Common areas in an Ottawa condo: does the inspection cover them?

Ontario.ca lists "common areas in a condominium" among the elements an inspector will typically examine, so common areas are within scope. What the inspector can actually see and record depends entirely on access.

The federal Office of Consumer Affairs puts it plainly: "a home inspection report will be limited to describing conditions in the areas of the home that the inspector can see or has access to." It advises making sure all areas are accessible before the inspection begins. For a condo, that means corridors, the lobby, the parking garage, mechanical rooms, the roof and any amenity spaces the inspector cannot enter without a key or a booking will simply not appear in the report. The unit itself, its visible plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, ceilings, walls, floors and windows, is examined the same way as any other home.

A few things worth knowing before you book:

• Ask the inspector in advance which common areas they plan to cover and what access they will need. Ask the seller or listing agent which common areas can be opened on the day.
• Ontario.ca notes that an inspection is a visual examination; it is not a pass or fail test and does not assess whether anything meets zoning or building codes.
• The inspection report covers the condition of what the inspector can see on the day. It does not assess the condo corporation's finances, the reserve fund, or what repairs the corporation has planned. Those questions go to your lawyer, who can review the status certificate.

Before you confirm a booking, ask the inspector to send you a sample report from a condo inspection, so you can see exactly how they document shared spaces and what they include when access is limited.