How do I not renew my lease (notice of non-renewal), and what happens if I say nothing?

✓ Verified answer Written from official pages, with checked citations and a verification date.

General information, not legal advice. In Québec, most housing leases renew automatically when they end: if you want to stay on the same terms and your landlord has sent you no notice, you do not have to do anything. If you do not want to renew, you must send your landlord a written notice of non-renewal, within time limits that depend on the length of your lease. If your landlord sent you a notice of change (for example a rent increase) and you want to leave, you must answer in writing no later than 1 month after receiving it. The official pages read do not detail what happens if you miss the deadline: they only say that other options exist to leave your home.

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Key facts

Automatic renewal: A housing lease renews automatically; the landlord and tenant are not required to exchange notices, unless the landlord wants to change a condition or the tenant wants to leave.
Tenant's notice periods (no change notice): Lease of 12 months or more: 3 to 6 months before it ends. Lease of less than 12 months: 1 to 2 months before it ends. Room lease: 10 to 20 days before it ends.
If the landlord sent a change notice: Tenant's written answer no later than 1 month after receiving it. With no answer, the tenant is deemed to have accepted the changes.
Students: The lease of a full-time student in housing run by an educational institution is not renewed automatically: the student must send a written notice, at least 1 month before the lease ends, saying they want to renew; otherwise the lease ends.
Model notices: The TAL provides a model notice of non-renewal of the lease by the tenant and a model response to the rent increase or change notice.
Not stated on the pages read: The exact consequences of a notice sent late, and how the notice must be delivered for a fixed-term lease (except that JuridiQC asks for proof for an indefinite-term lease).

Your procedure, step by step

Start the official procedure Official page: You do not want to renew your lease (JuridiQC) (opens in a new tab)https://juridiqc.gouv.qc.ca/etre-locataire/loyer-modification-et-fin-du-bail/quitter-son-logement/vous-ne-voulez-pas-renouveler-votre-bail-voici-ce-qu-il-faut-faire

Work out your situation. Time limits depend on the length of your lease (12 months or more, less than 12 months, room, indefinite term) and on whether your landlord sent you a notice of change (rent increase or other condition). The JuridiQC page does not apply if you live in a student residence or low-rent housing (LLM), or if you are a subtenant.
If you want to stay on the same terms and received no rent increase or change notice: you do not have to notify your landlord. The lease renews automatically.
If you want to leave and your landlord sent you no notice of change, send them a written notice of non-renewal. For a lease of 12 months or more: 3 to 6 months before the lease ends. For a lease of less than 12 months: 1 to 2 months before it ends. For a room lease: 10 to 20 days before it ends.
If your landlord sent you a rent increase or change notice and you do not want to renew: answer in writing no later than 1 month after receiving the notice. If you do not answer a change notice within that time, you are deemed to have accepted renewal with the proposed changes.
Use the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) models: "Notice of non-renewal of the lease by the tenant" or "Tenant's response to the notice of rent increase and change of another lease condition".
Indefinite-term lease (no end date): it continues as long as you or your landlord do not end it. To end it, notify your landlord in writing and get proof that they were notified; the notice period is the same as the one agreed for paying rent (1 month if you pay monthly), limited to 3 months.
After your notice: the landlord can list the housing for rent and have it visited by prospective tenants. A landlord who has received a valid notice of non-renewal can expect you to leave when the lease ends.
Missed the deadline? The JuridiQC page says other options exist to leave your home and no longer be responsible for the lease; it does not detail here the consequences of being late. Those options are a separate question (termination, lease assignment, sublease).

Your progress is kept on this device only: nothing is sent to Demande au Québec. Some steps only apply in certain situations: skip the ones that do not concern you.

General information drawn from official sources. It does not replace legal, medical or financial advice. For your situation, contact the organization concerned or a professional.

Sources

Vous ne voulez pas renouveler votre bail : voici ce qu'il faut faire (JuridiQC (Gouvernement du Québec, SOQUIJ))
Questions fréquentes (Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL))
Modification d'une condition du bail (Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL))
Trouver un modèle d'avis (Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL))

Checked on October 6, 2026. Rules, deadlines and fees can change: always confirm on the official page above. Demande au Québec is an independent website, not a government site.

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