How to See if You're Eligible for Lower Rent

When signing a new lease for an apartment, the landlord must provide the new tenants with written notice of the lowest rent paid in the last 12 months. This is usually indicated in Section G of the standardized Quebec lease.  

It’s a tenant’s right to know the lowest rent paid (regardless of whether it was rented in the last 12 months). This is another measure to keep rent control effective in Quebec and protect tenants from unreasonable rent increases. 

If the new rent is higher than the lowest rent paid in the last 12 months, tenants have the right to file at the Tribunal Administratif du Logement (TAL) for Rent Fixation. A Rent Fixation is a way to calculate a tenant’s rent.   

A tenant’s rent will then be “fixed” and set by the TAL who are the provincial body that supervise Quebec’s housing laws and regulations.  

A Rent Fixation can be performed at the beginning of a newly signed lease, however there is a specific deadline to be followed for filing: 

• Within 10 days from signing the lease if declared on the lease;  

• Within 2 months from signing the lease, if the tenant didn’t receive notice of the lowest rent paid; 

• Within 2 months from the day in which the tenant discovered that the landlord made a false statement about the lowest rent paid. 

If you have questions or want more information about the Quebec lease, Section G, and/or filing with the TAL, do not hesitate to contact us at hojo@csu.qc.ca. 

You can also find information on the TAL’s website: https://www.tal.gouv.qc.ca/