Selling a rental building · TAL rules
You are selling a duplex or triplex with tenants. They cannot refuse the showing, but you owe them a specific notice, and ignoring it derails sales.
The rule, exactly
Quebec's Tribunal administratif du logement is explicit: the landlord has an obligation to give the tenant 24 hours' notice, verbal or written, every time they want to show a dwelling to a prospective buyer. Showings must happen between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. The tenant may require that the landlord, or their representative, accompany the buyer during the visit.
What it changes for your sale
- No same-hour showings. A buyer calling at 11 for a 2 p.m. visit cannot be accommodated unless notice is already out.
- Nothing before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m., even if buyer and seller are both free.
- A triplex means three notices. Each tenant is entitled to their own.
How it works in practice
The method that works is batching. Instead of one notice per buyer, you announce fixed viewing windows to tenants in advance, with the required notice, and buyers come within those windows. Tenants know what to expect and the process stays compliant.
Entry during the lease
The same 24-hour notice applies when you need to enter during the lease, for instance to check the condition of the dwelling or carry out work. The Tribunal notes it is your right to verify the state of the dwelling, but that this right must be exercised with discernment. In divided co-ownership, the notice may be given by the syndicate.
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 a tenant refuse a showing?
Not if the 24-hour notice was given and the visit falls between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. They can, however, require that you or your representative accompany the buyer.
Does the notice have to be in writing?
The Tribunal says the 24-hour notice may be verbal or written. Writing is safer: it proves notice was given.
Can I use a lockbox on a tenanted unit?
It does not remove the notice requirement. Every showing still needs 24 hours' notice and must fall between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
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.