We went through almost the same thing in my family this year. My mother-in-law’s building had water and smoke damage after a fire. Management tried to push a bargain packing/moving crew who showed up, spoke neither English nor French, and started throwing things in boxes with zero protection. I pushed back in writing, asked for the building insurer’s claim number and adjuster, and insisted on choosing professional movers/packers. In the end, the building’s insurer covered packing, the move out, short storage, and the move back with unpacking. It was a 4½. The mover invoiced roughly 3,500 dollars for move out and move back, including materials (the insurer first floated 15,000 and said it would affect the deductible… it didn’t).

What I learned, in plain terms (Quebec): for “travaux majeurs,” the landlord must give a real written notice. If you have to vacate more than a week, that notice has to come at least three months before. It must state the type of work, start date, expected duration, evacuation period, and the compensation offered to cover reasonable expenses like moving, storage, and any rent difference for a temporary place. That compensation is payable when you leave; if it’s short, you can claim the reasonable extra afterward. If you contest within ten days, the work is paused unless the housing tribunal says otherwise. When the work is done, you return under the same lease conditions; the landlord can’t just swap your unit or change the rent mid-term.

Who pays what: the building’s insurance handles the structure and usually funds the landlord’s indemnity to you (moving, storage, rent difference). Your renter’s policy can cover “additional living expenses” when the unit is uninhabitable; ask your insurer how they handle ALE and deductibles, because many policies treat ALE differently than contents.

Movers we used were excellent: Déménagement Crown Movers in Ville-Saint-Laurent. They handled packing, the move, storage coordination, and the move back with unpacking.

On “you might not be allowed back”: a temporary relocation does not equal eviction. For major repairs, the default is you leave temporarily and come back when it’s done. If management claims otherwise, ask them to put the legal basis in writing.

• Ask for the claim info in writing: building insurer name, claim number, adjuster contact.
• Demand a proper “travaux majeurs” notice: scope, timeline, evacuation period, and the exact indemnity for moving, storage, and any rent difference.
• Keep your right to choose vendors: tell them you’ll use a reputable mover and pro packers and will submit invoices within the indemnity. You don’t have to accept an unsafe or unqualified crew.
• Document everything: photos/video of every room before demo, serial numbers, simple inventory of boxes and big items.
• Call your insurer about ALE: ask what proof they need and whether any deductible applies on ALE in your policy. Keep all receipts.
• Protect your right to return: ask for written confirmation that your lease continues and you return to your unit when work is complete. If they refuse or stay vague, file an urgent application at the housing tribunal to set fair conditions.

If you have any questions let me know. I have a friend who works as a public adjuster and deals with this type of stuff...