Whether you’re a building owner or a tenant, you may have questions on a variety of subjects: your rights and obligations, rent increases, what to do in the event of a dispute, etc. This page provides you with a practical guide to understanding the essential steps to ensure your peace of mind. As a tenant, discover useful resources to help you in your housing search or in the event of a problem with your lease.
Rights and obligations
Receive a modification notice
If your lease is for 12 months or more, your landlord must send you a written notice between 3 and 6 months before the end of the lease to propose changes. For example, for a lease ending June 30, the notice must be sent between January 1 and March 31.
Your options as a tenant
You have one month to respond to the notice by choosing one of the following options:
- Accept changes;
- Refuse modifications while remaining in your home;
- Inform the landlord that you will be leaving at the end of the lease.
Please note: in a context of housing shortage, tenants who currently have a lease are advised not to give it up without first finding a new home and signing a new lease.
What should I do if my rent goes up?
Dialogue between the two parties remains the best solution. However, if this does not change anything and the tenant sends the landlord written notice of refusal, the landlord may, within one month of receiving this refusal, apply to the Housing Administrative Tribunal to have the rent fixed or to negotiate an increase that both parties consider satisfactory. If the landlord does not apply to the Tribunal, the lease is renewed at the same rent and under the same conditions.
Are you planning to move? Call on these services when you need them:
- Service d’aide à la recherche de logement (SARL ): free service for Longueuil residents looking for housing.
- Office d’habitation de Longueuil (OHL ): organization that develops, manages and provides quality affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families and individuals.
Other resources
- Housing Administrative Tribunal
- Quebec government organization that governs relations between landlords and tenants. Among other things, its mission is to inform citizens of the rights and obligations arising from a lease. In the event that the tenant and landlord, bound by a lease, are unable to agree on a situation, an application can be filed with the court, whose role is to rule on the subject of the dispute.
- Contact: 514 873-2245 | tal.gouv.gc.ca
- Comité logement Rive-Sud
- Autonomous community action organization serving the Brossard area, among others, and defending tenants’ rights. It informs households of their rights through its telephone service and information sessions.
- Contact: 450 699-3060 | comite-logement.org
- Réseau d’Habitations Chez Soi
- An organization that accompanies people in their search for suitable housing, and provides support and information on other resources available to meet their needs.
- Contact: 450 676-8940 | reseaudhabitationschezsoi.org
- Association for information on adapted housing and buildings (AILIA)
- A benchmark in adapted housing and universal accessibility. Its mission is to ensure the full social and civic participation of people with disabilities and their families in the community. In particular, it holds a database of contact details for accessible buildings.
- Contact: 450 646-4343 | ailia.info
Low-maintenance or substandard housing
Do you have a maintenance or health problem in your home? See how to report it.
