Quebec Landlord Rent Increase Checklist — Step-by-Step for 2026

The Full Sequence in Order

Raising rent in Quebec follows a fixed pipeline. Skip a step or miss a deadline and you lose the increase for the entire renewal cycle. Here is every step in order, with the 2026 rules.

Step 1: Gather Your Expense Documents

Before calculating anything, collect four categories of paperwork:

• Municipal tax bill — current year and prior year, showing dollar amounts
• School tax assessment — same two-year comparison
• Building insurance statement — current and prior policy period premiums
• Capital work invoices — any major repairs completed in the preceding calendar year, with proof of payment

You need two years of tax and insurance figures because the 2026 formula only adds the portion of increases that exceeds the 3.1% base rate. Without both years, you cannot calculate the excess.

Step 2: Calculate the Increase

Apply the 2026 modernized formula:

1. Start with the 3.1% base rate (three-year Quebec CPI average)
2. Add the excess portion of municipal tax increases above 3.1%
3. Add the excess portion of school tax increases above 3.1%
4. Add the excess portion of insurance premium increases above 3.1%
5. Add 5% annual amortization of net eligible capital expenditures (after deducting subsidies and insurance payouts)
6. For seniors' residences with personal care services: add 6.7% on the personal services portion

If none of your taxes or insurance went up by more than 3.1%, and you did no capital work, the base rate of 3.1% is your entire calculation. Most small landlords with stable operating costs will land close to that number.

Step 3: Fill Out the Notice Form

Use the TAL's official form TAL-806A-E (revision 2026-05). Fill in:

• Full names of all lessors and lessees
• Complete civic address of the dwelling
• The proposed new rent (as a dollar amount, net increase, or percentage)
• The proposed renewal start and end dates
• The three mandatory response options (accept / refuse and stay / leave)

Sign and date the form. Make a copy for yourself before serving it — the copy is where the tenant signs the acknowledgment if you deliver in person.

Step 4: Serve the Notice Within the Window

For a 12-month lease, the tenant must receive the notice between 3 and 6 months before the lease expires. For July 1 leases: serve between January 1 and March 31.

Acceptable service methods:

• Registered mail — provides a postal tracking log and delivery signature
• Bailiff (huissier de justice) — produces an official procès-verbal, the strongest proof
• Personal delivery — hand it to the tenant and have them sign and date the acknowledgment block on your copy

Email is valid only if the lease explicitly authorizes electronic service or the tenant confirms receipt in writing. Without that, email alone is not reliable proof before the TAL.

Step 5: Track the Tenant's Response

The tenant has exactly one month from the date they received the notice to respond in writing. Mark the deadline in your calendar.

Three possible outcomes:

• Silence — legally equals acceptance. The lease renews at the new rent.
• Written acceptance — same result, documented.
• Written refusal (staying) — the lease renews, but the rent is disputed. You now have one month to act.

Step 6: File at the TAL if the Tenant Refuses

If the tenant refuses and stays, you must file an application for rent fixing (demande de fixation de loyer) at the TAL within one month of their refusal. Filing fees in 2026: $59, $70, or $92 depending on the monthly rent bracket.

File online through the TAL's Votre demande en ligne portal or in person at a regional office. Missing this one-month deadline means the lease renews at the old rent — no second chances until next year.

Step 7: Prepare for the Hearing

Organize your evidence file: tax bills, insurance statements, capital work invoices with proof of payment, the notice, proof of delivery, and the tenant's refusal. The TAL adjudicator applies the calculation criteria to your documents. The stronger your file, the closer the fixed rent lands to your proposed figure.

For a printable version of this checklist with the 2026 calculation formula and a deadline worksheet personalized to your lease dates, see our Quebec rent increase guide.

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