Before You Sign a Lease

When to look for Off Campus Housing

Fall Semester (September Start) – Landlords will begin advertising their September availability shortly before our Fleming Spring Open House and the listings will update daily and change frequently throughout the summer.

Summer & Winter Semesters (May & January Start) – Begin your housing search soon after you receive your acceptance.

Before you sign

Make sure the accommodation is suitable for you. Keep in mind the following:

  • distance to college
  • budget (try our online Budget Calculator)
  • furnished/unfurnished
  • use of facilities; laundry, kitchen
  • type of heating
  • parking

Make sure that you and your landlord communicate your expectations with each other before you agree to rent. This may include:

  • restrictions/house rules
  • smoking
  • pets
  • overnight guests
  • who pays utilities
  • rent payments – monthly, weekly
  • repairs/maintenance (snow shovelling, garbage, grass cutting)
  • privacy
  • deposits

Sharing

If you decide to live in a shared house, apartment or cottage, there are some important things to consider. These points should be agreed upon by all involved.

Lease

A group lease means that each member is responsible to the landlord for full payment of the rent. It does not mean that each person is only responsible for his/her share. If one person leaves, the remaining members of the group must make up the deficit until a replacement is found.

Utilities

Have a fund available for prompt payment of utility bills, telephone bills, cable T.V. and so on.

Sharing of Duties

Have an agreement for sharing of cooking, cleaning, shopping, and outdoor chores.

Studying

As a student, you will spend many hours studying. An apartment or room should provide both adequate facilities and a good environment for studying. If you have roommates, try to find out their personal study habits.

Overcrowding

It is important that overcrowding of facilities does not take place. This may decrease each person’s rent, but it also decreases each person’s privacy & can be cause for termination by a landlord.

Deposits

The amount of a security deposit is limited to the rent for one rental period, up to a maximum of one month. The means that if you pay rent on a weekly basis, the security deposit required may only equal one week’s rent, or if you pay rent on a monthly basis the security deposit may only equal one month’s rent and no more. This is covered by the Residential Tenancies Act, and is law.

A deposit against possible damages is NOT LEGAL.

The security deposit may only be used for payment of the last month’s rental period. As long as your landlord is holding the security deposit he/she must pay you an annual interest rate.

If you believe that your security deposit is being used for repairs to your rental dwelling or for any other purpose other than rent, you can apply to the Ontario Court of Justice for a refund plus interest.

A landlord can suggest post-dated cheques but you cannot be denied a rental unit for refusing to provide them.

House Rules

Accommodations in which you share the bathroom or the kitchen facilities with the owner and/or members of the owner’s immediate family, are NOT covered by the Residential Tenancies Act.

The landlord and you should mutually agree on any house rules the landlord wishes to have followed.

Be sure to communicate any concerns that you may have with your landlord before your tenancy begins. This may include:

  • How often and when you may use the laundry facilities
  • Whether you may have overnight guests
  • What meals are provided if you are in a room & board accommodation
  • Whether smoking is permitted
  • Use of kitchen facilities, and in general the house or apartment

It is not always suggested, but you may want to enter into an agreement, either verbal or written, that covers “house rules” and the specifics surrounding the rules. This agreement may help you and your landlord to avoid any future disputes that may arise after the tenancy has begun.

Keep in mind that your landlord cannot institute new rules after your tenancy has begun, unless you both mutually agree upon them.

Privacy and Access

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, you, as a tenant have the right to privacy in the accommodation that you are renting.

Generally, the landlord needs your consent before entering the rented dwelling. Only in the case of an emergency (eg. fire, burst water main) or if there is a written clause in the tenancy agreement that allows the landlord to enter, may he/she do so.

The landlord must also provide you with:

  • 24 hours written notice
  • a specific time/date he/she plans to enter the dwelling
  • reason for entry
  • must enter between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm

It is important to note that there are a few Exceptions:

  • In the event of an emergency ( fire, water main burst)
  • If there is a written agreement that allows the landlord to enter on a specific time frame (cleaning provided every 2 weeks)
  • A Notice of Termination has been given – to show unit to potential tenants

Off-Campus Housing Tenant Complaint Procedure

As part of our commitment to providing quality housing to Fleming College students, we provide students an opportunity to submit a written complaint should they have or had difficulty renting from a landlord whose listing appeared on the Places4students website. These complaints will be reviewed by the Off-Campus Housing Office and handled accordingly.

Please note that filing a complaint should only be used once every attempt has been made to resolve problems with your landlord. Only serious complaints will be considered. If you are dealing with a break-in or a situation where you feel threatened or have been harmed, please contact your local police department or call 911 for emergency situations.

Please complete the online form in the portal.

Content Insurance

In order to protect your belongings while you’re away, make sure to check into purchasing content insurance. Content insurance may be extended onto your parents’ existing house insurance policy, or purchased by yourself. Contact your local insurance company for further details.

Change of Locks

Neither a landlord nor a tenant can change the lock on any door giving entry to the dwelling without consent from the other.

If the accommodation that you are renting is not fully self-contained, you should make yourself aware of the house rules that your landlord wishes to have followed. Be sure that the house rules are mutually agreed upon.

Repairs and Maintenance

Landlords must keep dwellings in good repair and fit for living in, regardless of the condition when the tenant moves in. They must also comply with all health, safety and housing standards set by law.

You, as a tenant, must keep the dwellings clean, unless the tenancy agreement makes it the landlord’s responsibility. You are responsible for any damage you or your guests cause, whether it was deliberate or by accident.

If the dwelling is not maintained by your landlord, you can ask the Ontario Court of Justice to

  • order the landlord to properly maintain the dwelling or make necessary repairs
  • grant a temporary reduction in your rent – called an abatement.

Emergency Repairs

In an emergency, and if your landlord cannot be contacted you may have to pay the immediate cost of repairs. Keep all receipts for repayment from your landlord.

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, the landlord is responsible for normal wear and tear, and you, as a tenant, are responsible for damages.

Remember that you are also responsible for keeping your dwelling clean and for any damages caused. Failure to do so may result in termination of your tenancy by the landlord.

Roommates

College roommates can become friends for life, with a little common courtesy and respect. They can mean fun, laughter and great memories.

Common courtesy and respect towards your roommate(s) will ensure a fun college year. When living with other students keep in mind the following:

  • division of chores (eg. Dishes, cleaning, lawn care, snow shovelling)
  • “if it’s not yours don’t touch it”. This includes food, clothing, and other personal belongings.
  • Having friends or guests over. Make sure you let your roommates know ahead of time, they might have a test, or may be having friends over as well.
  • Communicating. Discuss issues, no matter how small they may be.

Tenancy Agreement

If two or more of you are responsible for the whole rent, and if one roommate leaves then it becomes the responsibility of the remaining tenants to cover the entire cost of the rent.

Utilities

If the telephone, gas, cable, hydro, etc. is in your name and your roommate(s) fails to pay his/her share of the bill, you are still responsible for the entire amount.

Change of Locks

Your roommate(s) cannot change the lock on any door giving entry to your accommodation without consent from all tenants and the landlord first.

Ending Tenancy

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, you are not obligated to move out of your rented dwelling simply because your tenancy or lease has come to an end.

If you or your landlord want to end a tenancy a Notice of Termination must be given. It must:

  • be in writing
  • identify the dwelling
  • specify the termination date
  • be signed by the person giving the notice

You are not required to provide a reason for the termination of your tenancy, however, your landlord must:

  • state a detailed reasons for ending the tenancy

A landlord can terminate your tenancy for certain reasons. They include:

  • Failure to pay rent
  • Causing damage to the rental property
  • Disturbing the enjoyment of the space for other tenants or the landlord
  • Overcrowding – allowing too many people to live in the unit
  • Affecting the safety of others
  • Illegal activity
  • Animals, pets – presence of the pet disturbs others or causes damage to the property

If you and your landlord mutually agree in writing to end a tenancy on a specific date, a Notice of Termination is not needed.

If you pay rent weekly, you must give 28 days notice to the landlord. If you pay rent monthly, you must give 60 days notice to the landlord

Overcrowding

It is important that overcrowding of facilities does not take place. This may decrease each person’s rent, but it also decreases each person’s privacy & can be cause for termination by a landlord.

Deposits

The amount of a security deposit is limited to the rent for one rental period, up to a maximum of one month. The means that if you pay rent on a weekly basis, the security deposit required may only equal one week’s rent, or if you pay rent on a monthly basis the security deposit may only equal one month’s rent and no more. This is covered by the Residential Tenancies Act, and is law.

A deposit against possible damages is NOT LEGAL.

The security deposit may only be used for payment of the last month’s rental period. As long as your landlord is holding the security deposit he/she must pay you an annual interest rate.

If you believe that your security deposit is being used for repairs to your rental dwelling or for any other purpose other than rent, you can apply to the Ontario Court of Justice for a refund plus interest.

A landlord can suggest post-dated cheques but you cannot be denied a rental unit for refusing to provide them.