Definition
The written notice in which a landlord proposes a rent increase or another change for the lease's renewal, within the deadlines set by the Civil Code (art. 1942 C.C.Q.).
What the notice must contain
The notice must be in writing, sent to the address given in the lease, and written in the language of the lease (art. 1898, Civil Code of Québec). It states:
- the changes requested, and the new length of the lease if that changes;
- the new rent in dollars, or the increase in dollars or as a percentage;
- the tenant's one-month deadline to refuse.
Since December 26, 2024 (Bill 65), it must also reproduce the mandatory text in Schedule I of the regulation on the mandatory content of the notice: the tenant's three options, what silence means and the remedies before the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL). A plain letter is no longer enough.
Deadlines and the tenant's reply
For a lease of 12 months or more, the notice is given between 6 and 3 months before the lease ends: January 1 to March 31 for a lease ending June 30. The tenant has one month from receiving it to refuse or say they're leaving; silence means acceptance (art. 1945 C.C.Q.). A tenant who refuses stays in the dwelling, and you have one month from receiving the refusal to apply for rent fixing; otherwise, the lease renews on the same terms (art. 1947 C.C.Q.). The exception: in a building covered by section F, a tenant who refuses must leave when the lease ends.
Work out the increase with the rent increase calculator and the dates with the notice deadline calculator.
Learn more
Glossary terms
Official sources
- TAL: Changing a condition of the lease
- Regulation on the mandatory content of the notice, Schedule I text (PDF, in French)
General information, not legal advice
This page summarizes the rules in force in Québec on the update date shown, for information only. It does not replace advice from a lawyer, notary or accountant, nor the official texts: when in doubt, rely on the sources above and on the Tribunal administratif du logement.