Buying · Moving
The list we hand our clients at signing, from the first call to the movers to the last box unpacked.
A move in Quebec is prepared in three stages: eight weeks before (possession date set with the notary, movers booked, notice to your landlord if you rent, home insurance required by the lender), the last two weeks (Hydro-Québec transfer, grouped change of address with public bodies, mail forwarding, school registration in the new catchment), and moving day plus the thirty days after (meter readings, keys, locks, licences and taxes). July 1 remains the busiest date of the year: book early.
Eight weeks before: the decisions that set everything else
- The possession date. It is set in the offer to purchase and confirmed at the notary; it drives the whole calendar. If you are selling and buying, align both dates or plan for the gap (storage, negotiated possession delay).
- The movers. Get three written quotes, check the company's insurance and what it covers. Around July 1, good companies are fully booked weeks ahead.
- Notice to your landlord, if you rent. Deadlines depend on your lease; check the Tribunal administratif du logement rules before sending your notice, in writing.
- Home insurance. The lender requires proof of insurance in force on the possession date; start quotes early, especially for an older house or one with an oil tank.
- Financing. Confirm with the lender the list of documents for disbursement and the deadline; the notary cannot close without the funds. See mortgage pre-approval in Quebec.
- Sorting. What is not coming with you gets sold, given or thrown out now, not the night before.
Four weeks before: services and paperwork
- Hydro-Québec: request the service transfer online for the possession date, at the new address and the old one.
- Internet, TV, phone: availability varies street by street; check and book the installation appointment.
- The grouped change of address: the Service québécois de changement d'adresse notifies several ministries and agencies in a single step (driver's licence, health insurance, taxes, among others). Add the Canada Revenue Agency, your employer, your bank, your insurers, your professional order if applicable.
- Mail forwarding by Canada Post, a paid service, to activate a few days before the date.
- School and daycare: registration depends on the new address's catchment; contact the school service centre or school board with proof of address. Daycare spots should be sought as early as possible.
- Doctor and pharmacy: file transfer, prescription renewals before the move.
- Documents for the notary: identification, proof of insurance, lender contact. The seller prepares the certificate of location and invoices; the list is in documents to sell a house in Quebec.
Two weeks before: logistics
- Pack room by room, boxes labelled with destination room and contents; a "first night" box (sheets, toilet paper, chargers, coffee maker, tool kit).
- Written confirmation with the movers: time, address, access, elevator or reserved parking if needed (in a condo, book the elevator with the syndicate).
- Empty and defrost the freezer, plan meals to use up stocks.
- Final walk-through of the purchased property, provided for in the offer to purchase, to check condition and inclusions before signing.
Moving day
- Signing at the notary, keys handed over once funds are transferred; do not schedule the truck before the agreed key time.
- Photos of the meters (electricity, gas if any) at the old and new address.
- Check the property's condition on arrival; note any difference from the final walk-through and tell your broker the same day.
- Cash or planned payment for the movers, tip at your discretion.
The thirty days after
- Locks: change or rekey the cylinders; you do not know how many keys are out there.
- Municipal and school taxes: the notary made the adjustments at the possession date; the next bills will come in your name, check the payment method.
- Driver's licence, registration, health insurance card: the address update is mandatory within each agency's deadline.
- Maintenance: locate the water shut-off, the electrical panel, the water heater and its date, the filters; start the maintenance reserve (see the 3 % rule).
- Costs after purchase: welcome tax to come, insurance, adjustments; details in costs after buying a house in Quebec and the welcome tax.
The July 1 case
In Quebec, most leases end on June 30, which makes July 1 the busiest day of the year for movers, rental trucks and Hydro-Québec. If your date is close, book everything eight to twelve weeks ahead, and if you are buying, negotiate a possession date shifted by a few days: it is often simpler for everyone.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a move cost in Quebec?
It depends on distance, volume, floor and date; July 1 costs more. Get three written quotes and compare what the insurance covers.
When should I change my address?
Within the two weeks before the date, so that mail and official documents reach the right address from possession onward. Canada Post forwarding covers what slips through.
What if the house is not in the expected condition on arrival?
Document everything with photos the same day and notify your broker and the notary: inclusions and the agreed condition are in the offer to purchase, and remedies exist. See also latent defects in Quebec.
Also available in French: version française de ce guide.
Published September 1, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.