What Was the Old Rent for Your Apartment? You Have the Right to Know!

Legal News
Share
Print

When you sign your lease, your landlord must tell you the lowest rent that was paid over the last 12 months before your arrival. They must write this in section “G” of the standard residential lease.

If the rent being charged is higher

You can file an application with the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL or rental board) to adjust the rent if the rent being charged is higher than the old amount.

You must file this application within 10 days of signing the lease.

If you did not receive the notice

If your landlord did not include the lowest rent paid in the last 12 months in the lease, you have two months from the start of your lease to file the application with the TAL.

If the landlord made a false declaration

You have two months from the time that you learned that the amount declared by the landlord was false to file the application with the TAL.

Be careful with the exceptions!

Your landlord is not required to disclose the previous rent in some cases.

This means that you will not be able to file an application with the TAL if you’re moving into:

  • A housing co-op where you’re a member.
  • Low-rent housing.
  • A newly constructed building.
  • An apartment which had not been previously rented.

You’ll find the information you need to know about leases here.