Rent a flat or a house in Ontario

Hi Christine,

Finding somewhere to rent in Ontario depends on what's available - sometimes you may have plenty of choice, or, like me, when I arrived here, you have 3 to choose from. The best way to find a rental property is to visit Kijiji. This is a little like the Ebay website and has a section specifically for rental properties. Finding a place through a real estate agent is likely to be more expensive because, although their service is free to the renter, they charge one month's rent to the owner, so this is often worked into the rent. Also, their loyalty (legally) is to the owner, whom they are representing, so if they know you have limited options, they won't necessarily get YOU the best deal.Kijiji will be cheaper.
Be prepared to hand over post-dated checks for rent, and have paperwork confirming your employment.
The amount of rent charged varies according to how close you are to Toronto. In the city you may pay the same for a one bed apartment as you would for a three bed house 50km away. The best thing to do is get as many property details as possible so you can build up a picture of what the going rate for that area is. As with most things, you get what you pay for, and cheaper homes are likely to be more basic, while those at the more expensive end will likely have upgrades (marble worktops, stainless steel appliances, etc.) It's all about what you are willing to settle for.
If you rent a house, in winter you are legally responsible for snow removal from any pathway running in front of/around your property. If you live in an apartment/condo this will be taken care of by a maintenance company but beware, this cost may not be included in your rent.
Most rental contracts are for a year, but once that is up, if you are not renewing it,  you are legally allowed to rent on a month by month basis until you find somewhere else. Contracts are pretty straightforward, provided you pay your rent on time, the only reason you may have to move out is if your landlord wishes to move back in. Then you have 3 months to find somewhere else. Hope this is helpful, if you have any other questions, I will do my best to answer them. For a snapshot of life in Ontario, have a look at my blog Irreverent observations from an accidental expat in Canada

Aisha

Hi Chamchi!

Thanks a lot for helping

Regards
Armand