In Quebec, the majority of residential leases end on the 30th of June, each year. Tenants move in or out on the 1st of July, or a little bit before and after. For a landlord, it is important to keep a keen eye on this annual event in order to avoid surprises that could cause quite a few disagreements.
With the 1st of July coming soon now, one should take the time to verify among the tenants who must move if all goes well and if they found a new apartment as they already have given notice to you of their intention to leave the apartment within the delay and in the manner required. We recommend you verify the date and the hour of the moving. These verifications will allow you to prevent and to avoid certain problems. Indeed, when the tenants do not leave the premises at the end of the lease, a nightmare begins for the landlord. You must rapidly take recourse at the Régie du logement if your tenant refuses to leave. The situation is complicated when new tenants are waiting to take possession of the apartment. The new arrivals could request damages from you, caused by such a situation.
One must be diligent to avoid such inconveniences, as much for the tenants as for you, the owner of the premises.
Also, besides the preliminary verification which was made a few weeks before, it is important that the landlord or his representative be on the premises, ideally, at the time of the moving so that everything develops harmoniously with the arrival of the new occupants and those who have to leave your dwelling. It is also recommended to go assess the condition of the premises and to react if any damage should have been caused.
At the arrival of your new tenants it might also be a good idea to go to the premises to respond to questions and to see to it that the appliances (in case the apartment is furnished or semi-furnished) should be functioning well.
Our legal services are always available during this busy moving period and we recommend you to communicate with us in order to obtain the legal information necessary should there be any problems, which could facilitate for you the resolution of a difficult situation.