Montréal, le 22 février 2024 --- The Association des Propriétaires du Québec (APQ) finds it difficult to explain how a bill that has gone through so many amendments and that affects property rights could have been adopted.
"The APQ is disappointed, and the term is not strong enough." According to Martin Messier, President of APQ.
This bill has been completely rewritten with more than 40 amendments, amendments of amendments, and all without further consultations of the important changes proposed in this new 2024 version.
"The imposition of damages, the reversal of the burden of proof on landlords are new obstacles and an intrusion into the property rights of landlords. With all these changes, the APQ will take the time to study all the upheavals that homeowners will undergo with the final version adopted."
"This bill was presented by the Minister as a rebalancing of the rights of tenants and landlords, but for the APQ, the few changes to protect and preserve the rights of landlords are only crumbs in the face of the new rights granted to tenants." d'ajouter Martin Messier.
The denial of the assignment of a lease, the prohibition of haggling over a lease or the punishment of a tenant who sublets his dwelling at a higher price than the amount of the rent stated in the lease do not in any way justify the Government's infringing on the right to property of those who toil to pay their mortgages and maintain their property.
The adoption of clause G, which adds new punitive damages, a clause that at its base is a source of conflict and a deterioration of the rental stock.
Not to mention the negative perception of the reversal of the burden of proof that all landlords which implies that landlords are liars and people in bad faith.
L'Association des Propriétaires du Québec (APQ) can only hope that a new bill that will include the rental reality of landlords will soon be tabled.