Off-Campus housing guide: Settling in and moving out
Roommates
A roommate is the person who will be living with you until the end of the tenancy agreement. They are someone who will be sharing the space with you, so it’s encouraged to find a person you are comfortable with and with whom you can communicate effectively.
It is always best to connect with people through social media and in person, to get to know them before signing a lease. You should make sure that the following points are discussed with your potential roommate to enable a comfortable living style.
- Cleaning: How often do you and your roommate want to clean the place, and what level of cleanliness do you each expect?
- Bills: Will you be splitting the grocery bills, electricity, utilities, etc.?
- Guests: Will you allow guests to be over often, will they sleep overnight, the maximum number of guests, etc.?
- Parties: Are they acceptable, how often can they occur, the maximum number of guests, etc.?
- Noise/conflict: What can you do if the person is making too much noise, and how do you resolve the conflict?
- Schedules: Who will use the laundry machine when? Who will clean what area and when?
- Expectations: Talking about cleaning the dishes and cleaning your dishes after every meal are two very different things. Make sure you hold up to what you agree upon.
To ensure that you and your roommates keep each other accountable, it is a good idea to create and sign a roommate agreement. Here is a Roommate Agreement Template to help you set your boundaries and effectively communicate your expectations.
Watch: Living with roommates in university
Roommate disagreements
If you are experiencing conflicts with your roommate(s), you can always refer back to the signed and dated roommate agreement you made at the beginning of your tenancy. Maybe some expectations need to change.
First and foremost, it is important to set boundaries, communicate clearly, and work together to find solutions.
If you cannot resolve the conflict with your roommate, it might be best to bring in a neutral person who can hear both sides of the issue and help you generate a solution. If you are having a conflict with another UBC student, it might be beneficial to seek help from the Office of the Ombudsperson for Students, which ensures students are treated fairly and can learn, work, and live in a fair, equitable, and respectful environment.
Ending the contract and moving out
Your time of living at your new home can come to an end in two ways: from your own decision or the decision of your landlord. If your rental agreement has a defined end date, then to extend your lease, a new tenant agreement or an extension of the current one is needed, and to vacate early, you either have to break your lease or find someone else to take over living there.
Learn more about ending a tenancy in BC
Before you move out, the landlord will most likely set a time and date to come into your apartment and inspect the premises for any damages. You can ask your property manager/landlord for a move-out checklist. This would show you the things that they expect from you when you move out.
The landlord/property manager will typically ask you to sign an inspection report, which would indicate how much money will be deducted/returned from the security deposit and list any damages. This is where it is key to have the photos you took of any damage made before your tenancy. Make sure that you read the inspection report in full before signing, and check for the amounts mentioned for accuracy.
Always discuss the return of the security deposit. You will need to provide a return address and can expect the return of the deposit within two weeks.
The SUO of UBC has a legal assistance system in place, UBCSUO Student Legal Aid. The UBCSUO is the Student Union for students at UBCO. They provide access to a lawyer who can assist all undergraduate and graduate students with tenancy legal issues.
Cleaning the apartment will be easier when done professionally. This would make it easier for the landlord/property manager to return the entire security deposit, but it also comes at a financial cost.
