Home buyers and possibly sellers will have to shell out more cash if a new zoning recommendation for the city of Winnipeg is approved.
City officials have crafted a by-law that would require people to have a zoning memorandum when purchasing a new home.
Purchasing the document will cost buyers of existing homes $180 and $100 for buyers of a newly built home.
A zoning memorandum provides surveyors with the ability to determine if structures on a property comply with existing zoning by-laws.
New homes already come with a survey certificate but older one may not have a recent one that shows additions. If a new survey certificate is required that's an additional $450.
Surveyors like Christian Korell with Barnes and Duncan Land Survey says it could cost people more down the line if they don't have an updated survey before they buy a house.
"If I find out the garage is on the city's property or the neighbour's property then I inherit that problem and I have to deal with it," said Korell.
New homeowners could end up paying hundreds of dollars to the city in variances or even more to fix or rip out something that doesn't belong on the property.
City officials say they will need to hire at least five more staff members to try and handle the paperwork associated with the proposed by-law.
Buyers of existing homes would need to purchase the memorandum within 60 days of registering the land title unless the seller has obtained one within the year. Home buyers of newly built homes would need the memorandum before moving into the home.
The recommendation will be reviewed by the Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development on February 2.
With files from CTV's Eleanor Coopsammy
