HOUSING LIVING OFF-CAMPUS - JUNE 23RD, 2021 PRESENTED BY: SARAH MARIANO & AMANDA ROSENBERG - MCGILL UNIVERSITY

Housing
Living Off-Campus
June 23rd, 2021
Presented by: Sarah Mariano &
Amanda Rosenberg

Land Acknowledgement
McGill University is situated on the
traditional territory of the Kanien’kehà:ka,
a place which has long served as a site of
meeting and exchange amongst nations.
We recognize and respect the
Kanien’kehà:ka as the traditional
custodians of the lands and waters on
which McGill University is situated.
                                                15th Annual McGill Pow Wow ©Joshua De Costa

                                               Learn more @ First People’s House: www.mcgill.ca/fph

Welcome!
Welcome to Off-Campus & Commuter Student Support from Campus Life & Engagement (CL&E) and McGill’s
Student Housing & Hospitality Office (SHHS)!

We are both:

❖ A proud member of Student Services

❖ We are here to help all students transition into life @ McGill

❖ Are always available to answer your questions by email!

Today’s Presenters
Contact Student Housing & Hospitality:

offcampus.housing@mcgill.ca

https://www.mcgill.ca/shhs/

Contact Campus Life & Engagement:

cle@mcgill.ca

www.mcgill.ca/firstyear
                                          Amanda Rosenberg                   Sarah Mae Mariano
                                          Administrative Coordinator at    Off-Campus & Commuter Student
                                         Student Housing and Hospitality    Support Coordinator at Campus
                                                    Services                      Life & Engagement

Today’s Topics
Housing

• Introductions
• Renting in Montreal
• Getting around town
• Resources for you
• Common Questions
• Q&A Session

Student Life & Learning Network
                            Student Life & Learning

                                                      Student Housing and
         Student Services
                                                       Hospitality Services

     Campus Life & Engagement                         Off-Campus Housing

     Off-Campus & Commuter
         Student Support

            COMunity

2021/202
2

Renting in Montreal
• Leases
• Neighbourhoods
• Rental Listings
  – Precautions to take during the pandemic
• Rent
  – Factors that influence rent
• Being a Good Neighbour & Roommate Guide
The Good Neighbour Guide can be found at:
https://www.mcgill.ca/students/housing/files/students.housing/go
od_neighbor_guide.pdf

Boroughs
Note that although quite far
from downtown Sainte-Anne-
De-Bellevue is close to the
McGill MacDonald Campus

Rental Listings
• McGill has partnered with
  Places4Students, the leading
  apartment listing service for
  students.

• They offer rental property searches
  for both the downtown and
  Macdonald campuses, student
  sublets, roommate profiles, and
  much more.
                         Call the Customer Support Team at:
                      1-866-766-0767 (toll-free in North America)
                         Email: admin@places4students.com

Rental Listings
Looking for other resources outside of McGill? Check the
following out:

 -   Facebook groups
      - Apartments and Condos for Rent Montreal
      - Apartments for Rent Montreal
      - Apartments for Rent in Montreal
                          …...and many more!

 -   Kijiji
      - Be cautious of scams and possible fraud!

Types of Apartments

   1½             2½            3½            4½            5½

                              1 CLOSED      2 CLOSED      3 CLOSED
STUDIO (OPEN   INCLUDES A
                              BEDROOM,      BEDROOMS,     BEDROOMS,
AIR)           LIVING ROOM,
                              LIVING ROOM   LIVING ROOM   LIVING ROOM
               NOT CLOSED
                              AND KITCHEN   AND KITCHEN   AND KITCHEN

Visiting Apartments

         WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR NEW APARTMENT

Visiting an Apartment Checklist
      Are all the appliances functional?

      Are the security features functional? (Smoke detectors, deadbolts, locks, cameras, intercom, etc.)

      Do the windows and doors close properly?

      Is the water pressure good from each faucet?

      Is there any indication of asbestos, mold, or other hazards?

REMINDER: You are allowed to ask questions to the landlords and current tenants, don’t be shy! You will be living there after all

Leases                                                      REMEMBER: Leases are contracts that are legally binding!

  -    Rent is due on the first of every month

  -    Leases are renewed automatically
       unless you specify to your landlord
       that you wish to not renew the lease

  -    You have the right to refuse an
       increase in rent

  -    In Quebec, it is illegal to ask for the
       landlord to ask for a deposit

  -    It is legal to require a cosigner for a
       lease if you have no income

* Conditions may be specific to your rental agreement and
you should ALWAYS read your lease and any additional
clauses thoroughly

Sublets
-   When the person who signed the lease intended
    to vacate the unit for a short time, it is possible
    to let someone else take the lease for a short-
    term

-   You and the current tenant, not the landlord,
    must work out the arrangements with the
    subletter

-   Subtenant can only stay for a specific period of
    time

-   You remain responsible for the dwelling

Lease Transfers
-   If the person who signed the lease does not want
    to complete the term that the lease is signed for,
    then they are able to re-assign their lease to
    someone else who wants to carry the rest of the
    lease out

-   You and the current tenant, not the landlord, must
    figure out the terms of the rest of the lease with
    the departing tenant

-   Be aware of your rights! Check out the Quebec
    government website on your rights as a lease-
    transferring tenant

Factors That Influence Rent

                Factor 1: Location
                Factor 2: Utilities
                Factor 3: Number of people
                sharing the apartment

Finding Roommates
    Looking for a roommate? Check the following resources out!:
-     McGill Off-Campus Housing
-     Montreal Roommates Facebook group
-     Your McGill Entering Class group

-     Make sure you and your roommate agree
      on the following:

                      Cleanliness

                      Level of noise

            Sleeping habits

Being a Good Neighbour

 HOW TO AVOID DISTURBING YOUR NEIGHBOURS AND HOW TO HANDLE THOSE
                          DISTURBING YOU

Being a Good Neighbour
●   RESPECT – The number one rule
●   SAFETY – Be aware of fire regulations and the emergency numbers for your area
●   NOISE – Most areas in Montreal enforce quiet hours between 11pm and 7am and
    noise disturbances can result in fines and even arrest
●   GARBAGE AND RECYCLING – Find out the garbage and recycling pickup for your
    address to avoid it piling up
●   CLEANLINESS – Keep your apartment clean to avoid pests which can spread into
    neighboring apartments/buildings

Where to find Renting/Legal
Advice?
• The Legal Information Clinic at
 McGill
• Régie du Logement
• The Good Neighbour Guide
• Housing & Covid-19: Renting and
  Legal Rights Webinar

Getting Around Town
• Metro
• Bus
• BIXI

Reduced Fare OPUS Card
• Reduced fares
• $15 fee charged – payable by credit card
 only
• Order it through Minerva or at Berri-
 UQAM Station

Resources for You
• Students Helping Students Program
• COMunity (Commuters of McGill)
• 1st Up (First Generation Students)
• ACCE (Ambassadors for CL&E)

                                       Check them out on the website here!

Resources for You
• McGill Facebook Groups
➔McGill's Free & For Sale
➔McGill's Events & Parties
➔McGill Entering Class 2021-2022 (Official)
➔McGill Entering Class 2021-2022 (Grad)
➔McGill Off-campus & Commuter Students
➔Post Graduate Students’ Society Group
➔Post Graduate Students’ Society Page
➔Campus Life & Engagement
➔Cheap Food on Campus

Resources for You
• Student’s Society of McGill University (SSMU)
• Post-Graduate Student Society (PGSS)
• Flat Bike Collective
• SSMU DayCare Centre
 – Waiting List Registration
• McGill Clothing Exchange Group on Facebook
  (for winter clothes)
• MORSL’s Where to Get Cheap Winter Clothes

Additional Resources
Contact Information:

Email: occss@mcgill.ca
Phone: 514-398-6913
Website: www.mcgill.ca/occss
Facebook: @COMunity
Instagram: @commuters_of_mcgill
Facebook Group: McGill Off-Campus &
Commuter Students

Off-Campus Connects & Grads
Connect

Sarah’s Top 3 Tips
 1. Google is your best friend

 2. Don’t be afraid to leave the McGill bubble

 3. Living alone is okay!

Question & Answer Session
Contact Information:

 WEB: www.mcgill.ca/occss      WEB: www.mcgill.ca/students/housing/
 EMAIL: occss@mcgill.ca        EMAIL: housing.residences@mcgill.ca
 PHONE: (514)-398-6913         PHONE: (514)-398-6368
   fb.com/comunityconnectors      fb.com/McGillFoodandDiningServices
   @commuters_of_mcgill          @mcgillshhs

Thank you and good luck!
Don’t forget to check-out our other upcoming webinars!
June 29th @ 6pm (EST):
 - MTL Healthcare Community
   ■ In this webinar, we will review the different types of health insurance coverage as they apply to
     Quebec, out of province, and international students at McGill. We'll explore your physical and
     mental healthcare options both on and off campus, including virtual care services. Information
     about local COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccination will also be discussed.