Truck, keys, Hydro-Québec, change of address, move-in inspection: the complete checklist for a smooth July 1st move in Montréal.
Every year, tens of thousands of Montrealers move on the same day. July 1st isn't a law, it's a habit: most residential leases in Quebec end on June 30. The result: trucks booked months ahead, crowded streets and apartments freed up the same morning. Here's how to prepare.
Three months before: book what always runs out
- Book the truck or movers in April: by June, often only 6 a.m. slots are left.
- Ask your new landlord what time you'll get the keys, and your current one what time you must return them.
- Plan where to sleep if the two times don't line up: a gap of a few hours is common on July 1st.
One month before: accounts and address
- Hydro-Québec: close the account at the old address and open one at the new address online; it's free and takes five minutes.
- Internet: a technician may be needed, and early-July appointments go fast.
- Change of address: Services Québec's free service notifies the RAMQ, SAAQ, Revenu Québec and other departments at once. Canada Post forwards mail (paid service).
- Tenant insurance: update your address so you're covered from moving day.
Moving day: the inspection
When you arrive, walk through the apartment with your phone: dated photos of walls, floors, appliances and windows. Note anything that doesn't work and email it to the landlord within a few days. It's the best protection at the end of the lease, for you and for them.
Classic traps
- Parking: the City of Montréal issues temporary permits to park a truck on the street; ask your borough ahead of time.
- Furniture left on the sidewalk: check your borough's bulky-item collection schedule instead of abandoning it.
- Bed bugs: inspect used furniture before bringing it into the new apartment.
At Imovia
Our apartments are cleaned and inspected before every move-in, and keys are handed over at the time agreed in writing. Looking for July? Create an alert on the apartments page: you'll be notified as soon as a matching apartment opens up.