Tenants: Leaving Your Place Before the Lease Ends

As a tenant, it may be possible for you to leave your place before your lease ends (also called ‘terminating’ or ‘resiliating’ your lease). But you can’t simply tell the landlord you’re leaving. You must reach an agreement with the landlord, be in a special situation, or get permission from the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL or rental board).

Leaving early with the landlord’s permission

There are many reasons you might want to leave your place before the lease ends. For example, you might be moving to study or work somewhere else, you might have bought a home, or don’t get along with your roommate.

You can end your lease early by reaching an agreement with your landlord. You don’t have to follow a particular procedure, but you can’t just tell the landlord you’re leaving. They must agree to it.

If you reach an agreement, you can have the landlord sign a document confirming these things:  

• the landlord’s agreements to end the lease,
• the new date when the lease will end,
• any other important information, like your moving date or any repairs that need to be done.

You can use this model agreement on the JuridiQC website (in French only). The financial compensation suggested in this agreement is optional and must be accepted by both you and your landlord.

Subletting or transferring your lease

In most cases, you can sublet your apartment to someone else. When you sublet, the person you sublet to becomes the temporary tenant of the apartment. You are still responsible for the lease.  

You can also try to transfer your lease (also called “assigning” your lease). When you transfer a lease, you hand it over to another person. That person takes your place on the lease. For example, they will have to pay the rent, follow the rules, and take care of the apartment. After the lease transfer, you’re no longer responsible for the apartment. 

Your landlord has the right to refuse a lease transfer. But if they refuse without a serious reason, your lease still ends on the date written in your lease transfer notice. This means you can still leave the apartment, but the person you wanted to transfer your lease to will not be allowed to move in. 

Learn more about sublets and lease transfers by reading our article Assigning a Lease or Subletting.

Outside links

• Assignment of a lease or subletting – Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL or rental board)
• Assignment of lease agreement – Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL or rental board)
• Notice of lease assignment – Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL or rental board)
• Notice of subletting of dwelling – Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL or rental board)

Ending your lease because of a special situation

It is possible to end your lease without your landlord’s agreement or the TAL’s permission if you are in one of the following special situations:

• Your security, or the security of a child who lives with you, is at risk because of spousal or sexual violence.
• You’re moving into low-rent housing (known in French as HLM).
• You’re a senior who is permanently moving to a housing facility that offers nursing care or personal assistance that you need because of your state of health.
• You have a disability that prevents you from continuing to live in your rental unit.

Ending your lease with the TAL’s permission

In some cases, you can end your lease if the landlord doesn’t respect their obligations. For example, the landlord must:

• provide a clean apartment in good, liveable condition,
• allow you to peacefully enjoy your apartment,
• make all necessary repairs, except for very minor ones.

If your landlord doesn’t respect their obligations, you can end your lease with the TAL’s permission. To learn more, read our articles Poor Housing Conditions: The Tenants’ Recourses and Heating and Rental Housing.