HOUSING & RESIDENCE

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Housing & Residence

At NewCastle College, Living off campus gives you the freedom to make your own decisions on how and where you want to live. But with freedom comes a whole new set of responsibilities – to your housemates, to your neighbours, and to the community.

RENTAL LIVING

Whether you rent a room in a house with other students or you have your own apartment there is a lot to think about.
Let’s start by breaking down the types of accommodations you will typically find in the area by price.

  • Bedroom in Student House or Apartment Individual accommodation in an apartment or house shared by other students, usually a private bedroom with shared kitchen, bathroom and common area.
  • Bedroom in Landlord’s Accommodation A bedroom in a private home, usually fully furnished, shared kitchen some with a private bath.
  • Apartment in House A self-contained unit within a house with private bathroom and kitchen.
    1-2 Bedroom or a Bachelor/Studio.
  • Apartment in a High or Low-rise Building A self-contained unit within the building with a private bathroom and kitchen.
    1-2 Bedroom or a Bachelor/Studio
  • House A full house which may or may not include furnishings.

LIVING WITH FAMILY/FRIENDS

If you’re living with your family, a good relationship with them will make your time at NewCastle a lot more enjoyable.
The pressures and demands of a college education may not be appreciated by everyone in your family, so adjusting to your life at college will take some time, effort and patience on everyone’s part.

  • Be willing to compromise.
  • Always let someone know where you are.
  • Have your class schedule and a list of the dates of major tests or assignments available for your family to see.
  • Keep a list of important names and numbers where your family members can reach you if necessary.
  • Even if you are a college student living at home, you’re still a member of the family. Make it home for dinner a few times a week to share a meal and catch up on each other’s lives.
  • Be responsible. If you plan to be partying on-campus, don’t drink and drive . Make other arrangements – stay with some friends locally or carpool with friends . Make sure your family knows where you are .
  • Respect the house rules . Even though you may be older and more independent, it is still your parents’ house – so there may be some rules you’ll just have to accept while you’re living there.

COST FACTORS

Make sure you consider the overall costs you will have when going to school, and budget accordingly. Cost can vary depending on the city and type of accommodation you choose to live in. Most leases are 12 months, so make sure you budget accordingly and choose a location that you can afford for the duration of your lease. This budget calculator can help you plan your finances according to your current income, and gives you insights and tips on how much should be saved for housing, food, and other important budgeting considerations.

LEASE SIGNAGE

It is important to understand the elements of a lease.
Make sure you take a lease seriously. A lease is a legally binding contract that you must adhere to; if you don’t, there could be long-standing consequences that will affect your ability to rent again.

What kind of specific items will be in a lease?
  1. Length of the agreement (12 months, or month-to-month)
  2. Payment amount and payment schedule details
  3. Property maintenance rules
  4. Utilities included or not included (cable, hydro, heat, property taxes)
  5. Name and address of landlord and tenant
  6. Notice period required to terminate tenancy, could be 60-day notice for example

LOCATION

When looking for off campus housing, it is important to consider how far you will be from campus and/or to public transportation. Be sure to use resources like Google Maps to determine how far different housing locations would be from campus and how to plan your route if you are driving or taking local transit. Be sure to use these links for Miway (Mississauga transit),Oakville transit , and Brampton transit to help you plan your route once you have found an ideal location to live.

QUICK LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION

There are some laws defined for the Landlords and Tenants, you can read about them in detail from;

Online classifieds are among the most popular sites to look for accommodations. Always be mindful of scams when using these platforms. When using online classifieds, be sure to use you best judgement and never send money or commit to anything online before seeing the property and reading the details in the lease to avoid any costly mistakes. The sites listed below are among the most popular for homestays. Please use with caution and always ask for help or a second opinion if you find a listing you are interested in.