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Terminate your lease as a tenant in situation of sexual violence, spousal violence or violence towards a child

Warning notice

Emergency assistance and information

If you don’t feel safe, please call 911.

For help and advice, you can call SOS violence conjugale This hyperlink will open in a new window. (1 800 363‑9010, services always available in english), Sexual Violence Helpline This hyperlink will open in a new window. at 1 888 933-9007 or a Crime Victims Assistance Center This hyperlink will open in a new window. (CAVAC, 1 866 532‑2822).

As a tenant, you can ask to terminate your lease, namely to be terminated, if your safety or the safety of a child living with you is threatened, if:

  • you have been assaulted by your intimate partner;
  • you have been sexually assaulted, regardless of who is the perpetrator;
  • a child living in the dwelling covered by the lease has been victim of violence.

You can terminate your lease, even if:

  • you never filed a complaint with the police;
  • it's a sublease: you have the right to terminate a sublease or a lease, because it’s the same conditions.

If you rent but never signed a lease, you can leave your apartment without a need to fill in application forms. 

As a tenant, if you have general questions concerning the termination of a lease, see the page Termination of a lease This hyperlink will open in a new window. of the Tribunal administratif du logement website.

Conditions

General notice

The following process is for use by tenants only

The process presented on this page is for use by tenants and not by property owners. If you own a property and want to find out more about your right to terminate a lease, contact the Tribunal administratif du logement This hyperlink will open in a new window..

To get a termination, you must have signed your lease and follow these 3 steps.

1st step: Have an attestation from a public officer

With this attestation, a public servant or a public officer designated by the ministère de la Justice recognized that terminate your lease is necessary for your safety or the safety of a child living with you.

For example, a prosecuting attorney of the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (DPCP), acting as a public officer, can issue the attestation. The prosecuting attorney is a lawyer working for the DPCP. 

To obtain this attestation, you need 3 documents. 

1) You must fill the form Request for an attestation for the purpose of resiliating a lease on grounds of sexual violence, spousal violence or violence towards a child living in the dwelling covered by the lease.

The section “Oath or Solemn Affirmation” must be filled and signed by you and a Commissioner for Oaths.

Search for a Commissioner for Oaths (in French only) This hyperlink will open in a new window.

You can also go to a courthouse for a Commissioner for Oaths to sign the part “Oath or Solemn Affirmation”.

Search for a courthouse (in French only) This hyperlink will open in a new window.

If needed, you can get a copy of this form at : 

2)    You need to give a copy of your lease.
3)    You need to give one of these 2 following documents: 

  • a copy of your statement to the police, or the police service that handled your case (ex: Sûreté du Québec);
  • a document (ex: a letter) supporting your request from a person related to you or the child living with you.

This person could be: 

  • your physician;
  • another health professional that helped you or the child living with you (psychologist, psychiatrist, pediatrician);
  • a person working for an institution in the health and social services network (hospitals, Youth centers, etc.);
  • a professional from a victim service organization: CAVAC, CALACS, Women’s Shelter.

To have this attestation, send these 3 documents to the nearest DPCP's point of service (in French only) This hyperlink will open in a new window. of your home.

A prosecuting attorney will respond your request quickly. 

He could ask to meet you. The prosecuting attorney could also communicate with a person named in your request or a professional in contact with you to get more information.

If the decision rendered is a refusal, the prosecuting attorney will send you a ‘’Attestation Refusal‘’. You can ask questions about this refusal if you want to.

You live in Montreal and you are victim of domestic violence? 

You can also send your attestation to the Montréal’s municipal court.

Contact information for the cour municipale de Montréal

  • Address

    775 Gosford Street
    Montréal (Québec)  H2Y 3B9

If you have any question, you can communicate with the DPCP’s point of service or the Municipal court to talk with a public officer. 

Public officers designated (in French only) (PDF 306 Kb)


2nd step: Fill a Notice for an attestation for the purpose of resiliating a lease

Once you received an Attestation from a public officer, fill Notice of termination of a lease because of spousal violence, sexual violence or violence towards a child This hyperlink will open in a new window..

If you can’t get the Form online, you can have it at an office of the Tribunal administratif du logement This hyperlink will open in a new window..

If needed, consult the Tribunal administratif du logement to get more information on this notice. 


3rd step: Giving the Attestation and the Notice to your landlord

Send to your landlord 

  • the Notice of termination of a lease because of spousal violence, sexual violence or violence towards a child.
  • the Attestation of the public officer.

Use a method of transmission that allows you to receive proof of receipt of these 2 documents by the owner.

End of a lease

Termination of a lease takes effect 2 months after the Notice of termination is sent to your landlord.

If the lease is for an indeterminate term or a term of less than 12 months, the termination takes effect one month after the notice is sent.

The delay can take less than one month if the apartment is leased back, or if the parties (landlord, signatory) agree on a date.

Reimbursed Expenses

You may obtain up to 2 months rental and moving fees from the Direction de l’Indemnisation des victimes d’actes criminels (IVAC) following your request to terminate your lease because of sexual violence, spousal violence or violence towards a child living in the dwelling covered by the lease.

Communicate with the IVAC This hyperlink will open in a new window. to know if you are eligible to the compensations and the amount you could obtain.

Emergency financial assistance

You are entitled to emergency financial assistance if you are the victim of sexual or spousal violence.

This assistance will allow you:

  • to quickly leave a dangerous environment if your safety, or the safety of your dependents, is threatened;
  • to obtain medical care related to the violence suffered;

To know how to obtain emergency financial assistance

Last update: January 25, 2024

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