Montréal

Could someone please educate about what the deal is for subletting in Montreal?

 I want to go home for a month in august and my landlords are a very formal, large company. Would I have to inform them and make the subletter sign a million forms and get a credit check for just the month or what?

I'm moving into a new place at the end of the month, and I have two questions (for now) that I can't seem to figure out.

1) How/where do I get apartment insurance?

2) There's a bunch of renovation/random junk and an old washing machine in my half of the backyard. Is the landlord responsible for clearing it out or will I have to call one of those junk collection places?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions, and sorry if the answers end up being really obvious :-)

...is the landlord entitled to ask for one? If so, how do I protect myself and ensure that the full amount is refunded to me? I'm subletting an apartment for the summer, and the owner wants a safety deposit of in case of any damage that I incur to furniture and/or the apartment itself. This worries me a bit, since 'damage' is such a subjective term. Any leads? Thank you MTL!

Hello,

So, I moved into my new place about two weeks ago, and I love it. Except for this one little thing. There are ants.

I got this place from a friend who was moving out. The lease is in my name now, it's all kosher and so forth, but she says she never noticed any ants when she was there. The windows have no screens (apparently the entire building is like this, which is crazy to me, but whatever!), and while I almost never have them open (due to my enormous arachnophobia), I don't really think they're coming in there. It wasn't that bad before; just an occasional ant on the floor.

But suddenly today, there was an enormous swarm of them on my kitchen floor and I'm a bit freaked out. My mom suggested I put down bay leaves, since I have no idea where to buy ant traps in this city. I did that yesterday (and now it looks like it's autumn in my apartment, lol) and the seriously increased ant problem started today.

Also, I'm not entirely certain that they're ants. They look mostly like ants and they move like ants, both alone and in groups, but they're harder to squish. They're black. It might just be a kind of ant I don't think we have in Manitoba, but I'm not sure. Any suggestions, including where to buy ant traps (are they expensive?? I am super poor!), whether the bay leaves are exacerbating the problem or helping, recommended insect sprays, etc., whether or not this is my landlord's responsibility, etc., would be really great. Thanks!!!

Basically, my sister (and her fiancée, who is not on the lease) just moved here from BC,  and 24 hours before she arrived I co-signed her lease (after viewing the apartment a few weeks ago).  No mention at the time of the original viewing that no pets were allowed...and in fact, I saw and heard a dog on the same floor the first time I was there.  This was almost a month ago.

 24 hours before my sister arrives, I co-sign her lease and there is a box that says NO PETS.  And it's checked off.  SH*T! I sign anyways, knowing that she means to fly her two pugpoo puppies out in a few days.

I call her as soon as I get home, tell her the sitch...she gets here, signs the lease as is, says nothing to the landlord, and flies them out anyways.  The next day she gets caught by the janitor and now we have to meet with the owner of the building tonight (same guy who showed me the place).

Can she get evicted?  How soon does she have to be out if so?  Do we have to pay penalties?  Basically, is she going to be out on the street in, like, DAYS, or does she at least have a month or two to find a new place?  I mean, I figure, she breached the lease, so there are grounds to evict her....but I cannot find anything online to show me how fast she would have to be out by.

I already left messages with the Comité logement du Plateau Mont-Royal and Arnold Bennett's Housing Hotline, and I looked through the Régie du logement's website, as well as the McGill Off Campus FAQ and the Canadian Housing Corporation's site, but I still have questions...  Hopefully someone can help me out!

hey out there -

i have a couple questions concerning landlord responsibilities and tenant resources to do with mold problems...

1 - i have a mold problem in my apartment. my landlord is aware of it but blows it off. it seems that you can hire a building inspector/mold specialist to come in and inspect the mold? has anyone ever done this?

2 - i also thought i once heard about a website in montreal that is dedicated to reviews of landlords. does such a thing exist?

thanks -

Hey all

My boyfriend went to take the recycling down and found a notice attached to our door, and all the others. We've been informed that our landlord has sold the building and as of July 1 2008, we should pay our rent to another name.

My question is twofold...
a) Our previous landlord asked for 6 months worth of checks at a time. He currently has in his possession checks good until October in his name, from me. How can I get those back, or make sure he doesn't try to cash them?

b) Is the previous owner allowed to do this? I don't know, it seems like he should have either told us he was looking to sell the place, or given us a bit sooner notice. July 1 is next week! Do I have some right to complaint here?

I'm posting this on behalf of two friends who are having trouble with their landlord. One of them made a sexual harassment complaint to the landlord about the super/janitor. Just today the hall closet door broke and now the janitor won't fix it unless someone else is there because of the sexual harassment complaint. Both the tenants were there at the time (both female) and there's only one janitor. The landlord is currently not answering calls but probably won't be much help since he's also friends with the janitor.

What's the best course of action in this case. The current repairs needed are non-emergency, but if the sole janitor refuses to make repairs without another person present (likely the landlord) it's going to be very time-consuming to get things fixed. My friends will be calling the Rental Board on Monday but any advice from people here woild be appreciated.

My friends are planning on leaving when the lease is up in a year but they just moved in 3 weeks ago and aren't willing to go through another move before then.  Anyway there should be other legal remedies in cases like this.

What sort of access rights does my landlord have in regards to showing my apartment? I have just given my 3 month notice that I'm moving out at the end of my lease.

The Regie has a PDF called "Access to the Dwelling and Visiting Rights" that is kind of vague and general, saying that she

"[has[ the right to visit the dwelling.
However, remember that you must obtain
permission from the tenant before
entering the premises. A verbal request is
sufficient and no time limit is imposed by
law.

Visits must take place between 9 a.m.
and 9 p.m. and the tenant may demand
that you or your representative be
present. Otherwise, the tenant has the
right to refuse you access to the dwelling.
Some advice : as soon as the tenant
gives his notice of non-renewal, reach an
agreement with him on the conditions of
visit of the dwelling since you must obtain
permission before entering his home."

My landlord has been quite unethical and is just a pain to deal with. She often does things that are against her tenants' rights, and then plays helpless, claiming that "she didn't know". So I don't want her to be showing my place when I'm not here as I don't trust her.

1. Do I have the right to tell her I want the apartment available for showing only on certain days, for example, Mon-Thurs after 6 PM and not on Sunday?

2. Do I have the right to allow showings only when I'm present, as I don't want her coming in when I'm not at home?

3. What, generally, is enough notice? She wrote me that she's not always near a computer so she can't always give me notice.(Meaning she'll come in whenever she likes.) I am taking the position that if she doesn't give me notice AND get confirmation from me about the visit that she doesn't have a right to come in.

Any help is appreciated. This woman is very pushy and always tries to take advantage.

A friend of mine lives in an apartment building that I want to move into but it just got seized by the bank because the owner was behind on the payments. My friend told me that in terms of the people living there, nothing should change except for who owns it. I'm wondering if it's a bad time for me to consider moving in there, what I should find out and if any of you have been in this situation, what happened? Thanks in advance.

Since there are people here from all walks of life I would like to ask if any of you would know how to render a door lock inoperable.

I have been telling the concierge at my place that our inside hall door lock is busted, every time i try to open the door it takes me 10-15 minutes of jiggling the key and moving it around before it finally lets me.

Every time I mention it, he tells me I'm the only one who complains about it and looks at me like I'm an idiot, when I know for a fact every single tenant that has opened the door for me has expressed their discontent about having to struggle with that lock.

Last time I told him about he said if you don't like the lock do something about it. The guy just doesn't want to do his job.

Now I don't want to lock to become permanently unlocked, that would be too unsafe, I want to do the opposite. I want to force the lock shut so no one can come in and shove a huge sign on the door saying "Lock broken, ring the concierge's apartment, if there's no answer, ring at his daughters apartment."

After a day of this I'm guessing he's going to fucking change the lock or his daughter is going to kick his ass into doing it.

We don't have any leases here so I can't really go to the regie du logement and I really don't care if he charges me for breaking the lock I just want him to change it before I get mad enough to murder him.

Anyone super comfortable with the rent increase technicalities? ( If so, here's the deal )

 Is there anything I can do to get the people living upstairs from me to stop playing thier music so loud at 9am with the bass way up? It freaks the shit out of my old, diabetic cat. She's shaking and really upset. I don't know these people at all but I want the yowling of the kitty to stop. She doesn't deserve this. :(

Maybe someone can give me an advise on what to do?

I rent a 3 1/2 in Cote St-Luc, moved in in 1998, so it's been almost 10 years. Never had any problems until it started in 2004...
The roof in my bedroom started leaking. The janitor kept dragging and avoiding until I finally opened a file with the Rental Board - so finally in summer 2006 they reroofed the building... about 2 years after my leaking started.

Now a few weeks ago it started leaking again, but now it's worse than ever - unlike last time, when it was a single little crack, this time it's practically the whole entire area of the bedroom ceiling that is covered with cracks and is leaking POURING! This week alone, every day I collected 4-5 buckets of water from my bedroom ceiling each and every day!! It's is literally raining in my apartment!

Ever since I moved here in 1998 the building has been bought and resold more than half dozen times and is now owned by some dubious company impossible to contact and the janitor when I ask him when will it be fixed keeps avoiding/mumbling something unintelligable, the only thing I understood is that until the end of winter - tough luck (and even after that, I suspect the same, unless I take some drastic measures). Well yesterday he gave me keys to a 'backup' apartment, in case my living room starts leaking too and I have nowhere left to sleep...

But I've lived here for a long time, I love my apartment, my rent is unbelievably low (under $400), it's a great area (around Westminster/Guelph), and I don't wanna move out - I just want them to fix the roof!
How should I proceed?
I'm very anxious and am going insane!... I actually am becoming suicidal.

My bedroom ceiling: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Ummm, I'm having a similar problem to the below poster. I'm about to be sued by my landlord for causing mice in our duplex. It's all untrue, but not the point. Anyway, they want us to pay 3000$ for an exterminator...Sound..a..wee bit expensive? I think so. Do you guys have any price listings for exterminators?

July saw me move into an apartment with a gas stove, a thing totally foreign and unfamiliar to me (or any of my immediate family, for that matter). Most people I know have visions of explosions and stories of people they know having rather unforuntate accidents with their stoves. So far, I have not blown myself up, and don't particularly expect to. It's been a bit hit and miss figuring out what is what, given that none of the dials have any labels worth talking about, and when I asked the janitor in the building if he had some idea as to what was what for the oven dial, he seemed shocked that I would actually care what temperature things were set at. "Oh ... you cook like that? I don't know then." Perhaps North Americans are too picky about having explicit directions?

This aside, we have one burner which, I assume, requires adjusting. Although there is no visible smoke, it is producing a rather annoying quantity of black soot/ash which is, in turn, clogging itself up. The other burners have not exhibited this behaviour, so I can only blame the burner.

Yet, the janitor turns it on and concludes that all is fine because there is fire. I haven't yet figured out how to describe my concern in other terms which might be more readily understood, though ...

I am no expert, and the information I've found online on these things has been a bit sketchy, but is this not a potential problem? My guess is that a carbon monoxide detector would have a field day with this, if what I'm reading is accurate.

And if it is, whose responsibility is it to, well, fix it? Me, or the landlord? I would be inclined to say the latter, but given that they've concluded non-functioning wall plugs are not a priority if it doesn't make living impossible, and a month later I still have a constantly-running toilet, I want to make sure of this before I start getting more... "insistent" about these issues.

Hey all,
I've been living here for nearly a year and I got a situation blooming about my housing situation. If anybody's interested to give me some advice, please do <3

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For those who are moving tomorrow morning, what time are you moving? Is it abnormally late to start moving at 11am?

I found out today that new tenants are moving in at 6am, and my landlady seemed to think that I should be out of here by midnight tonight (hah! The Regie backs me up in my scoffing, so, no.). When she asked what time I was leaving (I'm assuming she was about to give me some leeway), I told her 11am and she said that's way too late.

I'm just wondering if my expectations are too high, here, or if my landlady is being unreasonable. Help? I've never had to move on July 1st before, and I've never had so little flexibility in terms of the time frame (I can ONLY move on July 1st).

Hello,

my coworker is in a bit of a dilemma. Her lease renewed itself without her wanting to. Her landlord had told her roommate about it but the roommate didn't tell her. Now the roommate is out of town and the landlord is telling her that she has to pay first and last months rent for the new term. As I remember from previous posts, it's illegal to charge last months rent. I'm wondering if that's true and also if they are allowed to charge first months rent on a lease renewal. Thanks in advance.

Got a question about bails

Now we were looking into an apartment to switch starting from July 2007 to 2008. In all verbal communication, we made clear we would be moving in at the end of June since we're signed for here.

Now, the proprio called us and said we can move in. Puzzled, we verified the bail. It is indeed for June 2007 to June 2008. The owner insists this was made clear and we had agreed to it verbally, yet we definitely did not for it would not have made sense to pay two apartments.

Now I realize we signed a legally binding document, but this is not what was discussed properly. The date for the end of bail is partly unreadable and only **/06/08 can be read out of it. Would this offer any help?

I'll be trying to do an entente à l'amiable but I was just wondering if we have anything to back us out on this.

When I moved to Montreal in January, I didn't sign the lease for my apartment. I want to become a resident of Quebec and my landlord assured me that if she gives me receipts that I can use them for residency.  I found this a little sketchy so I just asked her  if she would back sign a lease. My question to you is: Is that legal? Will that work to become a resident next January? If not, what are my options? Is  the lease supposed to be registered somewhere to be valid? Cuz she seems to think it just needs to be signed and then it's legal. 

                                                                                                                                         Thanks in advance

Hello Montrealers,

I was hoping someone here would either know the answer, or be able to point me to the info on the Régie's website as I haven't been able to find the relevant information there.

Here's the situation: I told my building manager, when she served me with the notice of rent increase back in February, that I would be staying for the summer, but then moving out. She said it wasn't a problem, as long as I gave enough notice. Mid-April, I told her I'd be out by August 30 officially, but would move out mid-month (date still unknown). She, again, said it wasn't a problem and told me she'd start looking for a new tenant mid-summer. I called her today, to say I had a potential tenant (a friend) lined up, who had good credit, references, etc. She's fine with that. But here's the kicker: she tells me that the owner of the building will charge me a $100 fee for breaking the lease. This was never mentioned before. And, had it been, I wouldn't have renewed my lease. (If it makes a difference, I moved in June 1, 2004, have been a good tenant, etc.)

Given how much notice I've given, and that I did the work to actually find the new tenant, I don't think they have a legal right to charge me a fine. Do they?

Thanks!

Just wondering. I am currently hunting for an apt. with my boyfriend for July. I have no credit except for a loan in collections (that I am working hard on repaying and pay regularily and told her about). But when prospective landlords look up your credit... what are they looking for? Do they see if you have failed attempts before? If they say no with credit... is there anything that I could do/say/sign to put their mind at ease? How easy is it to get an apt... she didn't ask for references, and I should find out tomorrow or Tuesday, but anything more specific information you could give me? Co-signer on lease or something? She will speak to my current landlord of course, and check my employment (I have been there 4 months)... so there ya go! :)

I guess I'm just worried, but wondering what else I could do/say/suggest if they don't accept us? Thank you... Boyfriend has been at  his job for 4 years, and I think his credit's ok...

Any advise?

Hi, everyone:

Sorry, I'm a bit confused over the lease laws, and everyone I ask gives me different explanations. I was under the impression that as long as I notified the landlord 3 months before the lease expiration that I'd be moving out, it wouldn't auto-renew. However, he sent us a note back in early January about the rate going up, and I kinda ignored it, since we weren't planning on staying anyway. Now I'm worried that the lease auto-renewed since I didn't respond in a month and waited till the deadline (we weren't sure if we were moving until recently).

Like I said, I'm a bit confused, so having another explanation would help (or not ;)). Am I in the clear as long as I send it registered mail tomorrow? Or do I have to break the lease since I waited too long? Or is there a third option?

TIA!

does anyone know where i can find information on by-laws concerning fire/smoke alarms in apartment buildings?

there was a fire in our building, right underneath our apartment, in the middle of the night on friday. there was not ONE working fire/smoke alarm in the entire building (it's a four-storey). this is illegal, right?

Hey, it's that time of year again... please know your rights when it comes to rent increases, as many landlords will offer you two choices- accept their new terms or leave- and you have a thrd: refuse their terms and stay!

You can find all your rights of retaining occupancy in the grey writing on your lease, and also visit this website for this years' press releases on increases. It is suggested to have no or minimal increases this year.

Happy Renewals everyone!

I have been living in my apartment for app. 6 months now and have reached the breaking point with the unresponsiveness from my landlord with regards to necessary repairs to my apartment (unfinished floorboards that allows cigarette smoke from the apartment below into my apartment, mould in my clothes closet and broken radiator) and heating that is well below 21C (as low as 14C).

I have talked to the Regie from the start, recorded every phone call/problem, sent my registered letter to the landlord and even told her in person of my intention to vacate the premises by end of February.

The response?

The building has been sold and my landlord basically told me that it's no longer her problem. This explains why she didn't bother to address ANY of my concerns--it wasn't in her economic interest.

The problem?

I sent my registered letter to the landlord 2 weeks ago and she STILL has not picked it up from the post office. And I do not have the new contact information for the new landlord.

According to the Regie, I have to go through them to further the whole 'breaking the lease' thing but it's the middle of brutal winter and no one could guarantee me that my case would be heard in a timely manner.

My question:
Has anyone successfully broken their lease based on any of the grounds I have mentioned above?
Has anyone abandoned their apartment when they've exhausted all avenues possible?




(I have checked the tags and memories section but the answers appear to be all the same and are, unfortunately, not really that helpful.)

Last night our french class was visited by a representative from ROMEL (Regroupement des organismes du Montreal ethnique pour le logement), giving us lots of great info on renting, your rights, getting your landlord to get stuff done, what to do in case of vermin, how to contact the Regie, what kind of evidence to take, alternatives to the Regie, etc.

We received a super informative booklet with so much info and contact information I'd love to copy it all here, but it would probably take days. I'll just leave you with the contact for ROMEL.

FYI: On their website it says they communicate in: Français, anglais, espagnol, arabe, russe, laotien, vietnamien, portugais, italien, créole, ukrainien, persan, chinois.

ROMEL (Regroupement des organismes du Montreal ethnique pour le logement)
6555 Chemin de la Cote-des-neiges, bureau 400
tel: 514 341 1057
telc: 514 341 8404
http://www.romel-montreal.ca

I have vermin. Cockroaches, mice, and "common household centipedes." Landlord won't break the lease. Very sad. Is there some kind of health department I can threaten to call, or some other legal loophole that I can threaten to exploit? It's my understanding that involving the Regie would take a lot of time and probably not get me anywhere.

An exterminator comes every month but he sucks. Only sprays the baseboards. My roommates refuse to clean up. There's nothing more that my landlord can really do except let me go before I call the authorities. So my question is, which authorities are there to call?

Also, according to my landlord, I have to give three months' notice of breaking my lease. I plan to do this if no other option exists, in the form of a letter sent by registered mail and requiring a signature upon delivery. There's no way she could get someone else to rent this place, but I want to move while it's cold so that I can put my stuff outside for a couple of days and kill any hitchhikers. Cockroaches can take cold, but not being frozen... And Montreal gets pretty damn freezing.

Sad that I've memorized the tags to use for these posts, no? Hopefully I'll be out of here soon and I can knock it off with the spamming. =( Sorry guys.