The Kootenay Real Estate Board now requires Realtors to enter images of both the CSA or BC Electrical number AND the MHR registration decal into our MLS system prior to Selling them.
The CSA number assures consumers the manufactured home was built and wired to acceptable standards at some point in the past. Any changes to the electrical system in the manufactured home that would normally require an electrical work permit trigger the requirement that a new BC Electrical number decal be affixed to the electrical panel. If Realtors can’t present an image that shows the requirement has been satisfied, the listing can be removed from the MLS,
More often than not manufactured home owners, particularly owners of older models, have unwittingly renovated their way out of compliance, either by removing or covering the previous siding product where the CSA decal was affixed, by replacing kitchen cabinetry where the original MHR registry label was affixed, or, often, both.
The application to replace the decal can be found here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/owning-a-home/manufactured-home-registry/fees-forms and as of this writing the application fee was $10. I have a client ordering one now so I’ll come back in later and relay how long the process actually takes. The Kootenay Association of Realtors is currently accepting proof in writing that the homeowner has made the application as satisfactory to the requirement.
The BC Electrical Label is a different story. This can cost some major coin because owners must bring in an electrician to certify the electrical, and because the electrician’s required to make sure the electrical system satisfies the CURRENT electrical code, the owner will have to pay for correcting all deficiencies, along with permit costs prior to receiving the BC Electrical label (which is provided only after the work is inspected by Technical Safety BC).
Unintended Consequences
The government could have chosen to enforce this regulation through conveyancers at the time of registration and ensured that ALL manufactured home transactions triggered this recertification process.
They instead chose to make it a requirement that Realtors had to satisfy in order to conduct a sale. There is no mechanism for manufactured home owners who do not use the services of a Realtor to ensure that their homes comply with the regulations. Which places a burden on consumers in non Realtor-mediated transactions in that they have no assurance of compliance (unless they know to ask for it).
It also means it’s less expensive to sell a manufactured home without a Realtor, when the manufactured home is non-compliant, thus passing the financial burden from the seller to the buyer, who will either have to bring the building back into compliance before selling it, or use the loophole again if it’s still available. Don’t fall into this trap.
A Better Way to Achieve Universal Compliance
If, on the other hand, the government were to move the requirement from the Realtor to the conveyancer, then the MH Registry itself could become the enforcer at the point of sale, ensuring up to date data at a time when it’s most appropriate. But Realtors, don’t get excited that this will happen anytime soon. The BC Bar Association is considerably more adept at defraying the burden of regulatory change than organized Real Estate is (look at FINTRAC for example where Realtors are saddled with financial tracking requirements that, by any objective measure, would be better handled by the legal industry who instead successfully lobbied to put it on us).
Have you been bitten by this requirement? Tell me how in the comments below or write to me at paul@paulshreenan.com
Learn More:
RECBC Rules on Manufactured Homes for Agents: https://www.recbc.ca/professionals/knowledge-base/guidelines/manufactured-homes#sale-of-new-or-used-manufactured-homes
TECHNICAL SAFETY BC- Manufactured Homes and Factory Built Stickers: https://www.technicalsafetybc.ca/alerts/information-bulletin-approval-manufactured-homes-and-factory-built-structures
HOW DO I FIND MY CSA STICKER: