Steps Toward Moving In

STEPS TOWARD MOVING IN
CONGRATULATIONS: YOU SIGNED A LEASE
NOW WHAT HAPPENS FROM LEASE-SIGNING UNTIL MOVE-IN

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WHEN YOU SIGN THE LEASE?

Fill in your Contact Information here .

Send in your Guarantor Form

Here is your Guarantor's Contact Information form to complete.
Here is the Guarantor Form to download and print:

24 Young, 58 Regina, 180 Regina Apt 1, Apt 2, Apt 3, Apt 4

Get your guarantor to complete it, scan it, and email us.
Then post the original copy to:

Homes on Regina, 421 Barrington Lane, Waterloo, N2T 1H93
Decide who gets which Bedroom prior to signing the lease. Here are floorplans for your home.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IN APRIL?

Decide who gets which Bedroom prior to taking possession. Here are floorplans for your home.
Arrange for Internet. No satellite dishes are allowed under your lease. Make sure you honestly discuss how much bandwidth you each need so that you get a plan that will make everyone happy and prevent future conflicts. The major Internet providers always offer back-to-school deals for students. Here is a review of various providers. Link here to contact the major Intenet providers, and make sure you ask about special deals: Rogers Bell TekSavvy Fido VMedia
Decide which student will be responsible for Contacting the Landlord about any group concerns or for repairs in the common areas. This student also helps arrange to have repair technicians met whenever convenient, to make sure Landlord's notices are communicated effectively, and to coordinate showings.
If you are at 180 Regina Street, you will need to set up your Utilities. It is best to arrange for utilities early so that you have no delays in getting your services since many students will be competing and waiting for technicians at the beginning of May and September. Usually, each resident takes on one responsibility. Thus one student does the electricity bill, one does heat, one does water, one does the Internet, and one is the Landlord contact.

Electricity: Here is the information. Here is the application.
Heat: Here is the information. Here is the application. If you require us to reignite the pilot light to the water heater when the gas is retored when you move in, there will be a $50 charge.
Water: Here is the information. Students are busy, and they are often at their parents' address. Using the old-fashioned method of paper billls posted to 180 Regina is often problematic, especially during the summer months. For that reason, students we know prefer to use pre-authorized payments. They also recommend e-post billings.

WE NEED A DATE FOR YOU TO TAKE POSSESSION AND BE IN-SERVICED

Our first step is to make a date for your group to "take possession" and have a mandatory in-service.

This does not mean you need to move in; it just means that you get your keys.

Your lease allows you to take possession May 1st. If you are subletting, you will want to move in very close to the first of the month.

If no one in your group is subletting and if you all plan to live elsewhere during the summer term, we prefer having you move in the first or second weekend in May. That way we have time to finish painting, repairing and deep cleaning your new place.

It is very important that all five of you--and any subtenants--meet at the same time. Parents are also welcome. We make sure you get a complete in-service so you will know how to take care of your home. We have you thoroughly inspect everything and let us know if there are any repairs outstanding. So please talk to everyone and get your preferred date in our calendar.

Email us now as soon as you have some suggested dates.

SO IT'S TIME TO GET YOUR KEYS: WHAT HAPPENS AT THE IN-SERVICE?

Confirm the time with your co-tenants that you will all be in attendance. Email or call 519-886-1414 if there is a last-minute problem.
Make sure any subtenants are there too.
Etransfer your Key Deposit of $100 or get the cash or cheque ready to bring to the meeting. The key deposit is refundable, as long as you return ALL keys by the last date of your lease. The key deposit is not a security deposit and as per the Ontario Standard Lease you signed is a legal requirement before you can move in. Replacing unreturned keys and changing locks for security reasons require time and money. For more information from the Landlord & Tenant Board, see here.
As long as everyone arrives on time, the meeting will last around an hour.
This is what you will do:

give us the key deposit (if you have not sent it to us by email) and then try out your key;
inspect the entire place making note of any repairs still required; and
participate in an in-service covering things like using the appliances, following procedures for garbage disposal, handling problems like a tripped circuit breaker, your legal rights under the Residential Tenancies Act, dealing with emergencies like fires, and preventative maintenance so you will have a trouble-free time living and being responsible in your own home.
you will review the Landlord Tenant Board's brochure, "Information for New Tenants".

6. Please move into the bedroom assigned to you on your signed lease. If you change your mind and want to switch, that's okay; just let us know in writing.

SHOULD YOU GET A SUBTENANT?

We encourage budget-conscious students to get a subtenant whom they can trust. Just some caveats to make sure this a positive experience:

it's best to find a student you or a friend knows and trusts, and you must make sure your co-tenants are comfortable with your selection
all showings are at the discretion of the sitting tenants since they are not under any legal obligation to open up their homes for viewings
when you have found a subtenant, get our written permission before you sign the sublease agreement (provide your sub-tenant's name, year and place of study, home address, contact number & email)
get a written sublease signed, a security deposit, and first and last month's rent
remember we do not have a legal relationship with the subtenant which means YOU are responsible for in-servicing your subtenant, giving and getting back the keys, for making sure your subtenant abides by the rules, and for any damages done by your subtenant

Here is a Sample Sublease for Your Use.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A HOME FOR YOURSELF?

When you first move in together, you are in a "honeymoon period" when you can make sure that your group builds friendships that will last for a lifetime. Here are some tips to make that happen:

Share the work; for instance, at 180 Regina, one person can do each utility (gas, Internet, hydro, water) and one person can take on communicating with the landlord. Rotate garbage duty so that one person is on call each week.
Take a survey to see if there are any potential conflicts and come up with rules for co-habitating; for instance, everyone cleans common areas on Sunday afternoons; quiet time after midnight; how often boyfriends/girlfriends can stay over; how to share food and divide fridge space. It's best to have a policy BEFORE feelings get hurt.
A good housemate agreement will prevent conflicts from escalating. Check out this housemate agreement and this one.
When you find yourself in conflict, reflect on how you can change your behaviour to make things go more smoothly. Consult Google or read this article, and this one, and this one.
Set up a weekly meeting to reflect on how things are going and plan for the future; for instance, what upcoming socials might interfere with individual study, how cleaning up will be scheduled, who has been leaving laundry in the drier, what about dishes in the sink?