Who Pays for Condo Window Cleaning in Quebec?

In a Quebec condo, the answer is written in your declaration of co-ownership, not in a general rule. Windows are often classed as common portions for restricted use, which usually means the syndicate controls exterior work and the cost is either shared or charged to the units that use those windows. Interior glass is almost always your own job, and your own expense.

Since August 2025 there is a second layer to think about: Quebec's new co-ownership regulation requires every syndicate to keep a maintenance logbook. That changes how exterior window work gets planned and recorded, even in a six-unit building in Rosemont or a row of condo townhouses in Laval.

Private portions, common portions and the grey zone in between

Divided co-ownership in Quebec is governed by the Civil Code. Every building is split into private portions (your unit) and common portions (the land, the structure, the roof, the hallways). The declaration of co-ownership, registered when the building was converted or built, says which part each element belongs to.

Windows land in an awkward spot. The glass and the frame sit inside the exterior wall, which is part of the building envelope. That's why many declarations list windows, balcony doors and patio doors as common portions for restricted use: they belong to everyone, but only one unit uses them. The Civil Code allows the declaration to make the owners who use a restricted-use portion pay for its upkeep themselves, instead of spreading the cost across the whole building.

So three setups are common:

• The syndicate books and pays. Exterior cleaning is a common expense, voted in the budget and paid out of the regular condo fees.
• The syndicate books, each unit pays its share. One contractor for the whole building, with the invoice split by unit or by window count.
• Each owner handles it. Common in small buildings and townhouse projects, where the declaration or a board rule simply leaves window cleaning to the occupant.

Which one applies to you depends on the wording, so pull up the declaration (your notary or the syndicate's administrator will have a copy) and search for "windows", "fenêtres", "vitrage" and "restricted use".

What the 2025 co-ownership regulation changed

The Quebec government's regulation on divided co-ownership came into force on August 14, 2025, after publication in the Gazette officielle on July 30, 2025. It applies to every syndicate in the province. The two headline obligations are a maintenance logbook (carnet d'entretien) and a contingency fund study prepared by qualified professionals.

The logbook records the work done on the building and the work planned, and it has to be kept up to date. Existing buildings where the owners already control the syndicate have until August 15, 2028 to get both documents in place. For newer projects, the developer has to hand them over within six months of the transition meeting.

Window cleaning is routine upkeep, not a major repair, so it doesn't drive the contingency fund on its own. It still matters for two reasons:

• Inspection value. Clean glass makes it easier to spot failed seals (fogging between panes), cracked caulking and rotting sills during the yearly walk-around. Those items do belong in the logbook, because windows and doors are expensive to replace.
• A paper trail. A dated invoice listing which units and which elevations were cleaned is a simple entry for the logbook, and it helps when a buyer's notary asks the syndicate for a statement on the building's condition.

The regulation itself doesn't set a window cleaning frequency. That's up to the board and the declaration. For the exact legal text, check the Gazette officielle or the Quebec government's co-ownership pages; this article is a practical summary, not legal advice.

If the syndicate is in charge

Boards that handle exterior cleaning for the whole building tend to run into the same few questions:

• Reach. Altara cleans from the ground with a water-fed pole that reaches up to three storeys. That covers duplexes, triplexes, small walk-ups and most townhouse rows. Taller buildings or spots the pole can't reach safely get a site visit before any price is confirmed.
• Season. Exterior work runs roughly March to November. Many boards book once in spring to clear winter salt film and once in fall before the leaves come down.
• Scope. The flat rate covers exterior glass, frames and sills, with screens rinsed in place. Interior glass, screen removal and washing, and track cleaning are optional paid add-ons, and that usually lands on individual owners rather than the syndicate.
• Recurring discounts. Altara discounts only recurring plans: 10% for quarterly service, 15% for bi-monthly, 20% for monthly. Spring-and-fall and once-a-year programs come with automated reminders but no discount.

One practical tip: ask the contractor to list each unit or elevation on the invoice. It makes cost-sharing simple when the declaration charges restricted-use portions to individual owners, and it gives the logbook a clean entry.

If each owner is on their own

In many smaller condos, nobody at the board level wants to manage it, so each owner books their own cleaning. Before you do, check two things.

First, look at the building rules (règlement de l'immeuble). Some boards require owners to notify the administrator before any work on the exterior envelope, even a simple wash, so neighbours aren't surprised by a pole outside their bedroom window. Second, confirm the crew can reach your windows from ground level or from your own balcony without crossing another owner's private terrace.

For a single unit, Altara's tiers start at $179 before taxes for 1 to 5 windows. You count your windows, pick the tier on the pricing page and book. A patio door counts as one window.

Interior glass is almost always yours

Even in buildings where the syndicate cleans the outside, the inside of the glass is the occupant's responsibility in nearly every declaration. The same goes for tracks and screens, which collect grit from the street and pollen in spring. If you want those done on the same day as a building-wide exterior clean, each owner can add interior glass, screen washing or track cleaning as a paid add-on for their own unit.

Altara doesn't repair screens. If the crew finds a tear while washing, it gets pointed out so you or the syndicate can arrange the fix, depending on who owns the screens under your declaration.

Frequently asked questions

Is a condo syndicate required to clean the windows?

Not by a general law. The obligation, if there is one, comes from your declaration of co-ownership and the board's budget decisions. Read the sections on common portions for restricted use and on common expenses, or ask the administrator for the clause that covers windows.

Does window cleaning go in the condo maintenance logbook?

The logbook has to record work done and work planned on the building, so many syndicates log exterior cleaning visits with the date and the contractor's invoice. The more important entries are what the cleaning reveals, such as failed seals or damaged caulking, because those lead to repairs.

Can an owner hire their own window cleaner if the syndicate already has one?

For interior glass, generally yes. For the exterior, check the building rules first: if the windows are a common portion managed by the syndicate, the board may want its own contractor to do the work, or at least be told before someone else does.

How high can Altara clean on a condo building?

The water-fed pole reaches up to three storeys from the ground. Anything taller, or hard to reach because of fences, slopes or terraces, gets a site visit first.

Get a price for your unit or your building

Whether you're a board member planning a building-wide spring clean or an owner booking your own unit, start with the window count. See the flat rates on the pricing page, or send the building address and the number of units through the contact form and the team will sort out the right tier or a site visit. Altara works across Greater Montréal, from Verdun to Laval and the South Shore.