On renting out an apartment or a condo or a house

Dear Fellow Travelers/New Immigrants/Permanent Residents/Others new to Canada,

A hearty welcome from me (a recent business traveler to Mississauga, Canada). I sincerely want to dedicate this topic for all the new inhabitants who dream of making Canada, their homes and turn out to be good and successful Canadian citizens and immigrants.

Beginning your life in Canada, it would be pretty difficult to buy property initially as you are required to have a good credit history. So, a normal way to begin is by renting out an apartment or a condo. But, BE WARNED! Don't be a victim of abuse because I was one. I was given a rental person's number in Mississauga who turned out to be your average day petty thief who would charge you and cheat you out of your hard earned money. I paid CAD $600 and I was conned into taking a shared apartment which was mentioned to be a fully furnished place. But, in stead I was forced to live in my room without a cot, mattress, or a bed and I slept on the floor for a month. Almost everyone who shared the apartment had some kind of issue or another. They were cheated out their pockets. The landowner picked me out from the Airport and when he dropped me in my apartment, I was charged CAD $40 for the ride which I was never mentioned. I am not saying you should not pay money but you must be told well in advance, correct?

I really do not want to dampen all your enthusiastic spirit with my ill-fated experiences. There are loads in fact. But, before you know you would set foot in this lovely country, here are the things you need to do when renting out the space.

1) READ through the Canadian tenants and landowner board of control fairly enough to get a feel of what you must do to protect your rights. Here is the link: http://www.ontariotenants.ca/law/law.phtml

2) ALWAYS, transfer your money through online bank transfer method to have a proof of transaction status.

3) ALWAYS, demand a written copy of your receipt from the landowner with the correct dates.

4) ENSURE you receive your keys to Mail box (sometimes the mail box could be outside your home in case the property belongs to a community-based center). This is very important as your Mobile SIM card number and SIN (Social Insurance Number) arrive to your mail box.

5) ENSURE, you get the keys to your apartment and room.

6) ENSURE, you call your landowner to repair and fix all the things in the house and it is his/her duty to get it fixed.

7) YOU have the right to enjoy your privacy inside the house and the landowner needs to give you 24 hours advance notice to visit you or show his new clients the renting space. (All answered in the first link)

8) In a worst case scenario, know all your rights and STAND UP for yourself. You can always consult the tenancy board or call the cops who would be able to help you out.

The name of the person who rented out the apartment in Mississauga is Mr. Gokulesh Shah. If you were to ever rent out an apartment from him, ensure you are well aware of your rights and act accordingly without being cheated out of your money.

Whatever I have said here is true to my account and that is the reason I can tell you specific points. I am not here to spoil any landowner or tenants name. I am making sure that justice needs to be served since I have been victimized.

Stay safe and have a blessed life,
iVSK