Definition : Right of withdrawal (Resolution)

The signing of the preliminary contract binds the parties involved, namely you and the developer or builder. However, the law gives you a short "reflection" period, during which you can still terminate the contract unilaterally, in certain cases and in return for compensation to be paid to the promoter. This being said, the Civil Code of Quebec provides that you have the right within a period of 10 days to unilaterally cancel this contract, which means that you can walk away from your undertaking to purchase (right of withdrawal) without any justification. This "right of withdrawal" may be exercised by any promisor who is a natural person and who intends to occupy the apartment being the object of the preliminary contract.

Building a condominium requires major investments on the part of a developer. This is the reason why a down payment will be required upon signing the preliminary contract for the desired condo unit. The Civil Code of Quebec provides that “any amount paid on the occasion of a promise of sale is presumed to be a deposit on account of the price, unless otherwise stipulated in the contract”.This down payment, which represents the first installment to the seller, varies according to the unit’s total price. Bill 16 introduced provisions to protect down payments made by residential buyers to developers and builders of divided co-ownerships.