Renting Out a Property in Gatineau or Chelsea: Quebec Rules for Landlords

In Quebec, residential leases are governed by the Civil Code of Québec, and disputes go to the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL). Here is what owners renting out a home in Gatineau or Chelsea need to know.

The lease form

Residential leases are made on the TAL's mandatory form, and the landlord must give the tenant a copy within 10 days of signing. Building rules, if any, are given to the tenant before the lease is signed and form part of it.

Under Quebec's language law, a standard-form contract such as a lease must first be offered in French. The parties may then expressly choose to sign it in another language.

The notice to a new tenant

When signing a lease with a new tenant, the landlord must state the lowest rent paid for the dwelling in the previous 12 months (section G of the lease). A tenant who pays more than that rent can ask the TAL to fix the rent, generally within 10 days of signing. Since February 21, 2024, a landlord who knowingly gives a false figure or no notice can also be ordered to pay punitive damages.

This notice does not apply to dwellings in a building erected or converted to residential use five years ago or less, which must be stated in section F of the lease.

Deposits

A landlord may require the first month's rent in advance. A security or damage deposit cannot be required. This is one of the most common differences with Ontario, where a last month's rent deposit is allowed.

Rent increases

There is no fixed annual cap in Quebec. Instead:

1. For a 12-month lease, the landlord sends a written notice of the new rent 3 to 6 months before the lease ends.
2. The tenant has one month to answer. A tenant who does not answer is considered to have accepted.
3. If the tenant refuses but stays, the landlord can apply to the TAL within one month to fix the rent. If the landlord does not apply, the lease renews at the same rent.

Since 2026, the TAL fixes rent using five factors: the three-year average of Quebec's Consumer Price Index, changes in municipal and school taxes, changes in insurance premiums, the cost of a new service or accessory, and the cost of major work. Landlords use the same method to decide what increase to propose.

In buildings erected or converted to residential use five years ago or less, with the restriction stated in section F of the lease, the tenant cannot ask the TAL to fix the rent and must either accept the increase or leave.

Renewal and ending a lease

A residential lease in Quebec renews automatically on the same terms, apart from any rent increase, unless the tenant gives notice that they are leaving. The landlord cannot simply decline to renew.

A landlord can take back a dwelling to live in it, or for a close family member, or can evict to subdivide, enlarge or change the use of the dwelling, only by following strict notice rules; the tenant can refuse, and the TAL then decides. Plan well ahead if you may want the property back.

Access to the dwelling

A landlord must give 24 hours' notice to inspect the dwelling, carry out work or show it to a prospective buyer, and the tenant can refuse access before 9 a.m. and after 9 p.m. Urgent repairs are an exception. Once a tenant has given notice that they are leaving, the landlord can show the dwelling to prospective tenants.

Practical points

• Moving day. Many Quebec leases run from July 1 to June 30, so most tenants look for housing in the spring. A lease that ends at another time of year can mean a smaller pool of applicants.
• Wells and septic systems. Many homes in Chelsea use a private well and septic system. Say in the lease who arranges water testing and septic pumping.
• Owners in Ontario. Owning a rental in Quebec while living in Ontario is common in the region; ask your accountant how the rental income is reported.

Official sources

• Tribunal administratif du logement
• TAL: notice to a new lessee
• Éducaloi: landlords cannot require security deposits
• Éducaloi: the new rent increase method (in French)