Tenant selection · Privacy
Choosing a tenant protects an asset. But collecting personal information is regulated, and an over-curious rental form exposes you.
Framework, not prohibition
The Tribunal devotes a full section to the lease and the protection of personal information. Before the lease is concluded, a landlord may wish to obtain personal information about an aspiring tenant, and the Commission d'accès à l'information sets out the principles and limits that must guide both parties. The first principle is respect for the right to privacy: whatever the context, collecting personal information is regulated.
The test for every field
Ask it for each item requested: is this information necessary to decide whether to rent, or merely comforting? Rental forms circulating online often ask for far more than needed, and it is the landlord who carries responsibility for what they collect.
What actually predicts a good tenant
- Ability to pay, assessed soberly.
- References from the previous landlord, when verifiable.
- Consistency of the file, more than its volume.
For an investor
A plex resells on the quality of its leases as much as on its condition. Stable tenants, rents paid, clean leases: that is what a buyer and their lender look at.
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
Can I run a credit check?
The Tribunal refers to the Commission d'accès à l'information. The guiding principles remain privacy and necessity. Check the Commission's current position before building your form.
Can I require a security deposit?
That is a separate question governed by law. Ask the Tribunal about the applicable rule before requesting anything at signing.
Does screening affect the building's value?
Indirectly but genuinely. Documented, stable leases reassure a buyer and their lender.
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.