I heard a wonderful story from a client this week who had decided to propose to his girlfriend after he carried her “over the threshold” in to the new home they had just bought together in Kelowna. The client asked me “When we get married, do we have to file that change with the Land Title Office?”
Steps to Name Changes in the Land Title Office:
- Obtain the original certificate of change of name or marriage certificate from the BC Vital Statistics Agency.
- Inform your lender of the change of name, they may require your lawyer to prepare a declaration that you have changed your name.
- Once Step 1 & 2 are complete, bring the original document to your lawyer who will verify your identity and will file the legal name change in the Land Title Office.
Will the wrong name on title prevent me from selling or re-mortgaging the property?
It might, identity verification is taken very seriously by Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, and Lawyers in the Province of British Columbia and these professionals will require proof that you have the legal capacity to sell your property.
So, when you legally change your name, it is recommended that you file the change of name in the Land Title Office as set out above.
Written by Peter Borszcz, a Kelowna Real Estate Lawyer and Kelowna Business Lawyer.