Montreal, March 1, 2022 --- The Association des Propriétaires du Québec (APQ) would like to remind you that in Quebec rental housing owners have the right to increase the amount of their rents each year.
The owners have indeed the right to increase the rent!“We must stop confounding a tenant’s ability to pay his rent with the amount of the rent paid. Rental housing owners also have building-related expenses to assume, mortgages and taxes to pay, insurance and unpaid rents in some cases. We always talk about the financial capacity of the tenants, but not about the indebtedness of the landlords, the stress of meeting regulatory and government obligations!” says Martin Messier, President of the APQ.
Contrary to certain opinions, landlords are not bad people who all seek to abuse their tenants! They care about the quality of their building and their tenants. But to maintain such quality standards, they must also have the necessary income.
“The inaction of the various governments in power, in particular by maintaining an outdated and inappropriate method of setting the rent, is causing serious harm to the Quebec real-estate market!” stresses Martin Messier.
Landlords can once a year send a notice of modification to the lease to increase the monthly amount or add a particular condition to the lease.
“Look at the end date of your leases, their duration, and send your notices of increase in the planned period. The APQ is here to guide you if needed, by Calculo APQ to do your calculations, or to support you by contacting us.”
We strongly recommend that you do the calculations for your building with Calculo APQ before sending your notices of modification to the lease to know the amount according to the rent-setting criteria of the Administrative Housing Tribunal (TAL) in the event of a dispute.
1.28%: Just estimates but not reality!Even if the Administrative Housing Tribunal (TAL) insists every year that the figures issued are only estimates and that the landlord must make his own calculations, the tenants’ associations only use this figure.
Who carries the burden of opening a file for setting the rent in case of refusal of the tenant?
The Association des Propriétaires du Québec (APQ) would like to remind you that it is up to the landlord to open a file with the TAL to set the rent in case of refusal by the tenant.
It is up to the owner to provide all the documents, pay the fees, sent the request and documents, fill out the RN form, etc... What should the tenant do? Just say: “I refuse and I stay in the housing.”
“We still see with these procedures that the burden is on the owners, all the bureaucracy and expenses to just have a meager due, a small increase indeed but necessary because it is the right of the owner!” concludes the APQ.
One last factor: When will subsidies be issued to support tenants with housing assistance, since it is not up to the owners of rental housing to financially support the tenants, but to the government. And when will renovation credits be made available because how can one decently renovate with $1.67 for every $1000.00 spent on major work?
Founded in 1984, the Association de propriétaires du Québec (APQ) is the largest association to offer services to rental property owners. It has been serving rental housing owners in all regions of Quebec for 35 years. In addition to offering, to both duplex or triplex owners and property managers, a tenant assessment service unique in Quebec.
Rent increase: Building owners have the right to increase their rent!
