Lease · Mandatory form
A homemade lease does not carry the weight people assume in Quebec. The Tribunal's form is mandatory, and it contains a section many landlords leave blank.
A form, not a free contract
The Tribunal states it plainly: its lease form has been mandatory since 1 September 1996, for every new residential lease, whether a room, an apartment, a divided co-ownership unit or a house. Forms are sold at Tribunal offices, through Publications du Québec and authorized retailers. A fully digital lease is also available through the Tribunal's electronic lease.
Section G, the one people skip
On signing, the landlord must give the new tenant a notice stating the lowest rent paid during the 12 months preceding the start of the lease, or the rent fixed by the Tribunal during that period. This goes in section G of the lease. It lets the new tenant see what the previous occupant paid, and opens a recourse if they consider the increase unjustified.
What to check when buying a building
- Are the leases on the mandatory form, or homemade documents?
- Was section G completed for recent tenants?
- Do the leases match the rents advertised in the listing?
The gap between declared rents and actual leases is one of the most common price adjustments in a plex transaction.
Where this actually bites
These rules are not administrative theory. They set a building's price and a buyer's calendar. A plex where repossession is still possible within the deadline is not worth the same as one where the window has closed. A building held by very long-term tenants carries a far heavier potential eviction indemnity than one with quick turnover. A renovation planned without evacuation notices loses months before the first swing of a hammer.
That is why reading the leases comes first in our work on a rental building, before the showing and before going to market. The Tribunal's figures are public and verifiable; what varies from one file to the next is the real situation of each unit. An honest valuation starts there.
Three checks before signing anything
- The end date of every lease, which drives all the notice periods and has nothing to do with your closing date.
- How long each tenant has been in place, which directly changes any eviction indemnity.
- Whether advertised rents match the actual leases, the most common price adjustment in a rental building transaction.
Related
Frequently asked
Is a handwritten lease valid?
The Tribunal says its form has been mandatory since 1 September 1996 for every new residential lease.
What is section G?
The section where the landlord states the lowest rent paid in the previous 12 months, or the rent fixed by the Tribunal in that period.
Is there an electronic lease?
Yes. The Tribunal allows a lease to be concluded fully digitally.
Rules cited from the Tribunal administratif du logement (tal.gouv.qc.ca), consulted 10 September 2026. This page informs; it is not legal advice. For your situation, contact the Tribunal.
Published by the Loaa & Manseur team, number one team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025. Buying and selling rental buildings across Greater Montreal. Tell us about your project.