Strata management in Surrey
Surrey has more stratas than any BC city but Vancouver and Burnaby, and the typical one is a low-rise complex of about 30 lots.
Free for stratas of 4 lots or fewer, with no time limit.
In short
More than half of the Surrey stratas we sampled have a management company on record, and none is required to: the Strata Property Act lets the owners' elected council run it. Of the city’s 1,692 stratas, 484 have four lots or fewer and 1,208 have five or more. The five-or-more group needs a depreciation report; every strata, whatever its size, holds an AGM, passes a budget and keeps its records.
Surrey stratas by size
| Size | Stratas | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 lots | 484 | 29% |
| 5 to 10 lots | 102 | 6% |
| 11 to 30 lots | 300 | 18% |
| 31 to 100 lots | 599 | 35% |
| More than 100 lots | 207 | 12% |
| All Surrey stratas | 1,692 |
Running a townhouse complex in Surrey
599 of Surrey's 1,692 stratas with a lot count have between 31 and 100 lots, more than any other size. Where the registry records a height, the typical Surrey strata is three storeys; only one of the 75 we sampled with a height is ten storeys or more.
The registry records a year built for 88 of the 150 we sampled. The median is 2006, and 18 were built before 1990. A 1980s complex and one finished last year have very different depreciation reports, and both had to have one in place by July 1, 2026.
The registry names a management company for 82 of the 150. If yours has one, ManageStrata works alongside it: the council sees the same deadlines, documents and books as the manager, and the record stays with the corporation if the manager changes.
What the Act asks of a Surrey strata
- Every strata holds an annual general meeting, has its owners approve a budget, keeps a contingency reserve fund and keeps minutes of its meetings.
- Four lots or fewer: no depreciation report is required. The rest of the Act still applies.
- Five lots or more: A strata of five or more lots must obtain a depreciation report and renew it every five years. In Surrey, as across Metro Vancouver, the first one was due by July 1, 2026.
The same rules apply in Langley, Delta, White Rock and the rest of the Metro Vancouver Regional District.
What it costs
Management companies in BC typically charge $25 to $60 a lot each month. For a 48-lot strata, the typical size in Surrey once you pass four lots, that is $1,200 to $2,880 a month.
ManageStrata is free for a strata of 4 lots or fewer. A 48-lot strata pays $154.20 a month. It tells your council what’s due before the date, keeps the operating fund and contingency reserve apart, and runs the AGM from notice to minutes. If you keep a manager, ManageStrata works alongside them. See pricing for every size.
Find your strata
Every Surrey strata in the registry is listed in the directory, with its lot count and what the Act asks of a strata that size. Open yours to set it up with the lots already filled in.