Other mortgage foreclosures and conditional sales repossessions

You may have held a mortgage on a property but had to repossess the property later because you were not paid all or a part of the amount owed under the mortgage. In this case, you may have to report a capital gain or loss.

The following rules also apply when property is repossessed under a conditional sales agreement.

If, as a mortgagee (a person who lends money under a mortgage), you repossess a property because the mortgagor failed to pay you the money owed under the mortgage, you are considered to have purchased the property. At the time of repossession, you do not have a capital gain or loss. Any gain or loss will be postponed until you sell the property.

If you are the mortgagor and your property is repossessed because you did not pay the money owed under the mortgage, you are considered to have sold the property. Depending on the amount you owed at the time of repossession, you may have a capital gain, a capital loss, or, in the case of depreciable property, a terminal loss. However, if the property is personal-use property, you cannot deduct the loss. 

Other tax implications
Capital gains from a mortgage foreclosure or a conditional sales repossession will be excluded from net income when calculating your claim for the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax credit, the Canada child benefit, credits allowed under certain related provincial or territorial programs, and the age amount. You should also exclude this income when calculating your social benefits repayment.

Completing your Schedule 3

Report these dispositions on lines 15499 and 15500 of Schedule 3.

Forms and publications

• Schedule 3, Capital gains (or losses)

Related topics

• Qualified farm or fishing property