The Montreal Apartment Viewing Checklist: 30 Things to Check Before You Sign

A viewing usually lasts ten minutes, and in a 2.2% vacancy market you're expected to decide fast. That pressure is exactly why people miss the things that matter — and then live with them for twelve months. This is the checklist to run, in order, with the Montreal-specific items most guides skip.

Doing this remotely? Demand a live video tour, not a recorded one, and run the same list out loud. If the landlord won't, that's your answer — see our scams guide.

Before the Viewing

1. Confirm the exact address and check it on Street View
2. Walk the route to the nearest metro — time it yourself, don't trust the listing
3. Check the listing history — reverse image search the photos
4. Prepare your documents — ID, proof of income or enrolment, references. Speed wins rooms here.

Heating and Winter (Do This First)

Montreal-specific and the most expensive thing to get wrong. Viewing in August hides all of it.

5. Who pays for heat? "Chauffé" in the listing means included. Get it in writing either way.
6. Ask for last winter's average hydro bill — a reasonable landlord will tell you
7. Is there a baseboard heater in every room, including the bedroom?
8. Turn one on — even in summer. Does it work?
9. Windows: single or double pane? Do they close and lock flush?
10. Run your hand around the window frames — feel for drafts
11. Which floor? Ground = cold, top = hot in summer, middle = best
12. Does the building's front door seal properly?

Our winter renting guide has the full cost implications.

Water, Power, and Function

13. Turn on the shower — pressure and how long to hot
14. Flush the toilet, run the taps
15. Look under the kitchen and bathroom sinks — leaks, water stains, mould
16. Check the ceiling corners for water damage
17. Count the electrical outlets in the bedroom — old triplexes often have two
18. Does your room have a working lock?
19. Test the phone signal in the room
20. Ask about internet — what's installed, what speed, is it included?

Space and Light

21. Which direction do the windows face? South and west get real light; north-facing rooms in a Montreal January are bleak
22. Will your bed actually fit? Measure — a "bedroom" in a subdivided flat can be 8×9
23. Is there any storage? Closet, or nothing?
24. Is the room windowless? Legal in some configurations, miserable to live in
25. Noise — visit at a different time of day if you can. Corner units on Saint-Laurent are loud on Saturday night.

The Legal and Financial Questions

These matter more than anything physical.

26. "Who holds the lease, and will I be on it?" — Three structures exist in Quebec and your rights differ enormously between them. Details in our renting guide.
27. "What exactly is included?" — heat, hot water, internet, appliances, parking. In writing.
28. "When does the lease end?" — most run to June 30 regardless of when you move in
29. "What's the notice period to leave?"
30. "Is there a deposit?" — There must not be. Security deposits are illegal in Quebec. Only the first month's rent may be collected in advance. A deposit request means the landlord is either uninformed or defrauding you. Full rights in our tenant rights guide.

If There Are Roommates

31. Meet them — you're renting the people as much as the room
32. Ask how bills are split and whether anyone is behind
33. Ask about guests, noise, cleaning — the three things that end shared living
34. Ask why the last person left — the answer, and the hesitation before it, both tell you something

Our roommates guide covers the joint-liability risk you take on by signing together.

Red Flags — Walk Away

• Landlord asks for a deposit (illegal)
• Landlord asks for money before you've seen it
• Refuses a live video tour for a remote renter
• Won't say who holds the lease
• Pressures you to decide within the hour
• Won't put inclusions in writing
• Price well below market — this is bait, not luck

After You Say Yes

• Get everything in writing before money moves
• Photograph the room's condition on day one — this protects you at move-out
• Pay traceably — e-transfer with a note, never cash without a receipt
• Keep a copy of the signed agreement

FAQ

Can a Montreal landlord ask for a security deposit? No. It is illegal in Quebec. First month's rent only.

How long should a viewing take? Ten to fifteen minutes if you run the list. Don't let a rushed landlord compress it.

Can I view remotely? Live video only. A recorded walkthrough proves nothing about who you're dealing with.

What if I don't have time to check everything? Prioritise: heating (who pays), the lease question, and the deposit question. Those three are where the real money is.

Should I view multiple places? Ideally three. But in August with a term starting, securing something decent beats optimising — you can move in spring with real knowledge.

The Bottom Line

Run the list, ask the three questions that carry money (who pays heat, who holds the lease, is there a deposit), and photograph everything on move-in. Ten minutes of discipline at the viewing prevents most of what people regret about their Montreal apartment a year later.

Prefer a place where these answers are all already written down? Coliville — furnished rooms from C$160/week, heating and utilities included, written agreements, no deposit.