Plex · Repossession · 2026
Buying a plex to live in means buying a unit someone else occupies, with a procedure, deadlines and tenants the law protects. Here is repossession step by step, what makes it impossible, and the calendar that gets you in on the date you want.
The buyer of a plex can repossess a unit to live in it, or to house a parent, a child or any other relative of whom they are the main support, provided they are the owner at the time of the notice (a corporation or co-owners who are not spouses cannot repossess), act in good faith and respect the deadlines: written notice to the tenant at least six months before the end of a lease of more than six months (one month for a lease of six months or less, six months before the intended date for an indefinite lease), with the beneficiary's name, the relationship and the date. The tenant has one month to reply; silence counts as refusal, and the landlord must then apply to the Tribunal administratif du logement for authorization within the following month, proving the repossession is genuinely for the beneficiary (since Bill 31, the landlord must demonstrate good faith). Since June 6, 2024, repossession is prohibited against a tenant (or their spouse) 65 or older who has occupied the unit for at least ten years and whose income is at or below 125% of the social-housing eligibility threshold, unless the landlord or the beneficiary is themselves 65 or older, or already lives in the building and wants to house a relative. The TAL can attach an indemnity covering moving costs. Distinct from eviction (enlarge, subdivide, change the use), suspended until June 2027, with an indemnity of one month's rent per year of occupancy (minimum three, maximum twenty-four) when permitted. To move in on July 1, 2027 into a lease ending June 30, the notice must be received by December 31, 2026, which sets the purchase date.
| Question | Rule (Civil Code, art. 1957 and following; Bill 31) |
|---|---|
| Who can repossess | A natural person who owns the building (alone, or co-owners who are spouses); not a corporation or co-owners who are not spouses |
| For whom | The owner, their ascendants or descendants, any relative or in-law of whom they are the main support, or their ex-spouse of whom they remain the main support |
| Notice | Written, with the repossession date, the beneficiary's name and relationship; 6 months before the end of a lease of more than 6 months; 1 month for a lease of 6 months or less; 6 months before the intended date for an indefinite lease |
| Tenant's reply | 1 month; silence = refusal |
| Application to the TAL | Within the month following the refusal (or silence); hearing and proof of good faith by the landlord |
| Protected tenant | 65 or older (or spouse), 10 years of occupancy, income ≤ 125% of the social-housing threshold: repossession prohibited, unless the landlord or beneficiary is 65 or older, or a landlord 65 or older living in the building wants to house a relative |
| Indemnity | The TAL can impose an indemnity equal to moving costs, and other fair conditions |
| After repossession | The beneficiary must live in the unit; a bad-faith repossession exposes the landlord to damages, including punitive, often several thousand to several tens of thousands of dollars |
Repossession (to live there or house a relative) remains possible. Eviction (subdivide, substantially enlarge, change the use, demolish) has been suspended since June 2024 for three years, until June 2027, with the law providing an earlier end if the vacancy rate of Quebec's urban centres reaches 3%; when permitted, it requires six months' notice, TAL authorization if refused and an indemnity of one month's rent per year of uninterrupted occupancy (minimum three months, maximum twenty-four) plus moving costs, for notices sent since February 21, 2024. A buyer planning to convert a duplex into a single-family home or to enlarge by absorbing a unit must therefore wait, or obtain a negotiated and documented voluntary departure.
For a July 1 to June 30 lease: sign the deed of purchase before December 31, send the repossession notice (registered mail or hand delivery with signature) for receipt by December 31, tenant's reply in January, TAL application in February if refused, hearing in the spring, move-in on July 1. A purchase signed in March therefore only allows moving in on July 1 of the following year, unless a departure agreement is reached with the tenant, often with compensation. Choosing the unit to repossess: the most recent tenant's, without protection, with the shortest lease; check age, seniority and situation before the offer, without discrimination, through the leases and section G. The buyer cannot have the seller send the notice before the deed: only the owner at the time of the notice can repossess for themselves or their relatives, which means signing the purchase before the notice deadline.
Yes, to live there or house a relative, with six months' notice before the end of the lease, in good faith, and TAL authorization if the tenant refuses.
Those 65 and over (or their spouse) who have occupied for ten years on a modest income, unless the landlord or the beneficiary is also 65 or over.
The TAL can impose an indemnity covering moving costs for a repossession; for an eviction, the indemnity is one month's rent per year of occupancy (3 to 24 months) plus moving.
Not until June 2027 (moratorium), except a negotiated voluntary departure; afterwards, with six months' notice, TAL authorization and an indemnity.
The plex file: plex forecasts 2027 (French), welcome tax on a plex (French) and the RénoPlex grant.
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Also available in French: version française de ce guide.
Published September 7, 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.
24 hours' notice before a showing, six months for a repossession notice, an eviction indemnity of one month per year from 3 to 24 months, and 10 days or 3 months for major work: every Tribunal deadline is gathered in our landlord and tenant guide.
Équipe no 1 de RE/MAX Platine en 2024 et en 2025, 6e au Québec, 15e au Canada et dans le top 50 mondial au classement officiel RE/MAX. Réponse en moins de 24 heures, sept jours sur sept.