TAL Application for Repossession in Quebec: Filing Process and Fees

Your tenant refused your repossession notice — or stayed silent, which under Bill 31 counts as refusal. You have one month from receiving the refusal, or from expiry of the tenant's response period if they remain silent, to file an application with the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL). Otherwise, your notice expires and the lease automatically renews for another term.

When You Must File

If the tenant refuses in writing, the clock starts when you receive the refusal. If the tenant remains silent, the clock starts when the one-month response period expires. For example, if the tenant received TAL Form 809A on December 15, the response period ends January 15; if they remain silent, your TAL filing window runs from January 16 through February 15. Miss that window and Article 1963 of the Civil Code of Québec is unforgiving — you lose your right to repossess for the current lease cycle entirely.

The tenant may send a written refusal using TAL Form 811A, or may do nothing. Since Bill 31 changed the silence rule in February 2024, silence is treated as refusal for purposes of the TAL application deadline.

Filing Fees and How to Submit

The standard TAL application filing fee is $92 as of the April 2026 indexed schedule. You can file online through the TAL's digital portal, by mail, or in person at a TAL office. The online portal accepts credit card payments and generates a confirmation receipt immediately — keep that receipt, because it proves you filed within the one-month deadline.

Your application form asks for the dwelling address, lease dates, names of all parties on the lease, the specific statutory ground (repossession under Articles 1957–1958 C.c.Q.), the name and relationship of the beneficiary who will occupy the unit, and the intended date of repossession.

Documents You Need to Attach

The TAL expects supporting evidence filed with or before your hearing. Prepare these at the time of your application:

• Copy of the lease (or a sworn statement if verbal)
• Your repossession notice (TAL Form 809A) with the proof of service — the bailiff's procès-verbal, the Canada Post registered mail receipt with signature, or the tenant's signed acknowledgement
• Proof of ownership — a land title certificate from the Registre foncier du Québec
• Evidence of genuine intent — this might include a signed declaration, a change-of-address form, proof you sold your current residence, or documentation that your parent or child needs the unit

If you're repossessing for a family member, bring documentation of the relationship (birth certificate, adoption order) and evidence of that person's housing need.

What Happens After Filing

The TAL schedules a hearing and notifies both you and the tenant. Timing depends on the region and caseload. At the hearing, the burden of proof falls on you — the landlord — to demonstrate that your repossession is in good faith and that you genuinely intend to use the dwelling as a residence for yourself or your qualifying beneficiary.

The adjudicator weighs factors including how long you've owned the building, whether you have other vacant units of comparable size, whether the beneficiary actually needs the dwelling, and whether the timeline is credible. If the TAL authorises repossession, the decision specifies the vacating date and any conditions — including mandatory moving-expense compensation for the tenant.

If the TAL refuses, the lease continues on its existing terms and you cannot refile for the same dwelling until the next lease renewal cycle.

One Filing Mistake That Costs a Full Year

The single most common error is missing the one-month filing window after refusal or the expiry of the response period. Landlords who wait for a tenant to "come around" or who attempt informal negotiation after the refusal often discover the deadline has passed. The TAL cannot extend this statutory period. File first, negotiate second — you can always withdraw the application if you reach an agreement.

For the complete timeline covering notice service through TAL filing, the Quebec Tenancy Notice Guide maps every deadline in sequence so nothing falls through.

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