Looking for Housemates

Consider how many people you want to live with. Some people prefer large groups while others may prefer to live alone or with only one other housemate.  When choosing housemates make sure you pick people who are compatible with you.

Consider:

• Cleanliness
• Budgets
• Lifestyle (i.e. level of noise, study habits)
• Style of conflict resolution

Remember, if one of your housemates leaves before your lease expires, you and your housemates are still responsible to pay the entire rent to the landlord. Consider signing a roommate agreement to protect yourself and ensure that responsibilities are clearly outlined.  You can find a copy of a roommate agreement at https://housing.queensu.ca/towngown.

Establishing Housing Priorities

Sit down with your future housemates and decide on a budget. What’s the maximum rent you will pay? Don’t forget the extra costs - heat, hydro, phone, internet, etc. Have a general number in your head when you’re looking at houses. Also consider:

• How close you want to be to campus, bus stops, shopping, downtown, etc.
• What kind of neighborhood you want to live in
• What other things you want included (i.e. parking, laundry, dishwasher)

Keep these in mind when looking at houses.

Looking for Houses

Queen’s Apartment and Housing: Queen’s operates a listing service which advertises avail­able accommodation in the area. Listings are posted in the Apartment and Housing offices and are avail­able online. The University owns a number of rental properties surrounding the main campus. These are rented out on a lottery basis. Queen’s Apartment and Housing also owns the John Orr apartment tower on West Campus and the An Clachan apartment complex at Van Order Drive.

• Residence: You don’t have to move out of residence if you don’t want to. Visit https://housing.queensu.ca for more information about upper year residence options.

Other places to look:

• Ask friends or siblings who may be moving out of a house
• Check the AMS Marketplace boards in the JDUC and at www.myams.org/marketplace
• Check the housing listings on Facebook
• Watch for flyers around campus and on the poster collars on University Ave
• Check the classifieds sections of local newspapers, especially the Kingston Whig-Standard

Viewing Houses

Here are some things to look for when viewing a house:

• Room size
• Number and quality of bathroom(s)
• Type of flooring
• Laundry, dishwasher, parking
• Insulated walls, type of heating
• Storage and counter space in kitchen
• Weather-tight and reasonably draft-free windows and doors
• Proximity to campus, downtown, groceries, shopping, etc.
• Appliances (ensure they are in good repair)
• House security

See the Kingston Property Standards Bylaw (included in the Guide) and make sure the landlord is following all regulations

Before Signing a Lease

So you think you’ve found the perfect house? Talk to the current tenants:

• Why are you moving out?
• How is the relationship with your landlord? Does s/he respond quickly to repair requests?
• What kind of heating system do you have? How well does the heat work and how expensive is it?
• Is there enough hot water for everyone to shower in the morning?
• How is the water pressure?
• How good is the sound proofing between rooms?
• Are your utilities included?
• How much do you pay in utilities each month?  Do you have to split a bill with any other units in the building? (You can also contact Utilities Kingston to see what the monthly utilities bill is for the property.)
• Do you feel safe in your neighborhood?
• Are the outlets three-pronged?
• Does the landlord look after the yard work?
• Are there any pest or rodent problems in the house?

Signing a Lease

A lease is a legal document and an agreement between you and your landlord. By signing a lease, you are agreeing to its terms and to pay rent. It is very difficult to ‘get out’ of a lease, so treat it seriously. Here are some things you should know before signing a lease:

Landlords can ask you for your first and last month’s rent. Your landlord must pay you the interest of 2.6% on the last month’s rent. If your landlord asks for any other type of deposit, this violates the Residential Tenancies Act and is illegal.

Make sure the lease is clear about who is paying for utilities. If you live in a building with more than one unit or apartment, does each unit have a separate meter? If not, you and your other tenants will have to arrange to divide utilities.

If you sign an offer to lease, or sign your name to an application to lease a unit, keep in mind that these are legally binding documents if accepted by your landlord.

You can negotiate your lease, but once signed, your lease is binding. If you have questions or need advice, Joan Jones of Town-Gown Relations (office 142a in the JDUC) is available to examine your lease and inform you of your options.

The Residential Tenancies Act outlines your rights as a tenant. Find it online at http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Statutes/English/06r17_e.htm, or see the Residential Tenancies Act section of the Guide.

Furnishing Your House

Once you have the perfect house, you will need stuff to go in it:

• Check the classifieds in The Journal and The Kingston Whig-Standard
• Check the AMS Marketplace board in the JDUC and online at www.myams.org/marketplace
• Shop around stores like Value Village
• Watch for flyers around campus and on Facebook

Don’t forget to pick rooms and measure room dimensions and windows

Make sure you and your housemates know who’s bringing what:

• Dishes, cutlery, tupperware, pots and pans
• Small appliances like microwaves, toasters, blenders, kettles, coffee makers, etc.
• Light bulbs, brooms, mops, cleaning products, dish soap
• Power bars and extension cords - see about routers or hubs
• Shower curtain(s), garbage cans

Moving In

Most of the student houses will have leases that start May 1^st. Many people move their stuff directly from residence into their new houses. This means that there are a lot of people moving in and out of houses on the same day. The same thing will happen in September when many students move more of their belongings into their new houses.  Here are some things to keep in mind when you are moving houses:

• Any large waste items that you have must go into your residence garbage bin or must be brought to a waste transfer station
• Your landlord needs to provide you with a clean house at the beginning of your lease agreement. Make sure that this is the case
• If you need to rent a van to move your belongings to your new house make sure to rent one early as these often go fast
• If, over the course of the year, you have accumulated stuff that you do not want and it is in good condition, you can donate it to a local charity
• Any leftover food items can go to the AMS Food Centre. For more information call 613.533.6000 ext. 74816
• Don’t wait until September to set up your phone, hydro, cable, etc. Do it early!

Whether you have been living off campus for a number of years or have just recently moved into an off campus house, here is some information you might find helpful:

Living with Housemates

As was mentioned earlier, you will find a housemate agreement on the Town-Gown website, at the Town-Gown office, and in the Municipal Affairs Commission. Consider signing one with your housemates. Even if you don’t sign it, it’s a good idea to discuss things like bills, rent, chores, house meetings, privacy, etc.

Your Neighbours

Depending on where you live, your neighbors may not be other students. You could be living beside a family with small children or a Queen’s prof. Introduce yourself to any neighbors - students or otherwise. You’ll feel safer and more comfortable if you know who you’re living beside.

Getting Around

Show your stu­dent card and ride the bus for free! Your student fees include unlimited Kingston Transit Access. Visit the City of Kingston website to learn more about routes and times.

Subletting

Subletting means renting out a room or your apartment to someone else, so you become the landlord. Many students try to sublet one or more rooms in their houses over the summer if they won’t be there. As a tenant, you have the right to sublet if all of your housemates agree and if your landlord approves it. If he or she has valid reasons, your landlord can prohibit assigning the unit to a subtenant.  To be safe, get your landlord’s approval in writing. Also, don’t forget to sign a subtenancy agreement with your subletter.