new non-residential building, plus a secondary suite (Homeowner Protection Act Regulation s.19). A duplex or larger needs a licensed builder and home warranty insurance, or an exemption.
Do we still need strata fees and insurance if we are all family? +
Yes. Every strata must fund an operating fund and a contingency reserve fund through strata fees, with at least 10% of the operating budget going to the reserve fund each year, and must insure the buildings at full replacement value with at least $2,000,000 of liability insurance.
Can a family strata skip the AGM? +
Yes, if every eligible voter waives the AGM in writing and consents in writing to the budget, the council and any other business (s.41). If one family member does not sign, the AGM must be held.
How do I leave my strata unit to my children? +
Wills, gifts and transfers between family members are outside this page. Ask a lawyer, who can also advise on any tax on a transfer. Whatever the route, registering a transfer of a strata lot needs a Form F from the strata.
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