Who has to repaint the dwelling the tenant or the landlord?
Short answer
In Quebec, minor routine maintenance repairs, such as paint touch-ups and filling small holes, are normally the tenant's responsibility; the landlord takes care of major repairs and the upkeep of the dwelling.
In detail
The dividing line rests on the distinction between routine maintenance and major work. Repainting a dwelling during the lease is generally treated as a minor maintenance repair.
The tenant is not responsible for normal wear and tear, nor for deterioration or a defect that is not their fault. They must, however, return the dwelling in the condition in which they received it, apart from normal wear and tear, and keep it in the same state of cleanliness.
Where there is doubt, the lease may set out specific obligations, provided they do not contradict the law.
What to document
Dated photos of every room on the day you move in and on the day you leave, with close-ups of the walls, the floors and the appliances. That is the most effective evidence against an end-of-lease claim.
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.
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Official sources
- JuridiQC — Which routine maintenance work is your landlord responsible for
- Éducaloi — The tenant's obligations
- TAL — Rights and obligations of the tenant
Related questions
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- Do i have 10 days to cancel a lease i just signed?
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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.