My landlord refuses the lease assignment what happens?
Short answer
In Quebec, since February 21, 2024, if a landlord refuses a lease assignment without serious cause, the assignment does not go through but the lease ends on the assignment date stated in the tenant's notice, and the tenant is released.
In detail
The landlord has 15 days to reply to the notice of assignment. If they do not reply, they are deemed to have accepted.
If they refuse for a serious cause — for example, a candidate who clearly cannot afford the rent — the assignment is blocked and the lease continues with the current tenant.
If they refuse without serious cause, the lease is cancelled on the assignment date the tenant had stated. The tenant has no further obligations from that date. This rule applies to notices sent on or after February 21, 2024. If there is disagreement over whether the cause is serious, the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL, Quebec's rental board) can decide and may award damages.
What to document
The date you sent your notice of assignment, the assignment date you stated, the landlord's reply and the exact reason they give, word for word. The written reason is the central piece of evidence if the file goes to the TAL.
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
Official sources
- TAL — Lease assignment contract and notice of sublet
- Éducaloi — Lease assignment and subletting a dwelling
- JuridiQC — How to leave your dwelling during the lease
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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.