FOUR PIECES OF ADVICE FOR FIRST-TIME STUDENT RENTERS
By Bianca McKeown and Olivia Grandy, Carleton University B.J.’25
So you’ve decided to rent for the first time, what’s next? Before viewing a house with friends and signing a lease there’s a few things you should be aware of.
- Be careful about who you live with
In a perfect world, you live with your best friends, and everything goes smoothly. However, this isn’t always the case. It’s important to choose your roommates wisely. Your friend who always blasts music in the kitchen at 2 am may not be the ideal roommate. Also, make sure to carefully screen any potential roommates you may find off of Facebook Marketplace.
Create your personal list of red flags and ask your prospective roommates where they stand on those matters. Common red flags you may want to avoid are uncleanliness, loudness, always having guests over, and a bad habit of “borrowing” your things for months. Remember, that clean means something different for everyone, so determine boundaries and expectations before moving in with someone.
- View the place you’re going to rent and ask lots of questions
Before signing any lease, it’s always important to view the place. During the tour, make sure to look at the place carefully and take lots of pictures to remember for later. Is it messy? Dirty? Any holes in the wall? Or bugs?
While you’re getting the tour, use the time to ask lots of questions. Are utilities included in the rent? How loud are the neighbours at night? Does the landlord make timely repairs or do they take months to address issues? Why are the previous tenants moving out?
If a house has a quick turnover of tenants, it’s not always a good sign. Make sure to ask any burning questions you have, and if possible, speak to the previous tenants directly to hear their experience of living at the place.
- Sign a proper lease and get help from parents and friends
Amid the excitement of finding the perfect rental to share with your pals, it’s important to remember that signing a lease is entering a legal agreement with your landlord. So, it’s essential you have a plan for approaching this process and getting the support you need.
First of all, you should be prepared to understand the document you’re signing and ensure that it’s actually legal. For instance, you should know what a standard lease agreement in your province consists of. In Ontario, there is a standard lease agreement that everyone signs.
If you’ve never rented before, it’s a great idea to reach out to those who have. If you’re an international student, reach out to your Canadian network of friends and counsellors for advice. There are also many valuable resources on Canadian campuses that can provide you with valuable information.
Most of all, though, if your parents are available to support you during this process, this is the time to ask them for help. Like it or not, they likely have more experience than you in this area and may be able to spot issues where you can’t!
- Be proactive, but don’t rush into signing anything
You probably already know that many Canadian cities are facing severe housing shortages, so it’s important to be proactive when searching for a rental property. This means checking listings daily and quickly reaching out when you’re interested in viewing a property.
That said, it’s important you don’t feel pressured into signing a lease too quickly! Take a step back and consider the pros and cons of the property, and thoroughly review the lease agreement.
If your landlord continues to pressure you timewise, express your interest in the property. Then, let them know that you want to build a good relationship with them and taking some extra time to review the agreement will help you do so.