Living off-campus

If you prefer to live off campus or you are not placed in residence, you must arrange your own accommodation. The sooner you start looking for a place to live, the better.

It's best to have a permanent place to live before starting classes. The Off-Campus Housing guide provides a listing service to support you in your housing search.

Before you rent a room, your landlord is entitled to ask you to:

Sign a lease
Provide first and last months’ rent
Consent to a credit check

In Canada, it's rare for more than two people to share a bedroom. Most landlords will consider this overcrowding and will object to more than two people sharing a bedroom.

If you don't make your housing arrangements before you travel, we recommend that you arrive in ��ݮ��Ƶ at least two weeks before the term begins. This will give you time to find housing and become acquainted with the campus, and the city, before classes begin.

Housing terms

Credit check

An inquiry that a landlord makes regarding your financial history. Landlords use credit checks to verify that you have paid your rent on time, and in full, in the past. This information helps them to determine whether you will be a good tenant or not.

Landlord

An owner of residential property who rents out that property via a formal lease agreement. Both a landlord and tenant have rights and responsibilities under Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Act.

Lease

A legally-binding contract that allows you to use and occupy a property for a period of time in exchange for consistent rent payments.