Introduction

Signing a Quebec lease is the first step of trustworthy landlord tenant relationships. Quebec lease agreement covers all the important clauses so that both landlord’s and tenant’s rights are secure. However there still are some mistakes that appear in the rental agreement which can lead to disputes and misunderstandings.  

To avoid costly mistakes and disputes royalinvest.ca offers expert tips about how to fill out a clear and legal Quebec lease agreement.  

Section A: Between the Lessor and the Lessee 

Quebec lease of dwelling by TAL (Tribunal Administratif du Logement) starts with section A. In this section you need to fill in the general information about the landlord and the tenant or tenants. If you are using an online rental agreement, you also need to carefully fill out your and your tenant’s email. So that you will get notifications and share the rental agreement for signature online.  

PRO TIP: Ensure to correctly fill out the names of the landlords and tenants avoiding mistakes. If for some reason someone else presents the landlord, you need to clearly mentioned it in this section of rental agreement.  

Note: In the agreement the “landlord” is the person who manages the property, while the “owner” is the person who holds legal title. Sometimes, they are not always the same person. 

Section B: Description and Destination of Leased Dwelling, Accessories and Dependencies 

Section B of Quebec lease of dwelling is a detailed description of the dwelling . Here you need to mention its address, type (residential, commercial and so on), number of its bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living areas, etc. If applicable, in this section, you also need to mention if the there are any pieces of furniture, parking spaces and storage units. 

PRO TIP: If there is any furniture in the rental dwelling, take photos of them. Thus, you will have proof of their condition at the time of handover. 

Section C: Term of Lease 

Section C indicates how long the rental agreement will last, as well as its renewal or termination terms. For this, you need to determine how long the tenant has the legal right to occupy the residence, as well as clearly mention the start and end date of the rent. 

PRO TIP: If the lease lasts more than 12 months, it’s a good idea to include a rent adjustment clause in the appendix of the agreement. This clause will help you plan a future rent increase. You can form this as a yearly increase and clearly mention the date and the amount of future pay. Another option is to increase pay based on the cost of living, also known as CPI. 

Section D: Rent

D section is totally devoted to the rent fee. Here you need to specify the total rent that the tenant needs to pay, the due date, and payment method. Differentiate the dates for the first payment and for other payment periods. If necessary, you may also add some additions and regulations and specify them in part 2 of the annex to the lease.  

PRO TIP: When filling out section D of your rental agreement, make sure to check the box that says rent is due on the first day of each month. Mention the exact due date for paying the first month’s rent and collect it before your tenant moves in. Also note this date may be different from the rest of the monthly payments.  

Clearly mention the method of payment in the agreement. It can be e-transfer, post-dated checks, cash, or any another method suitable for both of you. Avoid choosing multiple options and agree with your tenant about one method to avoid confusion and misunderstanding. Once you and your tenant agree on one of the payment methods, make sure that they initialize that section of the rental contract.  

Regardless of the payment method, you may also find it helpful to include rent delivery location. For example, you can state that rent must be sent to the landlord’s house. However, if you are planning to move to another location, don’t mention any address to avoid future confusion. With this small clause available in your lease, you will avoid monthly in-person meetings. As a result, your property management will become easier.  

Even if you and your tenant agreed on electronic payment, it is still necessary to include delivery location in the rental contract. There might be technical issues or for some reason delays may happen, yet your tenant is still responsible for delivering the rent on time. With these details, your tenant will deliver the rent to you. Otherwise, according to the general rule you as a landlord you should go to the tenant’s house and collect the rent.   

Also be careful when choosing the length(duration) of the lease. Chosen due dates that don’t affect landlord’s and tenant’s rights and responsibilities. This is especially true for legal deadlines. You may have a fixed- term lease with an end date, or an open-ended term lease with no set end date. Each of these leases has different rules. To better understand these differences and the related deadlines, check the table at the back of page 4 of the lease. 

Section E: Services and Conditions

Section E of Quebec lease agreement addresses the work and repair that will be done by the lessor. It also includes a timetable for their performance. There might be a need for some repair and renovation work before a tenant moves in. These repairs should also be reflected and specified in your Quebec lease form.  

Moreover, you should also mention who will be responsible for paying the services, taxes, and consumption fees. In this section you may also indicate the additional services that are included with the accommodation.  

PRO TIP: If you are planning to do any renovation work while the tenant is living in the unit, it’s important to include completion dates int the lease agreement. Be cautious and include realistic dates. Clearly describe the type of work that will be done and the expected timeline, so there’s no misunderstanding between you and the tenant. 

However, if the work is carried out by a contractor avoid mentioning any fixed dates unless you have a signed agreement with them. Note that delays are common, so you shouldn’t commit to something you can’t control. 

If you can’t mention the exact date when the work will be finished, it’s better to leave the place blank. Instead, follow the general deadlines set by the Civil Code of Quebec for repairs and maintenance or find out more in the practical guide. 

In case you and your tenant have extra agreements to add to section E you can do it by attaching an appendix to your rental agreement.  

Section F: Restrictions on the Right to Have the Rent Fixed and the Lease Modified

Section F applies to the residences that have been operational for five years or less. The section restricts the ability to modify the lease or increase the rent withing first few years. This means that, let’s say, a residence was opened on September 1, 2020. The restriction will remain until August 31. 2025. During this period if a tenant refuses to increase or modify the lease, you can’t renew it..  

PRO TIP: Section F of the Quebec lease agreement is used in special situations, thus fill out this section only if it applies to your case. According to the new rule of February 21, 2024, landlords can set any rent they want for the first 5 years only if: 

• The lease is signed on or after February 21, 2024 

AND 

• The unit is newly built, newly renovated to be lived in, or changed from another use. Like changing from a store to an apartment.  

You also need to fill out Maximum Rent Notice using the form provided by the Administrative Housing Tribunal (TAL).  

If you don’t meet all these conditions, you can’t raise the rent freely, even if you check Clause F. 

Section G: Notice to a New Lessee or a Sublessee

In this section, you need to include the lowest rent fee in the last 12 months for the unit. That fee is also known as “total rent” and is calculated in Section D. It is about the services that the pervious tenants received. It is very important to communicate this information clearly to your new tenants. 

If the rent listed in the G section is higher than what the previous tenant paid, the new tenant has the right to request a renewal of the rent. This request must be made within 10 days of signing the lease. However, if the notice is incomplete or inaccurate, this deadline may be extended. 

PRO TIP: If you skip this section, the tenant can dispute the rent within 2 months after the lease begins. Otherwise, you can be fined. An exception could be the case when the unit was empty for the last 12 months. In this case you may write “Not applicable”. However, when you sign the agreement, you still need to give your tenant an official notice of the last rent paid from the TAL website.  

Note if you fill out Section F, you may skip Section G. 

Section H: Signatures 

Section H is where both you and your tenant or tenants sign. It is crucial that both parties initial each page of the lease agreement to confirm that they have reviewed and agreed with the terms.   

In cases when a tenant can’t sign the lease in person, modern tools come to help. As a rental property management platform royalinvest.ca streamlines the process of online lease management and tenant screening.    

PRO TIP: If you have multiple tenants in the Signature section, it would be a good idea to require that all of them sign so that they will jointly be responsible for the rental agreement and any renewals. 

This is important as every tenant is equally responsible for following and keeping every part of the Quebec lease. On the other hand, if the tenant doesn’t pay rent or there’s a property or unit damage the landlord can ask any of the tenants to pay the entire amount, not just their share. 

To do this check “yes” for items 11 and 12 of section H in the Quebec lease form and ask the tenants to initial the section to show that they agree. 

What to write in appendix 

In Quebec lease agreement appendix is a supplementary document that you attach to the standard Quebec rental agreements by Tribunal Administratif du Logement. You need to attach the appendix to the main lease.  

Here’s what you can write in appendix: 

• Pet policies 
• Landlord’s access rights
• Security deposit 
• Unit and building maintenance
• Smoking policy 
• Waste disposal 
• Noise Disposal 
• Parking regulation  
• … 

And the list can go on and on. Anything that can clarify existing clauses, sets new and specific rules, or outlines additional terms can be included. Just make sure that everything in the appendix complies with Quebec’s rental laws and doesn’t contradict the main rental agreement. 

PRO TIP: Use an appendix to list any specific rules and conditions that aren’t in your main agreement. You can include: 

• Smoking rules and regulations 
• Yard maintenance rules and regulations 
• BBQ ban rule 
• Communication means agreement 

Appendix makes the Quebec lease complete. It ensures that there is no misunderstanding and that everyone agrees to the extra terms.  

You can also include the lease number on the appendix and refer to the appendix directly in the lease. However, make sure your appendix clearly mentions which lease it belongs to, so everything is organized, clear, and trackable. 

Lease Agreement is Signed. What’s Next?

Share copy of the agreement with your tenant

Once the lease is signed you need to give a complete copy of it to your tenant within 10 days. This is important as some time limits for the lease agreement begin only after the tenant gets the copy of the agreement. Moreover, not handing the copy on time may affect your rights as a landlord or delay certain actions that you need to take later. 

PRO TIP: To avoid such problems, it’s better to use the electronic rental agreement of Quebec form on royalinvest.ca. It will make the whole process easier and faster. After drafting and signing it online the platform automatically shares the signed version of Quebec lease (with annex and supporting documents) to all the partis involved in the agreement. Royalinvest.ca makes the whole process easier and faster. 

Hand keys to the tenants

After handing a copy of the lease to your tenant it is time to hand the keys of the unit to the tenants. Hand the keys to the tenants only on the official move-in date written in section C. 

PRO TIP: Don’t let the tenant move in before the rental agreement starts. Otherwise, you’ll need to change the date in the agreement. If you don’t want to change the dates then make sure that the tenant’s insurance also begins on the new move-in date. This will protect both you and the tenant and ensure everything is covered legally and safely. 

Sign a condition report 

When the tenant moves in it is a good idea to complete and sign a completion report with the tenant. This report shows the state of the unit at move-in. This is important as otherwise the unit is considered to be in a good condition even if it isn’t. Also, the report confirms that the tenant agrees with the condition of the unit at the start of the rental agreement. This will help you prevent future disputes with your tenant. 

PRO TIP: It is always a good idea to take detailed photos of every room, feature and furniture (if available) in the apartment. This gives you visual proof in case there’s ever a disagreement or dispute about damages. 

Conclusion

Creating a well-structured Quebec lease agreement is more than filling out the form and signing. It is about protecting you and your property. It sets clear expectations and builds strong foundation for landlord tenant relationships. By following these expert tips and avoiding costly mistakes, you can prevent disputes and manage your property with ease and confidence.  

Whether you are a new landlord or a seasoned real estate manager royalinvest.ca provides you with all the tools you need: from online lease drafting and digital signatures to tenant credit check. 

Visit royalinvest.ca today to simplify your leasing process and start your rental journey the right way.