Off-campus housing guide: I found a place to live – now what?

Now that you have secured a place, you may be wondering what to look for and expect in a contract/rental agreement. Before you sign the lease, make sure you understand that it is a legal document and that you need to understand everything on it before you sign.

Things to check for in the tenancy agreement:

• Names of the tenants and Landlord
• Date the agreement was signed
• Address of the rental unit
• Rental agreement start and end date
• Address and telephone number of the landlord/property manager
• Tenancy period (i.e., weekly, monthly, or as arranged)
• Amount of rent to be paid
• Security deposit details
• Rent variation based on the number of tenants
• When is the rent due?
• What facilities are included in the rent?
• Information about pet damage deposit or if pets are allowed

Important information and other links to resources are available here.

Internet may not be included in the rent. In these cases, the tenant is typically expected to secure internet for themselves. Some of the common options that students and landlords recommend in Kelowna are Shaw, Telus, Bell, and Rogers.  

Electricity in Kelowna is supplied by FortisBC or BCHydro and you can set up an account on their respective websites to start the connection and pay for monthly services.

A roommate is someone who you will be living with until the end of the tenancy agreement. They are someone who will be sharing the space with you and therefore you need to find someone who you are comfortable around, can communicate effectively with, and you need to understand each other’s boundaries.  

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, in order 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. It may be beneficial to set quiet hours.