Let’s say, you have decided to move to Vancouver (or Canada), picked a university/college or a dream employer, got your immigration documents, booked your flight, packed you stuff…but have you decided where you want to live and how you can rent a place?
Today, I want to give you some general tips on how to rent an apartment in Vancouver, BC, or Canada, how to pick your first room/apartment/house, and what you should be mindful of.
Google Maps and City Exploration: First of all, I would suggest looking at Google Maps and explore the city you’d planned to live in via Google Street View to virtually "walk" the neighborhoods. Such a quick familiarization with neighbourhoods, transportation systems/options, and comes a long way once you actually arrive to your destination.
Type of Accommodation: Then, decide on a type of your accommodation. For example, students may have a nifty option to live in university residences. On the other hand, some people may decide to save some funds and rent a room or a part of an apartment or house instead of renting the whole housing unit. Another option may be to rent a full apartment or a house with other people you know or are friends with. There are pros and cons for each type of housing but I think I’ll talk about it one of my future posts.
Proximity to Work/Study: Then, see where you are going to study or work and try to select an appropriate neighbourhood that suits you needs (like enough groceries stores, supermarket nearby, or a certain specialty store for your hobby or work) and is situated near you place of work or study.
Also, an important note, don’t be afraid to you public transport. From my experience of living in Vancouver, the buses are pretty reliable and can be late sometimes but not often. Skytrain (which is a monorail situated above the ground) is highly reliable, train frequency is excellent (every 5 minutes approximately during busy hours), and don’t break down often, maybe only when it snows in Vancouver).
Therefore, if you would like to live in a neighborhood that is not particularly close to your place of work or study, research you public transport route first, it may not be as discouraging as may appear at first. Also, Step One comes in really handy for that task!
Rental Websites: Next, you can check several popular websites for apartment rentals. I personally have always used Craigslist but other people may prefer sources like Kijiji or Facebook Market. Some real estate sites may also contain rental units along with properties that are being sold. Also, I would not recommend to send money (security deposit for example) before verifying that the listing is legitimate. It is much better to politely refuse and notify the landlord that that you’ll pay upon arrival to Canada and meeting with them.
Contacting the Landlord: Once you’ve found your place, contact the owner and describe your situation briefly. See if they are interested in you as a tenant. Good communication skills can go a long way here in making a favorable impression on a potential landlord. Please note, that some landlords may not be willing to rent a place to a newcomer as they see them as too unreliable. So, do not expect that the first place you’ll find will be the one you’ll end up in. The reality is that you may do a lot of digging before you can actually secure your first home in Canada.
Also, note that one year lease contract is a common thing in Canada and be prepared that 90% of rental offers will be for 12 month period. Other offers are for fewer months but they are more expensive generally. On the other hand, some landlords may be more willing to rent to newcomers if they have a guarantor or co-signer who is a Canadian resident.
In addition, I would like to point out that it is possible to cancel the tenancy agreement before the actual 12 month period ends but you also have to notify the landlord at least one month in advance before your intended day of moving out. If you don’t do that usually you would have to give up your entire security deposit as a landlord would withhold it for the agreement violation.
Proof of Financial Stability: Then, there is a very important step a landlord may require some sort of proof that you can pay for the apartment. They may need your job offer/employment contract/enrollment letter, a bank statement with a substantial amount of money on an account under your name, your study/work permit, or your passport (but it is pretty rear). Also, references from a landlord from a prior place you rented may be handy. Obviously, it would be much more preferable if it was a Canadian rent but a one from you home town or other countries may be sufficient.
Another option is to contact a realtor for help to find a rental apartment as, once again, not every landlord could be keen on renting a place to a newcomer without any ties to Canada or previous Canadian rental property experience. A realtor can take into an account your desirable characteristics for your rental place and suggest you several options for consideration. Once you’ve selected what you like, they will contact a landlord on your behalf and help with negotiations and contract preparation or questions if needed. Such help may be necessary at times as realtor adds a layer of credibility and reliability to your tenant application as a landlord can actually associate you with somebody local who represents you.
Rental Contract and Inspection: After that, once you have agreed on a rental unit with a landlord, safely arrive to Canada, go to the place you chose, and meet the landlord. Along with giving you the keys, the landlord will hand you in the rental contract that you need to sign and will do a unit inspection with you. The contact is usually pretty standard (for example, British Columbia has a standard rental contract that anyone can download from an official province website) but please take you time to review it before signing.
The inspection’s purpose is basically to note the condition of everything in the unit so, once you move out, a landlord can check if anything is broken and deduct a part of your security deposit for that. On the other hand, you have a chance to note anything that is broken, cracked, or scratched upon your arrival so you are not blamed for damaging those things when you move out. Lastly, you will need to pay a security deposit, which is usually an amount equal to a half-month rent.
Utilities and Internet: After that, your last steps is to connect electricity (in BC, via BC Hydro) and connect you place to the internet if internet services are not included in the rent. Unlike BC, some other provinces may also require you to set up a gas and water services.
After that, you’re all set. Time to celebrate a new chapter in your life! :)
If you have any questions regarding immigration and life in Canada, do not hesitate to contact us via a contact form on our website or at info@elbimmigration.ca! You can also book a consultation with us if you have decided to begin your Canadian journey.
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