DIY rental vs AA Location: the honest math
Self-managed rentals in Quebec are legal and reasonable in some cases. But they assume specific skills and time many owners underestimate.
This page compares DIY rentals with AA Location's placement service. Honest: DIY can work very well if you have the experience and time. The goal is to help you know which fits your situation.
Option A
Doing the rental yourself
The owner handles everything: listing, visits, selection, verification, lease drafting and signing. No professional intermediary.
Option B
AA Location
Tenant placement service in Montreal, Laval and Longueuil. Full verification, lease signing coordinated by an OACIQ broker. The owner always keeps the final decision.
Detailed comparison
Line by line
| Criterion | Doing the rental yourself | AA Location |
|---|---|---|
| Direct cost | $0 (but significant time cost) | Fee shared during the free evaluation |
| Average time invested | 20 to 30 h depending on complexity | About 3 h |
| Required expertise | Lease, increase, TAL, Charter, verification, negotiation | None — our team applies the legal framework |
| Access to verification tools | Equifax/TransUnion: limited individual access, long process | Direct professional access, report within 24 h |
| Lease signing | Owner's responsibility (Annex G, deposit, clauses) | Coordinated by an OACIQ broker |
| Legal exposure | Personal (CDPDJ, TAL in case of complaint) | Compliant documentation kept 3+ years, defensible |
| Bad-tenant probability | ~8% without rigorous verification | ~1.5% with full verification |
| Average vacancy | ~45 days (listing + selection) | ~21 days (professional listing) |
Choose based on your situation
When each option is the right one
Choose Doing the rental yourself
If you have 5+ years of experience
You know Annex G, you can compute an increase using TAL indices, you have a network to validate references, and you keep a defensible written trail for every decision. DIY is viable.
If you have quality time
You can devote 20-30 h to a placement without impacting your main work or family life. Opportunity-cost math favors DIY.
Choose AA Location
If it's your first rental
The learning curve is steep: Quebec Charter, Annex G, TAL calculations, legal verifications. One mistake costs more than the placement fee.
If you value your time at $50/h or more
At that rate, 25 h of placement already represents $1,250 of opportunity cost — often more than our fee. The service pays off in time saved alone.
If Charter compliance concerns you
Refusing a candidate on a wrong criterion, even unintentionally, exposes you to a CDPDJ complaint. Our method removes that risk by design (documented objective grid).
This comparison is authored by AA Location and reflects our honest reading of the options available to Greater Montreal owners. Product or service names cited belong to their respective holders. None of the companies mentioned sponsor this page. Figures (timeline, cost, probabilities) reflect averages observed on the Quebec market — your situation may differ.
Frequently asked questions
About this comparison
- How many hours does a DIY placement really take?
- 20 to 30 h on average for a unit in Greater Montreal: 2-3 h for listing and photos, 5-8 h responding to applications and scheduling visits, 6-10 h of visits, 4-6 h of verifications (references, TAL, employment validation), 2-3 h drafting and signing. More if a problem or candidate needs digging.
- Can I learn to do it myself over time?
- Yes — Quebec's legal framework is publicly documented (CCQ, TAL, Charter, OACIQ). Many owners learn over their placements. The question is: do you want your first placements to be a learning curve with the associated risk, or would you rather have a first secured placement before taking over?
- What takes the most time in DIY?
- Unsurprisingly, visits and selection. A well-priced unit generates 30-80 applications in the first 7 days. Honest sorting (without unconscious bias, with documented objective criteria) is the most time- and attention-demanding part.
- What happens if I miss a legal detail?
- Depending on the issue: poorly worded listing → potential CDPDJ complaint (up to 2 years post-refusal); poorly drafted lease → TAL challenge and increase lost for 12 months; missing Annex G → controlled rent can revert. Our service covers all of these by design.
Go further
Dig deeper
Related articles to dig deeper.
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