You have purchased a property, congratulations!  You are now being asked a list of questions by your lawyer (ex. full legal name, address, occupation, date of birth, citizenship etc.) and are curious, why do they require my occupation? This is a question we often get asked by clients, especially those that do not wish to disclose that information.

Under the Land Title Act in British Columbia, it is a requirement to include the following on the Form A Transfer, which is the document that once submitted to the Land Title Office transfers the property to you:

“In the case of an individual, enter the full name and occupation of each transferee (and, if applicable, information respecting joint tenancy).c A postal address (with postal code) must also be entered.”

An example where having this extra information might come in handy is the following: If we pulled the title of two different properties and saw Joe Smith, Farmer on one title and Joe Smith, Doctor on the other title, listed at two different addresses, this would lead us to believe these are two different people in terms of verifying someone acting with respect to a particular property.  It provides a bit more security, especially where there are common names, as well as assists to ensure that two parties with the same name can be differentiated.  The more information provided the better in this case.

It may seem silly, but it is a requirement that we must follow. 

This information is general in nature only. You should consult a lawyer before acting on any of this information. This information should not be considered as legal advice. To learn more about your legal needs, please contact our office at (250)448-2637 or any of our lawyers practicing in the area of real estate at the following:

Jane Otterstrom: jane@touchstone.law

Una Kuzio: una@touchstone.law