We pride ourselves in providing honest and reliable service to all of our residents. We use the most recent Ontario Residential Tenancy Agreement (Standard Form of Lease) and we make sure tenants know their rights.
Finding your home away from home in 5 easy steps:1. Book a Showing Schedule an in-person showing with Terezinha, the property owner and manager. Ensure that all 5 group members attend the showing, as only one tour will be offered per group. Come prepared with your questions! 2. Secure the Unit If the group decides to move forward, each member must provide last month's rent to secure the unit. This deposit, typically sent via email money transfer, ensures the unit is yours, and taken off the market. 3. Review the Lease After securing the unit, you'll have a few days to review the fixed-term group lease & additional terms. We’ll then arrange a convenient time at a public location near the school to sign the lease and collect guarantor forms. 4. Set Up Utilities & Internet Two weeks before move-in, arrange for utilities and Wi-Fi services to be activated in your new home. I’ll send reminders and guidance on this step to make the process smooth. 5. Move-In Day On move-in day, I’ll meet you in person to hand over the keys, collect a key deposit, and conduct a one-hour group orientation and unit inspection. For more information, check out these helpful student resources: |
FAQs:
What does a May lease mean to me?
Nothing, as long as you are living in residence or in another rented accommodation with a May-to-April lease. Overwhelmingly, landlords expect a minimum of twelve months commitment from their tenants. If you live off-campus after your first year, you will pay 36-months rent in all no matter when the lease starts, which means you will have three summer terms no matter when your lease begins. In fourth year, you walk away at the end of April if you signed a May-April lease or at the end of August if you signed a September-August lease.
Is there parking?
One parking spot is available and included with your lease at 58 Regina and 24 Young. There are limited parking spots available at 180 Regina - Spots are rented on a first-come, first-serve basis, and fees depend on which term the spot is required.
What do I need to put down to secure accomodations?
You will need to place a deposit (immediate payment) of last month's rent to secure the unit. This is a non-refundable deposit. The deposit secures the room/suite/house for one week, at which time the lease agreement needs to be signed by all members in order to secure the unit.
How long is the lease?
A lease can be any length agreed upon by the Landlord and Tenant. Most commonly, leases are one-year long. Many Waterloo students sign three-year leases. This gives the student the certainty that their rent will stay the same throughout their period of study for their undergraduate degree. What if the student wants to leave after their first year? Our leases allow any resident to terminate the lease after the first year (or after the second year) as long as they give notice prior to December 1st. Early notice allows us to look for new tenants, since students generally go house-hunting in November and December.
Is the deposit refundable? Can I get out of the lease?
No, you are bound by the lease you sign until the end of the term. The deposit pays the last month's rent. It is a legal obligation which can only be terminated in prescribed ways. A non-refundable deposit guarantees that students will not continue shopping around and leave the landlord with an unoccupied unit at the last minute when most students have found other places. That is why we ask for it when you ask us to take the unit off the market.
What forms of payments do you accept?
Most residents prefer the convenience of email money transfer. However, post-dated cheques are also accepted.
What is a Guarantor Form?
Having a guarantor for your lease is very similar to getting a co-signer for a mortgage. It ensures the landlord will get paid if a tenant does not pay the rent. In the majority of cases, a student's parents act as the guarantor. Therefore, if you do not pay your rent, expect your landlord to call your parents. Nobody wants that to happen! The guarantor form requires:
Do I need renter's insurance?
Yes. In the waiver you sign as part of the leasing package, it states that tenants belongings should be insured, either by renter's insurance or extended coverage under his or her parent/guardian's home insurance. You need to protect not only your possessions but your liability towards accidently injuring a guest or a roommate or their possessions.
Will my house be in great condition before I move in?
Outgoing tenants are expected to leave the unit in the same condition they found it. Nevertheless, we always hire professional cleaners and carpet cleaners (where needed). Walls, ceilings, and trim are painted if required. We carefully inspect all units prior to the departure of outgoing residences and complete any necessary repairs or make arrangements for them to be completed before move-in.
Are your houses pet-friendly?
All of our properties are shared accomodations, as such there are often many allergies and sensitivies to take into account. We therefore can not accept pets in any of our units.
What are the rules about smoking?
Our houses and apartments are non-smoking buildings. Smoking inside or within 10 feet of the building are against the conditions of the lease and will result in a $200 charge. If caught, you can be fined by the City of Waterloo By-Law Enforcement.
How does maintenance work?
We are proud of the maintenance we provide, and the condition of our properties shows our commitment to providing quality accommodation. On this website, you can see the procedures we use to ensure that our residents receive prompt and satisfactory service.
Is subletting of the lease allowed?
Yes, although we caution you to select your subtenants carefully, always sign a sublet agreement, and collect first & last month's rent upfront. And it goes without saying, your roommates must also be happy with the choice you make. For example, if there is an all-female or all-male group, your roommates need to agree if you wish to sublet to someone of the opposite sex. Tenants usually have no difficulty subletting their rooms on a short-term basis.
Do you allow assignment of the lease?
Assignment involves finding someone to permanently replace you and take over all the same terms in your original lease. Replacements are required to submit all required documents and payments and be approved as a tenant before you are released from your contract.
What does a May lease mean to me?
Nothing, as long as you are living in residence or in another rented accommodation with a May-to-April lease. Overwhelmingly, landlords expect a minimum of twelve months commitment from their tenants. If you live off-campus after your first year, you will pay 36-months rent in all no matter when the lease starts, which means you will have three summer terms no matter when your lease begins. In fourth year, you walk away at the end of April if you signed a May-April lease or at the end of August if you signed a September-August lease.
Is there parking?
One parking spot is available and included with your lease at 58 Regina and 24 Young. There are limited parking spots available at 180 Regina - Spots are rented on a first-come, first-serve basis, and fees depend on which term the spot is required.
What do I need to put down to secure accomodations?
You will need to place a deposit (immediate payment) of last month's rent to secure the unit. This is a non-refundable deposit. The deposit secures the room/suite/house for one week, at which time the lease agreement needs to be signed by all members in order to secure the unit.
How long is the lease?
A lease can be any length agreed upon by the Landlord and Tenant. Most commonly, leases are one-year long. Many Waterloo students sign three-year leases. This gives the student the certainty that their rent will stay the same throughout their period of study for their undergraduate degree. What if the student wants to leave after their first year? Our leases allow any resident to terminate the lease after the first year (or after the second year) as long as they give notice prior to December 1st. Early notice allows us to look for new tenants, since students generally go house-hunting in November and December.
Is the deposit refundable? Can I get out of the lease?
No, you are bound by the lease you sign until the end of the term. The deposit pays the last month's rent. It is a legal obligation which can only be terminated in prescribed ways. A non-refundable deposit guarantees that students will not continue shopping around and leave the landlord with an unoccupied unit at the last minute when most students have found other places. That is why we ask for it when you ask us to take the unit off the market.
What forms of payments do you accept?
Most residents prefer the convenience of email money transfer. However, post-dated cheques are also accepted.
What is a Guarantor Form?
Having a guarantor for your lease is very similar to getting a co-signer for a mortgage. It ensures the landlord will get paid if a tenant does not pay the rent. In the majority of cases, a student's parents act as the guarantor. Therefore, if you do not pay your rent, expect your landlord to call your parents. Nobody wants that to happen! The guarantor form requires:
- Students to find a guarantor before the lease can be finalized
- The guarantor to agree to pay outstanding rent if the tenant does not pay
- The guarantor to be a citizen/permanent resident of Canada and to have a full-time job, (proof may be requested)
Do I need renter's insurance?
Yes. In the waiver you sign as part of the leasing package, it states that tenants belongings should be insured, either by renter's insurance or extended coverage under his or her parent/guardian's home insurance. You need to protect not only your possessions but your liability towards accidently injuring a guest or a roommate or their possessions.
Will my house be in great condition before I move in?
Outgoing tenants are expected to leave the unit in the same condition they found it. Nevertheless, we always hire professional cleaners and carpet cleaners (where needed). Walls, ceilings, and trim are painted if required. We carefully inspect all units prior to the departure of outgoing residences and complete any necessary repairs or make arrangements for them to be completed before move-in.
Are your houses pet-friendly?
All of our properties are shared accomodations, as such there are often many allergies and sensitivies to take into account. We therefore can not accept pets in any of our units.
What are the rules about smoking?
Our houses and apartments are non-smoking buildings. Smoking inside or within 10 feet of the building are against the conditions of the lease and will result in a $200 charge. If caught, you can be fined by the City of Waterloo By-Law Enforcement.
How does maintenance work?
We are proud of the maintenance we provide, and the condition of our properties shows our commitment to providing quality accommodation. On this website, you can see the procedures we use to ensure that our residents receive prompt and satisfactory service.
Is subletting of the lease allowed?
Yes, although we caution you to select your subtenants carefully, always sign a sublet agreement, and collect first & last month's rent upfront. And it goes without saying, your roommates must also be happy with the choice you make. For example, if there is an all-female or all-male group, your roommates need to agree if you wish to sublet to someone of the opposite sex. Tenants usually have no difficulty subletting their rooms on a short-term basis.
Do you allow assignment of the lease?
Assignment involves finding someone to permanently replace you and take over all the same terms in your original lease. Replacements are required to submit all required documents and payments and be approved as a tenant before you are released from your contract.
