Can my landlord enter my home without warning?
In the United States? This answer is Québec and Canadian law. The US side of this site answers different questions, state by state: different law, and different coverage. Go to the US side
Short answer
No. In Quebec, the landlord must give 24 hours' notice before entering the dwelling, the visit must take place between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., and the tenant may require the landlord or their representative to be present.
In detail
The tenant has a right to peaceable enjoyment of the premises. If the conditions are not met · a visit before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m., or the absence of the landlord or their representative · the tenant may refuse access.
These rules apply to checks on the condition of the dwelling, to maintenance repairs, to visits by a prospective tenant and to visits by a potential buyer.
There is one exception: urgent and necessary work, such as a major leak or an electrical hazard, can be done immediately without notice. If the tenant refuses access without a valid reason, the landlord may ask the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL, Quebec's rental board) for an access order.
What to document
The date and time of each entry, how you were notified (or not), who came in, and why. Photos or video if possible, and the messages exchanged. A dated record of repeated entries speaks volumes before the tribunal.
Put your facts in writing, free. Writing your version down early, keeping your documents dated and preparing your questions for a lawyer: the tool is there to document, never to advise.
Open the application Up to 3 files, no card · see the plans
And to put it in order: our free tools · number your exhibits, set your facts in date order, request a copy of your file. No account, and nothing leaves your browser.
Official sources
- TAL · Access to the dwelling and visits
- Tribunal administratif du logement · Frequently asked questions
- JuridiQC · You are leaving your dwelling: your rights regarding visits
Related questions
- My landlord wants to show my apartment do I have to agree?
- Can my landlord forbid me from having a cat or a dog?
- My landlord wants to do major work what are my rights?
- Who has to repaint the dwelling the tenant or the landlord?
- My landlord is claiming damages at the end of the lease what do I do?
See all the answers · the full guide collection · Lire en français
What this page is not
This is general legal information about the law of Quebec and Canada, dated and sourced. It is not legal advice, not a strategy, and not a prediction about the outcome of a case. In Quebec, only lawyers and notaries may give legal advice (Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, ss. 128 and 133). Laws and amounts change: the official source always prevails over us.