Determining a purchaser’s partner's previous ownership of property

What do you need to know?

If a purchaser's partner's name has been on title or registration for any property inside or outside of Canada, they have previously owned property. As spouses and/or common law couples acquire an interest in one another’s property, the purchaser would have had implied ownership in a property their partner previously owned while they were together. This means they are ineligible for the first time home buyer land transfer tax rebate.

Why does it matter to Ownright?

We collect and distribute all funds related to the property transaction and this includes land transfer tax. If a purchaser is eligible for the first time home buyer incentive, this will reduce the amount of land transfer tax they owe and therefore the amount we will need to collect. As a purchaser and their partner's previous property ownership is a key factor in determining eligibility, it is information we need to collect.