Window Replacement in a Strata: Whose Bill Is It?

Windows in a BC strata are usually common property. Buyers hear that and relax, because it sounds like someone else's bill. The strata corporation is the owners, so a building-wide window project is a bill that arrives at every door.

Why windows are usually not yours

The strata plan defines where your strata lot ends, and in most BC buildings it ends before the window.

Section 149 of the Strata Property Act requires the strata corporation to insure common property, common assets, buildings shown on the strata plan, and fixtures built or installed by the owner developer. Repair and maintenance of common property is likewise a strata obligation rather than an individual one.

So when a window fails, the fix is the strata's to arrange. Our limited common property guide covers the categories and why the distinction changes who is responsible.

How the bill reaches you

Three routes, often in combination.

The contingency reserve fund is money set aside for expenses that occur less often than once a year. Since November 1, 2023, a strata must contribute at least 10% of its budgeted annual operating fund to the CRF each year. A well-funded reserve absorbs a project without a levy.

A special levy is a one-time charge to owners for a common expense. Our special levies guide covers how they are approved and collected.

And higher monthly fees going forward, if the strata is rebuilding its reserve after the work.

Your share is allocated by unit entitlement, not by window count. A larger unit generally pays more toward a building-wide project regardless of how much glass it has.

Where to see it coming

Two documents, read together.

The depreciation report projects when common property elements need replacing. Original windows on an older building will be on that schedule, and our depreciation report guide covers how to read the projections.

The council minutes are where the project lives before it becomes a decision. Stratas discuss quotes, scope, and phasing for a long time before anything is approved. Our minutes red flags guide covers what to look for, and a strata gathering window quotes is a strata heading toward a levy.

The Form B Information Certificate discloses information including approved special levies. Ask for a current one.

You cannot just upgrade your own

Buyers sometimes plan to replace their windows for better glazing or noise performance.

Altering common property requires the written approval of the strata corporation under the Standard Bylaws, and the strata may require an alteration agreement making the owner responsible for future expenses. Under section 71 of the Act, a change resulting in a significant change in the use or appearance of common property requires a 3/4 vote at a general meeting.

A window that does not match the rest of the building is a fairly clear change in appearance. Our renovating a condo guide covers the approval path, and the soundproofing guide covers the noise question from the angle you can actually control.

When your window alone is the problem

Report it to the strata rather than calling a contractor.

If the window is common property, arranging your own repair is unauthorized work on property you do not own. That can leave you responsible for the result and for putting it right, which is a worse outcome than a slow strata.

Keep the request in writing. A documented report that went unanswered is a different position from a verbal mention to someone on council.

New windows as a buying signal

A building that has already done its windows has removed a known future cost, and that is worth real money to a buyer.

Check two things before you treat it as settled. Was the project paid for and closed out, or is a levy still being collected in instalments you would inherit? And did the work address the building envelope generally or only the glass? Our leaky condo and rainscreen guide covers why envelope work and window work often travel together in BC buildings.

In our experience the better buy is frequently the building that has finished a major project and can show the invoices, rather than the building where everything still looks original and nothing has been discussed.

We are agents rather than lawyers or engineers, and none of this is legal or technical advice. The strata plan, the strata corporation, and your lawyer or notary are the right sources for a specific building.

Key takeaways

• Windows are usually common property, so the strata is responsible for replacing them.
• The cost reaches every owner through the reserve fund, a special levy, or higher fees, allocated by unit entitlement.
• The depreciation report and the council minutes are where a window project appears before it is approved.
• Replacing your own windows needs written strata approval, and an appearance change can require a 3/4 vote.
• If a building has done its windows, confirm the levy was paid out rather than still being collected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are windows common property in a BC strata?

Usually yes, though the strata plan is what actually decides this for a specific building, since it defines where each strata lot ends. Section 149 of the Strata Property Act requires the strata corporation to insure common property, common assets, and buildings shown on the strata plan, and repair and maintenance of common property is likewise a strata obligation rather than an individual owner's. So when windows are common property, the strata corporation is responsible for repairing and replacing them, and the cost is shared across every owner rather than billed to the unit where the window sits.

So who pays for new windows?

All the owners, through the strata, since the strata corporation is made up of the owners collectively rather than being a separate entity that absorbs the cost. The money comes from the contingency reserve fund, from a special levy, from higher monthly strata fees going forward, or from some combination of the three. Each owner's share is based on unit entitlement rather than on the number of windows in that unit, so a building-wide window project reaches every owner even if their own windows were never a problem.

Why does my unit entitlement matter?

Unit entitlement matters because special levies and strata fees are allocated by that figure, whatever the number of windows in a specific unit or how much it benefits from a project. A larger unit usually pays a larger share of a building-wide window replacement even if it has the same number of windows as a smaller unit next door. That means a strata window project is paid for by every owner together, on a cost split and a schedule no single owner chose.

What if only my window is broken?

If the window is common property, repairing it is still the strata's obligation even when only one unit is affected. Report the problem to the strata in writing rather than arranging a private contractor, because unauthorized work on common property can leave an owner responsible for the result and for putting it right, which is a worse outcome than waiting on a slow strata. A documented written report that goes unanswered also puts an owner in a stronger position than a verbal mention to someone on council.

Can I replace my own windows to improve them?

Not without approval, if the windows are common property. Altering common property requires the written approval of the strata corporation under the Standard Bylaws, and the strata may also require an alteration agreement making the owner responsible for future expenses tied to that change. Under section 71 of the Strata Property Act, a change resulting in a significant change in the use or appearance of common property requires a 3/4 vote of owners at a general meeting, and a window that does not match the rest of the building can count as a change in appearance.

Where would I see a window project coming?

Two documents, read together, show a window project coming before it becomes a special levy. The depreciation report projects when common property elements need replacing, and original windows on an older building will be on that schedule. The council minutes are where the project lives before it becomes a decision, since stratas typically discuss quotes, scope, and phasing for years before anything is approved, so a strata gathering window quotes is a strata heading toward a levy. The Form B Information Certificate then discloses any special levy once it is actually approved.

How large can a window special levy be?

The size of a window special levy depends on the specific building, the scope of the project, and how much the contingency reserve fund can already absorb without a levy at all. Since November 1, 2023, a strata must contribute at least 10% of its budgeted annual operating fund to the reserve each year, so a well-funded reserve can reduce or eliminate the levy portion of a window project. Reading the actual depreciation report and recent council minutes for the specific building beats relying on any general figure quoted for a different strata.

Does the 2-5-10 warranty cover windows?

Yes, on a new home. BC Housing lists windows among the items covered by the 24-month portion of the labour and materials coverage under the 2-5-10 warranty, alongside major systems, exterior cladding, and doors. On an older building that 24-month coverage is long expired, which is exactly why the ongoing question of who pays for window replacement falls to the strata corporation and its owners rather than to any warranty provider once a building has aged past its original coverage periods.

Does a window project show up on the Form B?

Yes. The Form B Information Certificate discloses information including special levies that have already been approved, so an approved window project and its funding will show up there once the strata has voted on it. Ask for a current Form B and read it alongside recent council minutes, since the minutes show a project being discussed and quoted well before it reaches the approval stage that triggers a Form B disclosure. Reading both together gives a fuller picture than either document alone.

Is a building with new windows a safer buy?

A building that has already replaced its windows has removed one known future cost, which is valuable to a buyer weighing a strata purchase. Check whether the project was paid for and closed out, or whether a special levy is still being collected in instalments that a new owner would inherit, since those are different purchases with different ongoing costs. Also check whether the work covered the wider building envelope or only the glass, since envelope and window work often go together in BC buildings.

Sources

• Strata Property Act, Part 9 (Insurance), BC Laws
• Strata Property Act, Part 5 (Property), BC Laws
• The contingency reserve fund (CRF), Government of British Columbia

Verified September 12, 2026. General information only, not legal or technical advice. The strata plan governs a specific building. Consult the strata corporation and your lawyer or notary.

Related FRIVE guides

• Special levies, how a project reaches owners
• Depreciation reports, where the replacement schedule lives
• Leaky condos and rainscreen, why envelope and window work travel together
• Form B, what the certificate discloses
• Limited common property, the categories that decide responsibility

Next Steps: Work with FRIVE

Original windows on an older Fraser Valley building are a cost with a date on it. The depreciation report usually tells you roughly when.

Start a conversation with the FRIVE team and we will look at the reserve against the schedule, or browse current Fraser Valley listings.