Lease in English or French: Which Language for the Quebec Notice

The rule: the notice follows the language of the lease

Example: Marc sends Emily a notice in French, even though her lease is in English. Under article 1898 of the Civil Code of Québec, that notice cannot be set up against Emily ("inopposable" in French): it cannot be used against her, unless Marc proves to the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) that she suffered no prejudice.

In other words, the rent increase is at stake, and the burden of proof is on Marc. The simplest approach is to avoid that debate by writing the notice in the right language from the start.

The rule applies to every notice about the lease, except the landlord's notice to access the dwelling. The notice must also be in writing and follow the rules set by regulation, such as the mandatory text printed on the TAL form.

Check the language of the signed lease

Example: Marc and Emily chat in French on the stairs and text each other in French. But the lease Emily signed is the English version. That document is what counts, not the language you speak together or the tenant's first language.

Before preparing your notices, take a few minutes for each unit:

• Pull out the signed lease, not a draft or an email.
• Note the language it is written in.
• Do not assume all your leases are in the same language: two units in the same building can have leases in different languages.
• If you are unsure about the language of a lease, check with the TAL or a lawyer.

Use the TAL form in the right language

Example: for Emily, Marc uses form TAL-806A-E, "Notice of rent increase and modification of another condition of the lease". For a lease in French, it is TAL-806-E, the French version of the same form.

Both versions have 2 pages, and page 2 is part of the notice, so send it in full. The current edition is marked 2026-05. Both forms are on the TAL website, in the notice models section.

Do not mix languages

Example: Marc takes the English form but writes "Stationnement : 40 $ par mois" in the "Other modification(s)" box. Part of the notice is now in French. He should write "Parking: $40 per month starting July 1, 2027" instead.

Everything you write in the boxes of the form must be in the language of the lease, including other changes such as parking or heating.

Does your tenant read the other language better? The Civil Code requires the notice to be in the language of the lease and says nothing about an attached translation. The official notice, the one you sign and keep proof of receipt for, must stay in the language of the lease. Before attaching a translation, check with the TAL or a lawyer.

The other rule in article 1898: the right address

Example: Emily's lease gives the address of the unit, 245 rue Principale, apartment 3. That is where the notice must be given, unless Emily told Marc about a new address after the lease was signed.

The rule works both ways. If you have moved since the lease was signed, tell your tenants, so that their notices are sent to the right address.

A notice given at the wrong address has the same problem as one in the wrong language: it cannot be set up against the tenant either, unless the landlord proves that the tenant suffered no prejudice.

If you send the notice by email

Example: in ProprioSign, Marc sets the lease for unit 3 as English. Emily receives her email, confirms receipt and reads the notice on screen in the language of her phone. Whether her phone is in French or English, the official PDF is form TAL-806A-E, in English, like her lease.

In ProprioSign, the language of the lease is set for each unit. Check it before your first notices of the year, especially if you have leases in both languages.

If a tenant does not confirm receipt, deliver the notice another way, by registered mail or by hand at the address in the lease, before the window closes.