QS Proposes Amendments to the Civil Code for Alterations in Holiday Contracts
Solidarity MP on a Mission to Correct Loophole in Civil Code
Rewriting the Rental Game
In a bid to shake up the Quebec rental market, Solidarity MP Guillaume Cliche-Rivard has penned a letter to the parliamentary leader, Simon Jolin-Barrette, urging him to gather the National Assembly urgently. The assemblyman aims to tweak the Civil Code to rectify loopholes that currently allow landlords to trick tenants by having them sign vacation rental contracts instead of conventional leases.
As of now, the CAQ leader has remained tight-lipped regarding the letter, leaving the media in the dark. The Quebec Liberal Party declined to comment, while the Quebec Party's housing spokesperson, Catherine Gentilcore, indicated her openness to updating the existing legislative framework. She felt that units rented for prolonged periods should be subject to "tougher conditions and thorough verification" to shield tenants.
In a recent investigation by Le Devoir, it was revealed that landlords are exploiting a legal gray area by having tenants sign vacation rental contracts, imposing illegal conditions such as demanding a security deposit, which is prohibited in residential leases. The Civil Code lacks clarity on the conditions under which landlords can have tenants sign vacation rental contracts.
Cliche-Rivard is determined to convince the parliamentary leader to take action, arguing that the National Assembly must address this "serious flaw" in rental law. He wants the Civil Code amended to "distinctly define the conditions for using a vacation rental contract" and to presume that any occupancy for work or study purposes for several months constitutes a residential lease subject to the provisions specified in the residential leases.
In an exclusive interview, Cliche-Rivard emphasized that this issue could be resolved swiftly if all parties collaborate. "I am hopeful that we will have a constructive, bipartisan approach, enabling us to tackle this issue effectively," the elected official remarked, adding that many "vulnerable" tenants risk falling prey to such underhanded tactics as July 1 approaches.
While, on the other hand, Minister of Housing, France-Élaine Duranceau, remained mum on the issue, stating that she would take a closer look at the matter.
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- Unscrupulous Landlords Sign Tenants to Vacation Rental Contracts: Landlords abusing a "loophole" in the Civil Code are imposing illegal conditions on tenants.
- Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, Solidarity MP, is advocating for changes in the Civil Code to close a loophole that allows landlords to use vacation rental contracts to exploit tenants, proposing that prolonged occupancy for work or study purposes should be considered residential leases.
- The ongoing issue of unscrupulous landlords abusing a loophole in the Civil Code to impose illegal conditions on tenants is currently gaining attention in the realm of political policy and legislation, with Solidarity MP Guillaume Cliche-Rivard pushing for action to address this matter.
