If you are buying a rural property, or you have lost the paperwork for your own, the health authority may hold a file on the septic system. In most of the Fraser Valley that is Fraser Health.
What the file can tell you
- Whether a system was filed for the property
- The type and size of system that was filed
- Who filed it and when
- Any paperwork on later changes that was filed
How to ask for it
- Fill in Fraser Health's request for sewerage system information application
- Give the property address and the other details the form asks for
- Check the current request form for any applicable fee before submitting
- Wait for the response, and ask early if you are buying
If there is no file, or it looks wrong
Fraser Health says the records it holds may be missing or inaccurate. Many older systems were built before today's filing rules, so a missing file does not by itself mean the system is bad. It means the condition has to be checked on the ground.
The Fraser Valley Regional District notes that systems built after 30 May 2005 should have a maintenance plan, and that older systems probably do not.
Buyers: timing matters
- Request the file as soon as you have an accepted offer, so it arrives inside your condition period
- Pair the file with an inspection of the system itself
- The Regional District recommends hiring a registered practitioner for a pre-purchase inspection
Who should inspect
Ask who will do the inspection and whether they are registered for septic work in BC. A registration you can look up is a better sign than a general claim.
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Questions about this guide
Does a septic filing prove the current system condition?
A record helps explain the system on file, but it does not establish present performance or prove that nothing has changed. Compare available records with a properly scoped site inspection.