Rent adjustment: Here’s how much your landlord can claim from you this year

Renters in Quebec can expect rent increases of at least 2.3% this year, a rate that has halved from last year due to inflation.

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Thus, the Administrative Housing Tribunal (TAL), in its annual rent adjustment calculation, has proposed a 2.3% rent increase for unheated accommodation, which rises to 2.9% considering the 5% increase in municipal taxes.

Owners of heated accommodation can charge their tenants 2.8% for an electric heating system, 4.5% for gas heating or 7.3% for oil.

These rates serve as a reference for setting annual rent increases, which may be higher depending on, for example, municipal taxes or work planned on the apartment.

Adjusted for inflation, this year’s TAL proposed rate of 2.3% is 56% higher than last year, when the court proposed a 1.3% increase for unheated rents. Rates fluctuated between 1.3% and 3.7% for different types of heating.

“Every year, the majority of landlords send abusive increases to their tenants, which exceed the rate of increase published by TAL”, responded the Regroupement des Comités Logement et Associations de Tenants du Québec (RCLALQ).

The organization has asked France-Alain Durency, the minister responsible for housing, to force landlords to use the rates set by TAL to determine rent increases.

“Forcing landlords to respect the rates issued by the TAL will help curb the uncontrolled explosion of rents. Tenants often accept abusive increases or buy peace due to ignorance of the law,” commented RCLALQ spokesperson Cédric Dussault.

Note that in Quebec, a tenant has the right to refuse a rent increase imposed by his landlord. Failing to reach an agreement, both parties can approach the TAL, which will set a rent increase.

In specific terms, the TAL has to resolve 1,715 disputes between landlords and tenants in 2022, granting an average rent increase of 3.1%.