What an open work order means when you're buying
An open order or violation is the City telling an owner to fix something. Unlike a permit, it's a flag — here's what the common ones mean and who inherits them.
When a City inspector finds something wrong — an unsafe deck, work done without a permit, a property-standards issue — they can issue an order or record a violation. Unlike a permit (which records approved work), an order is a flag: fix this.
If you're buying, open orders are some of the most important things to check.
The common kinds
- Property standards orders — the building isn't being maintained to the City's standard: peeling exterior, broken railings, pests, heat or water problems.
- Work-without-permit violations — someone built or altered something without the required permit. These often need to be made compliant or removed.
- Unsafe orders — a structure is considered unsafe and must be secured or repaired, sometimes urgently.
Open vs. closed
The single most useful field is the status:
- Open / active — the issue hasn't been resolved to the City's satisfaction. Still live.
- Closed / complied — the owner fixed it and the City signed off.
An order that's been open for years is a stronger signal than one opened last month — it suggests the issue has been sitting unresolved.
Who inherits the order?
Orders generally run with the property, not the owner. If you buy a property with an open order, you become responsible for resolving it. That's why open orders belong in every pre-offer check, and why your lawyer will often ask the seller to clear them before closing.
Check before you offer
Pull any address's outstanding orders & violations and its bylaw investigations to see complaints and enforcement activity. For the full picture in one view, start with the property snapshot — and monitor the address so a new order lands in your inbox.