Selling Your Home in London, Ontario? A Plumbing Compliance Certificate May Be Required

If you’re planning to sell your home in London, Ontario, there’s a proposed change you need to be aware of.

You may soon be required to obtain a plumbing compliance certificate before closing—and most sellers have no idea this is even being discussed.

What Is Being Proposed?

This is being discussed as part of London’s Pollution Prevention Control Plan (PPCP).

The goal is to address a long-standing issue in the city’s infrastructure.

The Real Problem Behind It

In many older homes across London, Ontario, groundwater and stormwater are still being directed into the sanitary sewer system.

This is known as inflow and infiltration.

And it creates real issues:

• increased risk of basement flooding
• added strain on city infrastructure
• potential environmental impacts from system overflows

Why This Could Affect You as a Seller

It’s estimated that tens of thousands of homes in London may still have weeping tiles connected to the sanitary system.

The proposed solution?

Require disconnection and compliance before a property can transfer ownership.

Key Detail Most Sellers Miss

If implemented, title transfer may not be allowed until a Certificate of Compliance is issued.

This means timing, costs, and deal structure could all be affected.

The upside?

Once completed, the certificate would typically stay with the property for future sales, unless major plumbing changes are made.

What the City Is Trying to Achieve

The intent behind this proposal is to:

• reduce sewer overflows
• lower bypass events
• decrease basement flooding risk
• improve long-term infrastructure resilience

Reality Check

This is still a proposed program.

It would require City Council approval before becoming policy.

But if you’re thinking about selling in the next 12–24 months, this is something you should be aware of now—not later.

What You Should Do Next

If you own a home in London, Ontario and are considering selling, the right move is not to guess—it’s to understand where your property stands.

Send me a message with “weeping tile” and I’ll help you determine:

• if your home could be affected
• what the potential cost or process might look like
• and how to plan ahead so it doesn’t impact your sale

No pressure. Just clarity so you can make the right decision when the time comes.