My landlord sold the building does my lease continue?
Short answer
Yes. In Quebec, the lease follows the dwelling: the new owner must respect it as though they had signed it themselves, and the tenant keeps their right to remain in the dwelling.
In detail
The tenant does not have to sign a new lease with the new owner and may refuse to do so. The terms already agreed on, including the rent, continue to apply until the end of the lease.
The new owner cannot raise the rent, change the payment arrangements or add conditions during the lease. They must wait for the renewal and respect the usual notice periods.
They may, however, repossess the dwelling once the sale is completed, respecting the time limits and the protections provided by law. If the tenant does not know whom to pay the rent to, they may ask the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL, Quebec's rental board) for authorization to deposit the rent.
What to document
Your current lease, proof of the rent paid (bank statements, receipts), and all communications from the new owner. Note each request to sign a new lease or to pay more, with its date.
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
- JuridiQC — Change of landlord: 9 questions and answers on your rights as a tenant
- TAL — Repossession of a dwelling
- TAL — Deposit of rent
Related questions
- Can my landlord ask for a security deposit?
- I paid my rent late can my landlord put me out?
- Can i stop paying rent if my dwelling is in bad condition?
- I want to leave before the end of my lease how do i do it?
- What is the difference between assigning a lease and subletting?
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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.