Finding your new home can be time-consuming and overwhelming, but don’t worry; here are some quick tips to help make your search easier:
- It is helpful to make a list of your needs, such as price, utilities included, within walking distance to campus, number of bedrooms, number of parking spaces, etc. Searching for housing can take up a lot of your time, so use your needs as filters in your search to avoid wasting time looking at houses that won’t work for you. Your time is valuable!
- Consider your options in looking for roommates to share your living space or an apartment by yourself. Both have benefits; typically, it is cheaper to live with roommates and split the rent and utilities costs. You can meet new people and make friends easily when living with roommates, and you usually get to share a bigger space. Living alone is usually more expensive, but you get privacy.
- Once you have found a listing that suits you, reach out to the landlord, ask any questions not listed in the ad, and set up a viewing time. Viewing an apartment before signing a lease is very important! This allows you to review the apartment's condition and get a feel for the landlord. You’ll want a landlord who will respond promptly to any problems in the house and is easy to get along with. While you may not see them often, your relationship with your landlord could make or break your experience in their home.
- When you view the apartment, be sure to check a few items on the walk-through.
- Check that all windows and exterior doors close and lock properly. This is important as we often view homes during the warmer months and can’t tell if the house will be easy to heat. Windows and exterior doors that don’t seal and lock will make your home cold and drafty, more expensive to heat, and are an easy point of entry for intruders.
- Look for two exits in case of a fire and confirm with the landlord. If the apartment is above ground level, this could be a large window with a fire escape ladder or an exterior door.
- Check that the appliances and heaters work so you catch any broken items in need of repair before you move in. Finding a broken or damaged item during the viewing is a great opportunity to see how your potential landlord will handle it. Ask that they repair or replace the issue before you would move in. If they agree, chances are they will respond to any problems you have throughout your lease. If it’s a significant issue such as a broken window or an easy repair that they refuse to fix, then this often indicates that they will be difficult to deal with. For any agreed-upon repairs or replacements, including those items in the lease agreement is important. That way, you have written confirmation that they will complete the job by a specific day.
- Ask your potential landlord about the other tenants, neighbours, and why the previous tenants left. These questions help determine what your life will be like there. If the last tenants left because of noise problems with the neighbours, that might affect your decision. Equally important is to ask if there have been any rodent problems in the apartment. If there haven’t been, that’s great, but if there have been, find out how your landlord has dealt with the problem to ensure they won’t be back.
- If you’re paying for the utilities, you can ask for the previous tenant's heating bills to approximate how much you’ll be paying for heat and electricity throughout the year. This gives you a better idea of how to budget for these bills and will keep your jaw from dropping when you open that February statement.
- Ask your potential landlord about the lease terms. Typically, leases are for one year, but some landlords are flexible and will consider 6-month, 8-month, or month-month agreements. If you’re willing to sign a year lease but will be away for a term, ask your landlord about their subletting rules before signing the lease.
- Remember that landlords can charge a maximum of 50% of 1 month’s rent as a security deposit. This covers the cost of any reasonable damage done to the apartment during your stay. If you don’t cause any damage or fix any repairs before you leave, they must return the security deposit to you. It’s always helpful to take many photos of the apartment before you move in your furniture, especially of the floors, walls, and anything that’s already damaged. This will be useful at the end of your lease if your landlord accuses you of damage done before you moved in. Taking photos is a great way to defend yourself and ensure you get your security deposit back if you’re entitled to it.
Remember that choosing a place to live can be stressful, but being prepared and asking questions will help make your decisions easier.