The Notary Group

10/03/2026

REALTORS®: If your seller plans to have someone sign under a Power of Attorney, please tell us when the property is listed.

We want to see the original POA early. We’ll review who has authority to act, what the document permits, if there are any name issues, missing pages or signatures, whether anything else is needed, and what must be filed with the Land Title Office.

A photo or scan can help start the conversation, but it doesn’t replace getting the original to us.

If we find an issue, there may be steps to take before the sale can complete. Finding that out at listing gives everyone more room to deal with it.

Working on a BC sale involving a POA? Contact The Notary Group as soon as you know, and we’ll tell you how to get it to us. BC Notaries Tim Janzen and Linda Caisley will help get everything sorted.

Early review. Fewer last-minute surprises.

09/19/2026

BC REALTORS®: What happens when a developer significantly changes the completion date on a pre-sale — but doesn’t tell the buyers for months?

That’s what happened in Ye v. Vesta Properties.

The completion date was moved up by about a year. Six buyers challenged their contracts — and the BC court found they were entitled to rescind and recover their deposits, with interest.

It’s an important decision for anyone dealing with BC pre-sale contracts and changes to completion dates.

Tim Janzen, BC Notary Public, explains what REALTORS® and buyers should be watching for.

🔗 We’ve done a full breakdown of the case on The Notary Group website. Check our Story for the direct link.

https://thenotarygroup.ca/conveyancing/pre-sale-contract-cancellation/

09/09/2026

The seller couldn’t find their Duplicate Certificate of Indefeasible Title.

While the Land Title Office won’t ever give you your original title, they will give you a duplicate of it. And if they do that, your title is frozen until you return it.

The problem is, if you lose it, the process to replace it costs thousands and takes months. That could lose you your deal.

Our job as BC Notaries involves helping Realtors get their clients’ deals done. This includes helping you catch problems like a lost dup as soon as you list.

Despite its nail-biting ending, this deal got done. Not every lost-dup story ends that way.

Ever had a file almost die over a missing duplicate certificate of title? Tell me about it in the comments!

08/22/2026

Buying a home is exciting — but no single search tells you everything about a property.

Before you remove subjects, ask yourself: what have you actually checked, and what haven't you?

We broke it down into six vital due diligence questions every BC homebuyer should ask: title, boundaries, condition, permits, costs, and insurance.

Watch how the pieces fit together — then find our full guide here: https://thenotarygroup.ca/resources/resources-for-buyers-sellers-borrowers/buyers/due-diligence/ or reach out to our team.

05/23/2026

One of the hardest parts of acting under a Power of Attorney often has nothing to do with banking or paperwork.

It’s the family dynamics.

- the questions
- the pressure
- the second-guessing.
- the accusations that you’re “hiding things.”

In British Columbia, acting as an Attorney means balancing family communication with your Adult’s right to privacy and dignity.

Not every family member automatically gets access to financial information — even when emotions are running high.

This week’s excerpt from So You’re an Attorney under a Power of Attorney: A Practical Guide for Attorneys in British Columbia looks at the difficult balance between privacy, transparency, and family expectations.

Get the book here, so you can learn more:

https://thenotarygroup.ca/product/so-youre-an-attorney-under-a-power-of-attorney-2/

03/28/2026

Here's a scenario where people get into real trouble.

In BC, an Attorney's duties usually start as soon as they sign the Power of Attorney appointing them. Under the old system, Attorneys would sign it, put it away in a drawer, then forget about it. But things have changed.

Now....once you accept that appointment… you're responsible for new rules and fiduciary duties. You might be shocked to know that you could be found personally liable for things you should have been paying attention to.

Imagine this:

Your Adult has a house fire or a car accident… and it turns out they didn't have proper insurance in place. As the Attorney, if you've accepted your appointment, you could personally be on the hook for not properly protecting those assets. Even if your Adult hasn't asked you to help them yet.

The law has changed. The practice needs to change with it.

This is one of the issues covered in our book So You're an Attorney under a Power of Attorney: A Practical Guide for Attorneys in British Columbia. This guide helps you understand what it means to act as an Attorney in BC.

Click here to get your copy today: https://lnkd.in/gyp4JZ9C

03/02/2026

Acting as an Attorney under a Power of Attorney sounds straightforward — until you actually have to do it.
Many people in British Columbia are surprised to learn that an Attorney must always act in the best interests of the adult, and cannot use their authority to benefit themselves ahead of the person they are helping. This means you can't just start giving away your Adult's assets.

We regularly see well-meaning family members struggling to understand what their role allows — and what it doesn’t.

Our practical guide explains the responsibilities of an Attorney in plain language, with real-world examples.

Learn more or order your copy here:
https://thenotarygroup.ca/.../so-youre-an-attorney-under.../

02/28/2026

Acting as an Attorney under a Power of Attorney sounds simple — until you actually have to do it.

One of the biggest surprises for many Attorneys in BC is that they must always put the Adult’s interests ahead of their own. You might be surprised to know this means you usually can't transfer your Adult's assets to you or other family members.

If you’re helping a parent, spouse, or family member, this guide explains what you need to know in plain language.

Find out more here: https://thenotarygroup.ca/product/so-youre-an-attorney-under-a-power-of-attorney/

02/21/2026

We did a thing! Vicky Helmink and I have written a book helping people understand how to act as an Attorney under a Power of Attorney!

If you have ever been appointed as an Attorney, and you have no idea what you are doing, this book is for you! It covers off all the rules and has great tips for how to manage the paperwork.

You can buy a softcover book ($54.95) or an ebook ($35.00). It comes with helpful checklists and other resources to get you through the work more smoothly!

Happy reading!

https://thenotarygroup.ca/.../so-youre-an-attorney-under.../

Have you been named as an Attorney under a Power of Attorney? Now there's a practical guide for Attorneys in British Columbia! You can buy: The softcover online for $54.95 plus shipping and taxes The softcover from one of The Notary Group offices for $54.95 plus taxes The eBook for $35.00 plus taxes...

08/18/2025

“Time is of the Essence” in Real Estate Contracts

In this week's edition of the Closer's Checklist, we talk about deadlines.

In BC conveyancing, deadlines matter. A missed date can put the entire deal at risk, even if everything else is ready. Read on to see what “time is of the essence” really means, why it’s in almost every real estate contract, and how to avoid the costly pitfalls of failing to meet a deadline.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-time-essence-bc-real-estate-linda-caisley-abalc/?trackingId=QFH3BUIETtG25TSwGlXeAg%3D%3D

Welcome to The Closer's Checklist, where I identify insights, learnings, and experience from my over 15 years as a BC Notary to help you and your clients close residential real estate deals in BC safely and cost-effectively. You can learn more about me and what I do as a BC Notary through my work at