The Condominium & Strata Audit Checklist

Every condominium and strata audit starts with the same thing: documents. Here’s the plain-English list of what a CPA needs to audit a condo corporation — so boards and property managers know what to gather, and firms know what the platform collects for them. Supported across Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario.

22 Core Documents, Plus Anything Your Building Needs

Most condominium and strata audits need the same core set of records. On top of that, your CPA turns on a few extra items only if they apply to your corporation — loan documents, special-assessment records, vendor contracts, and the like. In Condo Audit Pro, the upload checklist adapts to your building, and each file is checked for readability the moment it lands. See how the audit works for the full workflow.

Core Condominium & Strata Audit Documents

These are needed for virtually every condominium and strata audit. Gathering them early is the single biggest thing a board or property manager can do to keep the audit on schedule for the AGM.

1

General ledger (full year)

The complete record of every transaction — the backbone the whole audit is built on.

2

Trial balance

The year-end balances the financial statements are drawn from.

3

Board-approved budget

Used to compare actual results to what the board planned.

4

Bank statements — operating account

To confirm the operating fund cash and reconcile it to the books.

5

Bank statements — reserve / contingency account

To confirm the reserve (or contingency) fund is held separately and intact.

6

Bank reconciliations

To show the books and the bank agree at year-end.

7

Investment / GIC statements

For any reserve funds held in term deposits or investments.

8

Prior-year financial statements

For the comparative figures every audit requires.

9

Prior-year auditor’s report (if audited before)

To understand the opening position and any prior findings.

10

Accounts receivable / owner arrears listing

To age owner balances and confirm amounts owed to the corporation.

11

Accounts payable listing

To confirm what the corporation owed at year-end.

12

Management agreement

To understand the management company’s role and fees.

13

Insurance policy / certificate

To confirm coverage and the premium recorded.

14

Board meeting minutes

To identify decisions, approvals, and matters affecting the financials.

15

AGM minutes

To confirm owner approvals and any special resolutions.

16

Reserve fund / depreciation report

The study that supports reserve adequacy and contributions.

17

Reserve fund contribution schedule

To confirm the planned transfers to the reserve fund were made.

18

Major contracts (vendor / service)

To understand recurring commitments and large expenses.

19

Payroll / T4 summary (if staff employed)

To confirm wages, benefits, and remittances.

20

GST/HST filings (if applicable)

To confirm sales-tax treatment and balances.

21

Special assessment records (if any)

To confirm how special levies were raised and recorded.

22

Bylaws / declaration & unit factors

To confirm fees were levied per the registered unit factors / entitlement.

What the Platform Does With Each Document

This isn’t just a checklist to collect — each document feeds a specific part of the condominium and strata audit engine.

DocumentHow Condo Audit Pro uses it
General ledgerBuilds the trial balance and drives the ledger-to-source comparison.
Bank statementsTests continuity and supports transaction matching against the ledger.
InvoicesSupport expense vouching and invoice-to-GL assertion testing.
BudgetFeeds budget-to-actual variance analysis and expected fee revenue.
Condominium plan / unit schedulePowers unit-by-unit, month-by-month owner fee testing in the Revenue Grid.
Reserve fund / depreciation reportSupports the reserve fund review and the disclosure facts in the statements.
Board & AGM minutesSupport risk assessment, authorization checks, and subsequent-event review.
Prior-year financial statementsRead into this year’s comparative columns for CPA confirmation.
AR aging / owner arrearsFeeds owner balance testing and the receivables reconciliation.

Documents Your CPA Handles Near the End

You don’t gather these up front — your CPA prepares or requests them as the audit closes.

Signed engagement letter

Signed by the board before the audit begins.

Management representation letter

The CPA prepares this; the board signs it near the close.

Legal inquiry letter response

Requested from the corporation’s lawyer where applicable.

Adjusting journal entries

Any corrections the CPA proposes during the audit.

Common Mistakes Before a Condominium Audit

Most condominium and strata audits don’t stall because of the numbers — they stall because a document is missing or incomplete when the audit starts. These are the gaps that most often hold up a condominium or strata audit before the AGM.

Missing reserve fund statements

The reserve (or contingency) fund is one of the first things tested. Missing reserve bank statements or the reserve fund study is the most common cause of delay.

Missing AGM or board minutes

Minutes confirm owner and board approvals. Without them, the auditor can’t verify decisions that affect the financial statements.

Missing or unsigned management agreement

The management agreement sets out the manager’s role and fees. An unsigned or missing copy holds up the management-fee and independence work.

Missing investment / GIC confirmations

Reserve funds held in term deposits need confirmation. Without statements, the auditor can’t confirm the funds exist and are intact.

Incomplete owner receivable listing

A partial arrears listing means owner balances can’t be aged or agreed to the ledger — a frequent source of back-and-forth.

Illegible or partial scans

A blurry or cut-off scan is treated as not received. Clear, complete files the first time avoid a re-upload cycle.

The Checklist Adapts by Province

Reserve fund records in Alberta and Ontario, and contingency reserve fund and depreciation-report records in British Columbia, are handled in each province’s own terms. See the province-specific workflows for Alberta, BC, and Ontario, or read why we built this.

Condominium Audit Checklist — Common Questions

The questions boards and property managers ask most before gathering their condominium or strata audit documents.

How long does a condominium audit take?

With a complete document set, a condominium or strata audit moves in days, not weeks. Most delays come from missing records — reserve fund statements, minutes, or arrears listings — so gathering the full checklist before the audit starts is the biggest time-saver a board has.

What happens if a document is missing?

The audit doesn’t stop — it stalls on that area. The missing item is flagged, a request goes to the board or property manager through the portal, and that part of the testing waits until the document arrives. Illegible or partial scans are treated as not received.

Does a small condo corporation need all 22 documents?

The core set applies to virtually every condominium and strata audit regardless of size. Items that don’t apply — payroll, GST/HST filings, or special assessments — are simply turned off, and the CPA only adds extras like loan documents when your corporation actually has them. Audit requirements themselves vary by province — see the province workflows for Alberta, BC, and Ontario.

Who gathers the audit documents — the board or the property manager?

Usually the property manager holds most records — the general ledger, bank statements, and invoices — while the board holds minutes and approvals. Either can upload to the portal; what matters is that one complete set arrives before the audit begins.

Running condo audits? See it on a real file.

We’ll collect this whole checklist for you and prepare the file, end to end.

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