Looking for Accomodation

[Octagon]

Hey guys,
I am planning to move to Calgary from India this month and am looking for accomodation. I am ethnically Indian.
I am done with the landing procedures last year and am going there to look for a job and settle.
However, I do not know anyone there and have no contacts in Canada.
I have heard Calgary and Toronto have better economies but I have settled to go to Calgary cos its more affordable.

Can please anyone suggest a good place.
I have looked at kijiji but really do not know how to pick the place to live.
I am open to live with some family and rent their basement or rent a place seperately.

Octagon

 

[Leon]

Do not rent a place unseen. There are all kind of scammers out there that want you to send them money and when you arrive, you find that the apartment photos were fake and there is no free apartment at the address you were given or that the apartment exists but the people who took your money are not the owners and did not have permission to rent it out. That and the other possibility that you rent an apartment that does exist and the person is the owner but when you get there, you find out that it looks worse than you expected or it smells bad or there are insects or it is in a bad neighbourhood. Once you have signed a lease, you are stuck in it for 1 year.

You should rather book a motel room for the first little while you are there and look for an apartment after you have arrived.

 

[steaky]

I don't agree. Even if you rent a place seen, there are certain risk, especially if you don't have a lease agreement that clearly explains your right as a tenant.

This was what I saw in the local newspaper: Several international students under age 16 from China rented an apartment in downtown Vancouver without signing a lease agreement, after viewing the apartment and negotiated with the posed landlady. The posed landlady asked for CA2300 for a furnished and CA2200 for non furnished. The Chinese students accepted the latter, but they soon found out that they had been paying CA2300 for being not furnished. After 9 months, they decided not to rent the suite and move out with their furniture, but landlady alleged that those furniture belongs to her and the students were not given permission to tenant the apartment! The students are seeking assistance from the local RTO.

Signing a lease is not bad. At least your rights as tenant is defined. Not all lease are 1 year. Sometimes, you can find periodic lease such as 3 months or less. Even if you book a motel room, it is not guarantee if it is free of bed bugs or look worse than you expected.

There are things you can do about addresses. For example, use google!

 

[Leon]

Also get acquainted with the law in your province. It is common for landlords to try to get new PR's to pay months in advance, knowing that they have in most cases brought all their savings for their settlement. In Ontario, a landlord is only legally able to ask for first and last months rent. In Alberta, they can only ask for first months rent and a damage deposit no higher than one months rent.

Make sure that you sign a contract that lists things like what is in the apartment so the landlord can not say you took anything. Demand a walk through as the keys are handed over where all damages to the apartment such as scratches on walls and the conditions of the apartment such as worn carpet etc. are listed. You will keep a copy of this document and at the end of your term as you move out, you will do a walk through again to see if any further damages have taken place. If the landlord tries to blame you for damages that were already there when you moved in or damages that were not caused by you, refuse to sign the move-out walk through. This is important if you have to fight to get your DD back.

There are certain other stipulations like the landlord having to provide a working fridge and stove, how included heat should allow you to have your place at up to 22°C even in the winter etc. If the landlord is not doing his job, you can go to the tenants association to force them to do repairs but keep in mind that if you can solve your problems with the landlord without that, it is better. They are usually not too happy if you complain about them but sometimes you have to. Problems that the landlord refuses to solve can also enable you to legally get out of a lease.

 

[syrust]

Hi Octogan

My name is Deepak, I am new to calgary as well and looking for place.
I think it would be better if we meet up and get something together.
I have one other guy who is new in calgary from sri lanka. we met up online and looking for place too.
if you are intersted you can contact me at 587-892-1461 and we can meet up and get something to rent together.

thanks

Deepak

 

[syrust]

Hi Octogan

My name is Deepak, I am new to calgary as well and looking for place.
I think it would be better if we meet up and get something together.
I have one other guy who is new in calgary from sri lanka. we met up online and looking for place too.
if you are intersted you can contact me at 587-892-1461 and we can meet up and get something to rent together.

thanks

Deepak