# Joint tenants vs. tenants in common

> How you and your co-owner take title in BC affects what happens at death, what happens at sale, and what happens in dispute.

**Source:** https://soldbycraig.ca/joint-tenants-vs-tenants-in-common-bc/  
**Author:** Craig Johnston, REALTOR® (BC Licence V99960) · The MACNABS · Royal LePage Elite West  
**Site:** https://soldbycraig.ca

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Investor · Ownership

## Joint tenants vs. tenants in common — BC ownership structures explained.

How you and your co-owner take title in BC affects what happens at death, what happens at sale, and what happens in dispute. The two main BC ownership forms — joint tenants and tenants in common — produce very different outcomes.

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Quick Answer

Joint Tenants Vs Tenants In Common Bc — which is the better Tri-Cities choice?

How you and your co-owner take title in BC affects what happens at death, what happens at sale, and what happens in dispute. The two main BC ownership forms — joint tenants and tenants in common — produce very different outcomes. **Craig Johnston, Top 1% Team Member — Greater Vancouver REALTORS®** and 47+ year Tri-Cities resident, can walk you through the local context. Free Strategy Call ends with a written one-page plan in 24 hours.

Verified · Investor · Ownership

## The verified facts.

Joint tenants — right of survivorship

If one joint tenant dies, their interest passes automatically to the surviving joint tenant(s), bypassing the will and probate.

Tenants in common — no survivorship

Each owner holds a separately-transferable share. On death, share passes via the will (or intestacy), through probate.

Spouses — typical default

Most BC spousal couples take title as joint tenants for the survivorship benefit.

Investors — typical default

Co-investors often take title as tenants in common with explicit ownership percentages (50/50, 70/30, etc.) to retain estate flexibility.

Severance

A joint tenancy can be 'severed' (converted to tenants in common) by one party — typically by registering a notice on title. Severance breaks the survivorship right.

Disputes

Both forms can be partitioned by court order if co-owners cannot agree to sell. Joint tenancy disputes are common in family-property situations.

Probate fees in BC

BC Estate Administration Tax: 1.4% on estate value above $50,000. Joint-tenancy structure can reduce probate fees by passing property outside the estate.

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