The municipality’s Access & Privacy Office has established a new process for law firms and mortgage brokers who are looking to check on the status of a property for a customer or client.
Previously, law firms and mortgage brokers would have to submit a formal access (FOIPOP) request to discover if the municipality had any outstanding issues in relation to a particular property.
Effective January 30, 2023, law firms and mortgage brokers will be able to submit a “Property Inquiry” request instead of submitting a formal FOIPOP application.
What is a Property Inquiry?
This type of request is to be used by entities such as law firms and mortgage companies that wish to enquire about the status of a property. This will initiate a search by municipal staff for “any and all outstanding work orders or violations of municipal regulations, By-Laws, ordinances or minimum standards” for the property or properties enquired upon. The search will be conducted in up to five municipal departments, of your choosing, and we have committed to issuing a response within seven calendar days. In accordance with By-Law U-109. Schedule 6, Property Information Inquiry User Charge, the cost of submitting a Property Inquiry request is $150.00 per civic address. If the property does not have a civic number assigned, we would charge by Property Identification number (PID).
A Property Inquiry request is not a request for records but simply a mechanism to check on the status of a property. As such, law firms and mortgage brokers no longer have to submit a formal FOIPOP application to verify a property’s status.
How do I submit a Property Inquiry request?
You can fill out a Property Inquiry Request form and submit it to the Access & Privacy Office by emailing it to access@halifax.ca.