Duplex 101 / 07
Who Manages a Duplex When There Is No Strata Manager
By Sonia Felix, REALTOR® | byfelix.
Oakwyn Realty Downtown
The picture versus the reality
You walk through a duplex you love. No strata fees, the listing says. You picture skipping the meetings, the fees and the politics of a shared building.
Here is what it looks like once you own it.
Two owners, one building
A condo tower has a strata manager, a council and a budget voted on each year. A duplex usually has two neighbours and whatever they agreed over coffee.
Even when the duplex is a registered strata, the two owners are the entire council. With only two votes, most decisions need both of you to agree. If the duplex is not a strata, there is no structure at all beyond what the owners create.
The day it matters
The question is not whether the duplex has a strata. It is what happens the day the roof needs replacing, the warranty has run out, and there is no fund and no plan. Just two owners working it out on the spot, with different budgets and different opinions.
That is where good neighbours become difficult ones.
What the well run duplexes have
A written cost sharing agreement that sets out which parts of the building are shared, how costs are split, and how disagreements are resolved.
A monthly contribution from each owner into a joint account, sized to the real replacement cost of the roof, envelope and shared systems.
Clear insurance. In a strata, the strata corporation insures the building. In a non strata duplex, each owner insures their side. Make sure the two policies meet in the middle with no gap.
A short annual meeting, even over coffee, with notes. At resale, those notes are worth a lot.
Get the setup right
Talk to me before you buy. I will walk you through the exact setup and why it protects your resale value.
Common questions
- Who pays for the roof on a duplex?
Usually both owners, split according to the strata plan, bylaws or a written agreement. Without one, it becomes a negotiation at the worst possible moment.
- Does a duplex need a property manager?
No. Most Vancouver duplexes are self managed by the two owners. A small strata can hire a manager, but few do.
- What if my duplex neighbour will not pay their share?
In a strata, the strata corporation has legal tools to collect. In a non strata duplex, your options depend on your agreement. Speak with a lawyer, and set up the agreement before you need it.