The TAL form is mandatory
Since 1996, residential leases in Quebec must use the lease form published by the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL). It applies to a room, an apartment, a condo, or a house. If a landlord and tenant agree to a lease verbally, the landlord still has to provide the mandatory written form within ten days. The form sets the framework, and it cannot be replaced with a private contract.
Security deposits are not allowed
Under the Civil Code of Québec, a landlord cannot require a security deposit, a damage deposit, a key deposit, or post-dated cheques as a condition of the lease. The only thing a landlord may ask for in advance is the first month's rent. This is one of the strongest tenant protections in the country and a frequent surprise for landlords moving from another province.
What the lease can and cannot do
The TAL form includes the terms the law requires, and any clause that contradicts the Civil Code or the TAL's rules is without effect even if both sides signed it. The landlord must also disclose the lowest rent paid in the previous twelve months, which lets a new tenant see whether the rent has jumped and gives them a basis to contest it before the TAL.
Once a lease is signed, keeping it, the rent record, and the key dates in one place is what turns a later question into a lookup. See how Habyn handles lease management and rent tracking.