Authorization to Receive Confidential Information

This fact sheet explains the "Authorization to Receive Confidential Property Information" form and the rules relating to the release of confidential property information to persons other than property owners.

What property information is not confidential?

Non-confidential property information is available to any member of the public and includes:

• "face of the roll" information (i.e. information that appears on the assessment roll), including property address, area number, school district, jurisdiction number, assessment roll number, class, actual value, description (i.e. land, exemptions, building), assessed values, property identification, previous roll value, actual use code, neighbourhood code and dimensions.
• information available to the public under the Physical Inventory Disclosure Regulation. This includes the land area or dimensions, land location and components of the building, including its general description, total finished area, year built, effective year, number of stories, number of bedrooms, basement and outbuildings.
• derived information, which is the result of an analysis of actual data and which assists in the valuation of a range of properties.
• information that is made available in such forms as Property Value Summaries (PVSs). Information contained in a PVS for a residential property includes, for example, the property's address, year built and number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

There may be a fee charged to access non-confidential information.  For additional information, please refer to the Fee Schedule.

What property information is confidential?

Confidential property information includes:

           • actual income and expense statements for a property;

           • details of the calculations in relation to the valuation of the property which may include actual  income, expense and vacancy data;

           • third party information that has been used to assist with the assessment of a property and the release of which would concern the third party; and,

           • information about the physical characteristics of a property which are not required to be disclosed under the Physical Inventory Disclosure Regulation and which would not be apparent to a person viewing the property from a public vantage point (e.g., floorplan).

What is the “Authorization to Receive Confidential Property Information” form?

The “Authorization to Receive Confidential Property Information” form is completed by the property owner (or authorized signatory for a corporate owner) who wishes to permit someone else to access confidential information about the owner’s property.

The property owner is asked to specify on the form what type of confidential property information the person may receive.  That recipient is entitled to access the specified information free of charge.

A person need not be authorized to conduct an appeal on behalf of an owner.  However, if the person conducting the appeal needs to access confidential information about that property, its owner must complete the “Authorization to Receive Confidential Property Information” form.

Are there different rules for residential versus commercial properties?

Yes.  The “Authorization to Receive Confidential Property Information” form does not have to be completed for residential properties that accommodate fewer than three families.  In such cases, the owner simply has to provide written authority to release confidential information.

Otherwise, the “Authorization to Receive Confidential Property Information” form must be completed and returned to us before confidential information can be released to anyone other than the property owner.

What are some of the products available free of charge upon request by the property owner or the owner’s agent?

            • Property Value Summaries (PVSs) and Property Records Cards (PRCs) for residential and commercial properties are available free of charge to the property owner, the owner’s agent, or a lawyer stating that she/he is acting on behalf of the owner.

            • Assessment Notice information (including BC OnLine print if required for previous years).

            • Assessment Roll or Sales Listing

For additional information, please refer to the Fee Schedule.

What are we doing to improve efficiency?

We process the completed “Authorization to Receive Confidential Property Information” forms centrally at our head office in Victoria.  As a result, our area offices are no longer required to verify the information provided, which leads to quicker response times.

Who should I contact if I have questions?

If you have questions about the processing of the "Authorization to Receive Confidential Property Information" forms, contact us at bcacustomer.services@bcassessment.ca or at 1.800.668.0086.