Renters look at apartments after work. If your leasing office closes at five, you are missing the busiest part of the day.
How many rental inquiries come in after hours?
More than half, going by the US figures, which are the clearest published ones. RentEngine found that 53% of its US leads in the first quarter of 2026 arrived after business hours, and 48% of showings were scheduled after hours (RentEngine). Calls are the hardest to catch: across 170,825 calls to US apartment properties, 60.8% went unanswered (Digible).
When does after-hours coverage matter most in Quebec?
In the months before July 1. Most Quebec leases end on June 30 (Canadian Encyclopedia), and for a lease of 12 months or more the landlord’s notice of changes goes out 3 to 6 months before the end, with a month for the tenant to reply (TAL). That puts many vacancies on the market in the same weeks, so the spring evenings before July 1 are when a missed call costs the most.
Option 1: a voicemail that moves renters to text
The cheapest fix is a better greeting. Instead of “leave a message”, tell renters to text the number with the address and promise a reply with showing times. Texts are easier to answer the next morning than a pile of voicemails, and renters who will not leave a message will often send a text.
Cost: nothing. Catch: you still answer in the morning, after the renter has kept looking.
Option 2: an on-call rotation
Forward the leasing line to whoever is on call in the evening and on weekends. It works for small teams with a few vacancies.
Cost: staff time and goodwill. Catch: people burn out, and a busy spring can mean dozens of calls a night.
Option 3: self-scheduling on every listing
Put a booking link with your real open slots in every listing and auto-reply, whether the listing is on Kijiji, Rentals.ca, Zumper or your own site. Renters book their own showing at 11 p.m. without talking to anyone.
Cost: a scheduling tool, often included in showing software. Catch: it only helps renters who find the link. Callers and people with questions still wait.
Option 4: a human answering service
A call centre answers in your company’s name, takes messages and sometimes books appointments. AnswerConnect publishes Canadian prices for property management: $325 a month for 100 minutes, $425 for 300 minutes and $825 for 450 minutes, with extra minutes at $2.75 to $2.95 (AnswerConnect).
Catch: general answering services do not know your units, so many calls end as a message for the morning. Texts and listing-site messages are usually not covered, and service in French is worth confirming before you sign.
Option 5: an AI agent
An AI agent answers calls around the clock. General AI receptionists sold in Canada start at around $100 a month: Dialbox charges $129 CAD a month for 100 AI-handled calls, up to $699 for 900 (Dialbox), and Allesi’s Clémentine starts at $99 a month plus a setup fee from $300 (Allesi). Both answer in English and French (Dialbox, Allesi).
Leasing-specific agents also answer texts and listing inquiries, use your listing details and book showings into your calendar. They are usually priced per door each month.
Catch: it should always say it is an AI. In Rently’s 2025 survey of 800 US renters, 74% said they would feel less comfortable if AI use is not disclosed (Rently). Choose one that introduces itself honestly and hands off to your team when a renter asks.
How do you choose?
Count your after-hours inquiries for two weeks, across calls, texts and listing messages, and note how many turned into showings. Then:
| Situation | Usually enough |
|---|---|
| A handful of vacancies, few calls | Better voicemail plus self-scheduling |
| Steady vacancies, small team | Self-scheduling plus an answering service or AI agent for calls |
| Many units, most leads from listing sites | An AI agent that covers calls, texts and listing inquiries |
| Quebec portfolio with a July 1 peak | Coverage in English and French, sized for the spring rush |
Whatever you choose, apply the same rules at night as during the day: the same questions for every renter, the same showing times offered, and a written confirmation for every booking.