Follow these four steps to save you from a housing nightmare

Breaking down the lease one section at a time…

Section A

This section states the names of those entering in the legal agreement.  The lessee is the person renting from the landlord. The landlord and lessor are referred to as the same person; they are the ones you will refer to when there are problems and also who you will pay rent to.

Section B

This is in relation to the dwelling which you shall be renting. It stipulates the exact quarters your lease will cover, such as outdoor areas and parking spaces. This is also the section that indicates what furniture is included in the lease and also which appliances if any.

Section C

This indicates the length of the lease. It is really important to remember that a lease renews automatically! This means that you have to send a notice of non-renewal to your landlord if you want to move out or else you are the one responsible for paying rent.

Section D

This section concerns all the details relating the rent including where to pay when to pay and how much to pay. These are important details as it is the tenants’ primary responsibility to pay on time.

Section E

The landlord may have their own set of rules in regards to the building however if they go against the Régie du Logement’s policies they are invalid. For example it is illegal to charge money for a lease transfer, therefore even if you have agreed to these kinds of by-laws within your lease, they are illegal and thus invalid.

This is also the section where you would add the repairs that you and your landlord have agreed upon.

The continued part of section E outlines who is responsible for which service. A checkmark will be made under the designated person (landlord or lessee). This  means that your landlord is legally obliged to deliver the services that are designated as their responsibility.

If this section indicates that animals are not allowed although your landlord agrees to it verbally, the landlords has reserved right to ask you to get rid of them.

The lease speaks louder than any verbal agreement!

Section F

This section is to be filled out if one of the situations applies to you.

Section G

This section is key in regards to keeping your rent affordable! It is common practice for landlords to hike the rent between tenants, this way they do not need to justify the increase. However, they are only allowed to hike it according to the increases set forth by the Regie du logement (see Calculation document for more details). This means by filling out section G your rent will not simply increase due to the fact that you’re a new tenant. Make sure that your Landlord fills out this section!

Section H

If you want to be a tenant then you must be on the lease. If your name does not appear on the lease then you are not considered to be a tenant in the eyes of the Regie du logement. This means you are entering in a legally binding contract with your landlord. By signing the lease, you have rights and responsibilities as a tenant.

Section I

If you are married and using the dwelling as a family residence you must notify the landlord because as they will need written consent from the spouse in order to permit  a sublet or lease transfer.