CORPIQ is actively working to help landlords

We are in a time of a public health crisis and the impact is significant on the real estate world, particularly the rental world. CORPIQ is working to call on the authorities and also to give landlords the means to manage what we can now call a crisis in the rental sector.

We denounced the false information circulating that owners are protected or receiving assistance. Tenant activists are trying to undermine the province of Quebec by encouraging a form of anarchy based on non-payment of rent that could have very, very serious impacts on an already fragile economic situation. 

CORPIQ keeps repeating in the media that housing and all related services are essential services just like groceries; everyone must pay their rent. CORPIQ has made available to landlords a Q&A that will be updated regularly on its website, as well as sample letters to distribute to your tenants. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, you can choose amongst different letters. If the situation is part of a legal recourse, we invite you to use Pronotif to have valid proof of notification that is paperless and instantaneous.

CORPIQ is there to support you and is fully operational. All our advisors are ready to answer your calls. Our services such as ProprioEnquête, ProprioLocation, Pronotif and Kangalou are all operational and highly suggested under the circumstances.

Although visits are not recommended, rental activity remains possible. Please refer to our Q&A if you need to visit a property. Please note that it is possible to rent without a visit. With condos sold off-plan, you can also rent a unit remotely and virtually using sites such as Kangalou, for example. You can easily post your video or links to Youtube directly in your ad; moreover, Kangalou allows you to describe your accommodation without text limits which will allow the potential tenant to have a maximum of information.

We also recommend that you, if possible, meet your selected candidate. In this period of social distancing, this meeting can be held in the lobby of your building, in a suitable office, or in a place where you can maintain a distance and properly verify identities and draft leases if necessary. The use of ProprioLocation, a completely free service, allows you to send a rental application directly online to your applicant. You can then conduct a credit investigation, even before meeting or planning a visit.

Under the circumstances, a credit investigation is essential and job references must be verified. There may indeed be a discrepancy between the results of the credit investigation and the candidate's current employment situation. The ProprioEnquête service continues to provide the Régie du logement's file history, which is absolutely necessary.

Although renting without a visit is an interesting idea, it can give rise to fraud. As we see on a regular basis, fake landlords scam tenants by asking them to pay a fee before a visit. As a user of ProprioEnquête, you benefit from the ProprioVérifié (Verified Landlord) seal which assures tenants that you are the real owner of the unit. Normally, there are hundreds of fraudulent attempts every week. Therefore, it is to be expected that fraudsters will be even more active. The ProprioVérifé seal is exclusive to Kangalou.

Our advisors are currently overwhelmed with calls, which is why it is important to refer to our Q&A section before contacting us.

The majority of calls concern non-payment of rent. We give several interviews to the media every day to raise public awareness and are in daily contact with the office of the Minister of Housing and the authorities.

On March 25, in his press conference, Premier François Legault asked landlords to be patient until April 6, the day on which federal financial assistance can be obtained for those who have lost their jobs (in fact, the cheques could arrive 10 days later). We think this is possible if tenants register quickly as soon as this is in place but be sure to make a clear agreement with your tenants, hence the importance of using the provided letters.

We are also in contact with our colleagues elsewhere in Canada to provide assistance to landlords. We have also spoken to the Minister’s office, the President of the Treasury Board of Canada, Jean-Yves Duclos, the Canadian Bankers Association, CMHC and many others. We are on front lines so that the Government of Quebec, through the SHQ, can make money available to help landlords directly. This could be done through a program inspired by the rent supplement program, which would make it possible to absorb the losses caused by non-payment of rent. For now, there is nothing. That is why the payment of April 1^st is so important.

Visit our website to get all the information, and be on the lookout for Hans Brouillette's speeches, which are relayed on our social media on a regular basis. If you haven't done so, it is important to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIN, Instagram and Twitter.

Beware of people who spread misinformation on the web and claim to be experts. Trust CORPIQ. We are here for you, to answer your questions and requests. We are the spokespersons for landlords in Quebec and we will always give you the right information.