20% of landlords face non-payment of rent

More and more landlords are having difficulty with their tenants due to non-payment of rent in Quebec. A worrying situation, according to CORPIQ.

According to a recent survey by CORPIQ, 20% of landlords are faced with tenants who leave their homes without warning and without paying rent in the past month.

In Quebec, an average of 40,000 cases of non-payment of rent end up in the Administrative Tribunal of the Registry (TAL) annually. A rather expensive situation for the owners, as it generates approximately $225 million in losses annually.

For CORPIQ, one solution to the scourge of non-payment is the security deposit that the tenant will provide to the landlord.

“The security deposit is also to reassure landlords that if a tenant leaves without paying, they find themselves with some form of security, as we see in other counties,” said Marc-Andre Laplante, CORPIQ’s director of public affairs.

“It is very important to investigate your tenants. Do you check with the credit bureau? Does your tenant have good credit? Do they have the ability to pay?” recalls Jose Joshua Ponce of Bonslocataires.com.

He also suggests checking the prospective tenant’s references to avoid unpleasant surprises.

“Does he have very significant behavioral problems? You should review the TAL, civil and criminal law as well as with references of previous owners and employers,” he explained.