Free Subscription to Hydro Québec: Good for Tenants, but…

Hydro-Québec has launched a pilot project to encourage online subscriptions and account activities. Indeed, from April 11 to September 30, 2016, customers will not have to pay the regular costs for opening their account ($50.00) or changing their address ($20.00), if they subscribe directly through the web portal of the corporation.

At first glance, this news is interesting for tenants. However, property owners have to make sure that their new tenants are registered; otherwise they run the risk of not having any subscribers in their unit, which causes a service interruption and a $50.00 fee to reconnect.

To avoid this situation, CORPIQ is inviting landlords to complete the Hydro-Quebec form «Déménagement/Emménagement» available under the section Lettres et Formulaires on Corpiq.com, during the signing of the lease. Afterwards, they can inform the tenant that he has to subscribe online as soon as possible. If the tenant does not follow through, the owner will send the form by fax (and the usual subscription fee will be charged to the tenant).

CORPIQ would like to remind landlords that it is possible for them to check if their tenants did proceed with the subscription by going on the Hydro-Quebec portal and clicking on «Manage Rental Units». Additionally, they can also request to receive notifications of any changes by email.

On a final note, in the last few years, Hydro-Quebec had the intention of deleting their «Déménagement/Emménagement» form. However, CORPIQ contested this decision before the Régie de l’Énergie which recognized the importance of keeping such a document to protect property owners.