Student off-campus housing resources document 2018/2019 Academic Year
Off-campus Housing Assistance This resource document has been developed to help you find off-campus housing in Saint John. Please note that UNB Saint John can t connect you with landlords, recommend specific apartments, or inspect apartments/rooms for you. While we provide names of property rental companies and temporary housing options, we do not endorse any one of them. Claims that a place is a UNB homestay for instance are incorrect, as we have not personally inspected and can not guarantee any service of such places. 2
Living in Residence 3 If you are hoping to live in campus residences, but haven t been able to get a room, keep checking back in with residence, as there is ALWAYS movement with the residence rooms, particular in the beginning of the term (September and January) Have a look through the temporary housing options, book a place, so you have a place to stay upon arrival, and then keep in touch with Jamie in residence (res@unb.ca)
Not yet arrived in Saint John? Our recommendations: Book temporary accommodation to have a place to stay for a few days upon arrival. Once you have rested, you can then start looking for permanent housing, visit a few places and getting a feel for the city and the different areas where you would like to live. It may take some time and effort from you in determining what off-campus option is best for you in your situation, so if you know that you need to find off-campus housing, it will be best to arrive a few days early and dedicate a few days searching for accommodation in the city. UNB Saint John does not recommend signing a lease or paying a security deposit to hold a room/an apartment prior to personally seeing the space and meeting with the landlord to ask questions. 4
Temporary accommodation in Saint John Saint John offers a variety of temporary accommodation for your arrival. Research the options below and then make the booking for as long as you wish while you are looking for more permanent accommodation in Saint John. Chipman hill Suites www.chipmanhill.com Small self-catering rooms/apartments for short and long-term rental in various location in Uptown Saint John Air BnB Saint John www.airbnb.ca Temporary housing in various places in the city Newman House Hostel www.newmanhousehostel.com. Located on Dorchester St in Uptown Saint John Bunkhaus Hostel www.facebook.com/bunkhaushostel/. Located on Water Street in Uptown Saint John Crown Court Apartments www.crowncourtapartments.ca/home.h tml 5
How to look for housing in Saint John The next slides will introduce you to the specific areas in Saint John, the bus system, etc. Carefully read the slides, as there is lots of useful information to help ensure that your rental experience will as easy as possible. The cost of accommodation can vary significantly, and will depend on what type of accommodation you chose, the location, size of the room/apartment and which services you would like to have. 6
Areas of Saint John Millidgeville/North on bus routes, close to grocery shops, 15-20 minutes walking distance from campus Uptown on several bus routes to campus, and close to shops and entertainment. East main shopping district/industrial area, about 25 minutes to get to campus via bus, close to shops and entertainment West mainly residential area, change of bus once to get to campus Quispamsis/Rothesay 15-20 minutes from city centre, accessible with Comex bus, change of bus in uptown Saint John to get to campus 7
Saint John Transit bus system Visit www.saintjohn.ca, then click the transit schedule to see all bus routes Use google maps to learn about which bus routes will take you where in the city. This feature is very useful when determining how easily you can get to campus from any address in Saint John, using public transportation 8
Property Management Companies A property management company is a third-party, who is hired by a landlord to deal with the day-to-day operations of rental properties. There are several property management companies in Saint John that students have used in the past. Killam Properties www.killamreit.com Various locations in Saint John (506) 642-7571 Historica www.historicadevelopments.com Various locations in Saint John (506) 214-4677 Piece of Mind Management www.pomm.ca/ Various locations in Saint John 3D Property Management www.3dprop.ca Various locations in Saint John (506) 631-8002 9
Kijiji a useful Online Resource for buying and selling and finding accommodation Kijiji is an online classified advertising service where local people can post ads for buying or selling good and services, including housing. Website: kijiji.ca. Choose New Brunswick, Saint John as location TIPS WHEN SEARCHING FOR HOUSING One bedroom apartment Bachelor/studio apartment (a small apartment which combines living room, bedroom, and kitchen into a single room) Roommate wanted Furnished/unfurnished room/apartment Near UNBSJ On campus bus route Rentals in Uptown Saint John Rentals in Millidgeville 10
How do I find a roommate? Many students are interested in living with a roommate both to share the cost, but also to have company. There are 2 ways to finding a room mate, and the next slides will take you through this process: Connecting with other new or current UNB students through our D2L course management system Placing a Roommate Wanted ad on Kijiji 11
How to place an ad on kijiji- a step by step guide 12
How to place an ad on kijiji- a Step by step guide 13
How to place an ad on kijiji- a step by step guide 14
Information to include The ad you write needs to have six types of information: 1. Location (East, Uptown or Millidgeville) 2. Features of the room or apartment (furnished, number of bedroom, how many roommates) 3. Something about who you are (International male/female student from ) 4. What you are looking for (smoke free, pet friendly or pet free, on campus bus route) 5. The financial information (how much you are willing to pay per month) 6. Contact information (name, phone number, or you can choose name/email only) 15
Connecting with other UNB students prior to arrival UNB Saint John has created an International Student Welcome course, which give you an opportunity to connect with other new and current UNB students. In order to find this course, please follow the below process: You will first need to activate your UNB portal go to https://es.unb.ca/apps/activate/. You will need your student number as well as your log-in ID both you will find on your letter of acceptance from UNB. If you have trouble, you will need to contact solutions@unb.ca and ask for help. Navigate to the housing discussion group and connect with other students 16
Tips and Trick for locating housing The following slides are designed with tips and tricks to help you make more informed decisions about rental situations and give a clear idea of what expectations you should have when making decisions about renting an apartment or a room. REMINDER: Do Not : sign a housing contract before visiting the apartment/room in person Do Not: send a money deposit to a landlord before you have personally seen the place 17
When going to visit apartments When you are ready to visit a few housing options in Saint John, the next slide will give you suggestions for which questions to ask. 18
Questions to ask potential landlords Find 3 places to visit and contact the landlord to schedule visit. Use google maps to determine the location making sure apartment/room, making sure it is on campus bus routes. Bring Rental options sheet so you can make sure you are well prepared when it is time to decide. Test cell phone reception in each room. Look inside cupboards, cabinets, and closets to make sure there are no unwanted surprises. Turn on shower to make sure there is good water pressure and no odor coming from water. What is the amount of advance notice that must be given before moving out? Are tenants allowed to make changes in the apartment such as painting, hanging up decorations etc.? Is there parking (if needed)? Are children permitted (if applicable)? Why did the previous tenant chose to relocate? Walk or drive through neighborhood in the evening to ensure you feel safe Ask if there are or have been issues with rodents or bed bugs in the past Avoid living above restaurant as odors or noise may be disturbing you What is included in the rent payment, due date, and method of payment? What is the damage deposit amount and what are the conditions for a refund? Is there a phone number at which the landlord or superintendent can be reached in case of emergency? Are you allowed to have visitors and whether there are time limits? How often does the nearest bus run? Will any repairs, including small ones, be completed before moving in? This should be put in writing. Are there other students living in the building? 19
The Legal side of renting The next slides will explain important information about housing rules and regulations. Important Words to learn: A tenant a person who rent a room from a landlord A landlord an owner of a house or property, which he/she rents out to a tenant A lease or a rental agreement a contact between the tenant and the landlord, that explains the responsibilities and obligations of both parties Security deposit A security deposit is a fixed amount of money you pay your landlord, or management company, to cover any damage you might cause to the property. The law requires your security deposit be held in a special account until you move out and the landlord can check the apartment for damage. If there are no damages, the money must be returned to you. If there are damages, any money left over after fixing them must be returned to you. 20
Leasing information In New Brunswick, rentals for all housing (apartments, houses, condos and rooms) are managed under the Rentalmans Office. When you have decided on a place to rent, you and your new landlord must sign 2 copies of a lease. Each party keeps a signed copy. The New Brunswick lease covers tenancy agreements for apartments, houses, condos, rooms and mobile homes sites. The lease contains crucial information about the tenancy, and becomes an essential communication tool between the tenant and the landlord. Security Deposit: a tenant must pay a security deposit in addition to the first installment of rent 21 Type of Lease Week-to-week Month-to-month Year-to-year What is proper written notice? No later than the day rent is due one week before the tenant would like to end the lease. For example: The lease began on Monday, March 2nd. The tenant wants to end the lease on Sunday, July 5th. The tenant must give notice no later than Monday, June 29th. No later than the day rent is due one month before the tenant would like to end the lease. For example: The lease begins on February 1st. The tenant wants to end the lease on August 31st. The tenant must give notice no later than August 1st. No later than the day rent is due three months before the anniversary of the lease only. For example: The lease begins on January 1, 2017. The earliest the tenant could end the lease is December 31, 2017. If the tenant decides to end the lease on December 31, 2017, he/she must give notice no later than October 1, 2017.
Renters insurance What is renters insurance? Renters insurance typically replaces your belonging against loss, theft or damage, and may provide coverage fro additional living expenses, if the rental property becomes inhabitable. It may also provide personal liability insurance this is useful in the event of bodily injury or property damage for which you are responsible. Is renters insurance mandatory? Although renter's insurance is not usually required, it is recommended. Even if you don t feel your belongings amount to much, you probably have electronics, clothes, textbooks and more that may need to be replaced if experiencing fire or your apartment/room is broken into. Where can I get renters insurance? UNB students can get a discount through UNB Alumni Association if signing up with TD Insurance: www.tdinsurance.com/affinity/unbalumni 22
Useful resources for tenant preparation The Rentalman s Office offers a number of useful resources for you to read and prepare to become a tenant. Website: www.snb.ca/irent/. Please have a look through the many great resources for tenants. There is advice for first-time tenants, examples of a lease, and good advice for living with room mates. Take your time and read through these resources. The best way to ensure a smooth experience as a tenant is through thorough preparation. 23
Where to find furniture While there are several options for renting rooms or apartments that are already furnished, you may wish to purchase your own new or used furniture. There are many options: For used furniture, you can use either Kijiji or Facebook Market Place For new furniture: Furniture Surplus: www.surplusfurniture.com/en/saint-john/ Leon s: www.leons.ca 24
Cooking and Eating off-campus Students who live off-campus can still come to campus to eat all their meals. Chartwell s, UNB Saint John s food provider, offers Commuter Card valid for all eating locations on campus. All you do is load up your student card with cash and you then receive a 5% discount towards meals purchased on campus. To learn more, visit http://www.dineoncampus.ca/unbsj/diningplans/commuter-plans. Students also get a 10% discount when shopping in grocery stores on Tuesdays. UNB Saint John s Student Representative Council provides a van to take students to grocery stores every Tuesday to benefit from the discount and help purchase food. 25
Seeking legal help in case of disputes over rental agreements Rentalman s Office The Rentalman s Office can help with disputes between a tenant and a landlord. For more information, please visit irent.snb.ca and navigate to Problem with Rental under Tenant Information Undergraduate students The Student Representative Council (SRC) has a lawyer on retainer for students to obtain 1 hour of legal advice. Please contact the SRC for contact information. Graduate Students Graduate students have access to legal advice through their Student VIP health plan. Please contact the Graduate Student Association for the contact information. Free legal clinics in Saint John Many lawyers office offer free legal clinics. Do a google service to look for clinics and contact them for assistance. 26
Locating housing can be stressful, so it s important to take it easy and be thorough with questions and documents. Remember to take it easy, ask for help if needed, and try to enjoy this step in your first few days in Canada. Focus on finding what you are hoping for while remaining realistic about your expectations. Happy apartment hunting and best of luck!! 27