An online appointment form accompanies the detailed listing page for each rental unit we currently have available. Alternatively, please
email us and indicate which apartment(s) you are interested in seeing and your availability. If you do not have access to email, you may call the office at
226-499-0986 to set up your appointment.
The Application for Tenancy form may be filled out
online or downloaded
here.
Once you have completed your application, please submit online, by email, or drop it off at the office. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, so please submit it, along with your deposit, as soon as possible to secure the apartment that you are interested in.
Last month’s rent deposit will only be accepted in the form of a certified cheque or money order made payable to City Lights Property Management. City Lights will not accept personal cheques for deposits on rental units.
Yes, you are legally entitled to a full refund of your last month's rent deposit if Management does not accept you as a tenant for any reason.
Your last month's rent deposit is not refundable in this circumstance. When you submit your deposit, it is important that you are 100% sure that you would like to rent the apartment. The only case in which your deposit will be refunded is if your application is denied and/or someone else is given the apartment.
City Lights Property Management may request that you have a co-signer (i.e. Parent or guardian) to complete the leasing process. You will be advised of this requirement following the submission of your rental application.
It is recommended that all persons living in the apartment sign the lease, so that no one person can be held legally accountable for a shared apartment. The responsibility should be divided equally among your roommates, particularly if you are all paying equal shares in rent.
All lease agreements are legal contracts that cannot be broken without the consent of both parties involved. Therefore, you cannot break your lease without first consulting City Lights Property Management and obtaining our approval.
Unless an alternative agreement has been reached between the tenant(s) and City Lights Property Management, all lease agreements are for a period of 12 months.
You are required by law to notify City Lights Property Management a minimum of 60 days prior to the expiration of your lease that you will be vacating the apartment. Approximately 4 weeks prior to the termination of your lease, City Lights Property Management will mail you an official “move-out letter” which will include detailed instructions on your responsibilities. You will be required to clean your apartment and leave it in good condition for the next tenants. Please remove all furniture, garbage, and personal belongings. We also ask that you leave your keys in the apartment on the kitchen counter and leave the door unlocked. This will allow the new tenants easy access to the apartment on move-in day. Your apartment will be inspected before you move out.
Under the Act, you are allowed to have pets. If you do own a pet, please make City Lights Property Management aware of this in your application. You will be responsible for cleaning up after your pet, indoors and out. If any damages are caused as a result of your pet, you will be held financially responsible for the required.
Be aware that a tenant can be evicted for having a pet in their unit only if:
- The pet is making too much noise, damaging the unit, or causing an allergic reaction, or
- The animal or species is considered to be inherently dangerous.
Even if the tenancy agreement has a 'no pets' rule in it, the tenant cannot be evicted for having a pet unless the Board decides, in an order, that the pet is causing a problem, or that the pet is inherently dangerous.
Approval from City Lights is required before apartments can be sublet for any period of time. Responsibility for advertising the apartment and finding a suitable replacement falls to the original tenant(s). The new tenant(s) will be required to submit an application to City Lights, but the original tenant(s) remain(s) responsible for the apartment and payment of rent. Therefore, the new tenant(s) will pay rent to the original tenant(s), and the original tenant(s) will continue to pay City Lights. Please ensure that enough post-dated cheques are submitted to cover all rent payments during the absence.
If you wish to sublet for the remainder of your lease, you have two options: (1) sublet or (2) reassignment. With reassignment, the original tenant(s) must still find suitable replacement tenant(s). However, in this case, the new tenant(s) must submit an application, sign a new lease, and submit deposit for new last month's rent. Once this process is complete and the new tenant(s) approved, the original tenant(s) lease will become void and their last month's rent deposit will be returned. If any of the above conditions are not met, the original tenant(s) remain(s) legally bound to their lease and their deposit may not be returned. Please note a $100 fee applies to all lease reassignments.
When a unit is “sublet”, the original tenant moves out for a specific period of time, but moves back into the unit before the lease term is up. The new tenant is referred to as a subtenant. The subtenant must pay rent to the original tenant who continues to pay the landlord. City Lights allows subletting, but retains the right to deny subletting to any specific subtenant with reason.
When a unit is “reassigned”, the original tenant moves out of the unit permanently and a new lease agreement is signed. All the terms of the original rental agreement (i.e. amount of rent, services included, etc.) remain the same.
If a unit is sublet or reassigned without City Lights’ consent, it is considered unauthorized. City Lights can file an application with the Board to evict both the original tenant(s) and the
unauthorized occupant(s).
We prefer that tenants submit 11 post-dated cheques at the time of their lease signing. If you choose to do otherwise, payments must be received by the first of the month in the form of personal cheque(s), certified cheque(s), or money order(s). Post-dated cheques ensure that your monthly rent is paid on time.
Post-dated cheques are our recommendation and preference. Overdue rent payments can be avoided, and processing of all outstanding rents is much more efficient. If you do not submit a series of post-dated cheques, you will still be responsible for making sure that your rent is paid by the first day of every month, without exception.
Unless alternative arrangements have been made between tenant(s) and City Lights, rent is due no later than the first day of every month. Tenants will owe City Lights a monetary penalty for cheques returned due to non-sufficient funds, in addition to the fees owed to their banking institution.
Rent is considered overdue if it is not paid on the 1st of the month. For example, if a rent payment is due on the 1st of the month and it is not received on that day, it is overdue.
If rent is not paid on the date that it is due, a landlord can give the tenant(s) a Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent (Form N4). This notice advises the tenant(s) who make monthly rent payments; they have 14 days to either: (1) pay overdue rent or (2) move out. If the overdue rent is not paid, and the tenant(s) won’t move, City Lights can make an application to the Board for an order to:
- Require tenant(s) to pay the overdue rent, and/or;
- Evict tenant(s) if they do not make the entire payment by a specified deadline.
If rent payments are frequently overdue, City Lights may give a Notice to Terminate a Tenancy at the End of Term (Form N8). Daily or weekly tenants must be given 28 days notice and in all other cases, the tenant must be given 60 days notice. City Lights can apply to the Board for an order to evict the tenant immediately following the tenants’ receipt of notice.
Rent receipts are not provided to tenants automatically but they are available by request. To request a rent receipt, submit the request form, or email the office with the following information:
- Your name, phone number, and mailing address,
- The month(s) and year you are requesting rent receipt(s) for,
- The rental unit address and the monthly rent that you paid.
This information will be verified with our records and rent receipt(s) will be prepared and mailed as soon as possible.
No. If you are interested in purchasing insurance for the protection of your apartment and your personal belongings, it is your responsibility to do so. City Lights does not cover any insurance costs, nor the costs of any damages incurred as a result of fire, flood or break-in. City Lights strongly recommends tenants carry tenant insurance.
Rent for a new tenant cannot be increased until 12 months after the tenancy has started. City Lights is then allowed to increase the rent once every 12 months.
Yes. City Lights must give a tenant written notice of rent increase at least 90 days before the day the rent increases. The notice must include how much the new rent payment will be and when the new payment goes into effect. If the tenant decides the new rent payment is more than what they want to pay, there is enough time for
the tenant to provide City Lights with proper notice of termination and move out before the rent increase begins.
City Lights has an excellent reputation for providing their tenants with fast and efficient repair services, so this should not be an issue. In accordance with the Act, rent must still be paid on time, even if a tenant feels their maintenance needs are not being met. If a tenant withholds rent, City Lights can give the tenant a Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent (Form N4) and then file an application with the Board to evict the tenant.
City Lights must be provided with a 60 day, written notice of termination from the tenant(s). The termination date must be the last day of their rental period or lease, 60 days notice to vacate does not apply during a lease. For example, if it is a monthly tenancy that begins on the first day of each month and the tenant gives City Lights notice on June 15th, the termination date would be August 31.
There are many different reasons for evicting a tenant. The following is a brief list of some of these examples:
- Rent has not been paid in full
- Rent is frequently overdue
- Damage has been caused to the rental property
- Illegal activity being performed by the tenant in the unit or on property grounds
- Safety of others has been compromised
- Peace of other tenants or landlord has been disturbed
- Too many people are living in the rental unit (“overcrowding”)
- In the case of subsidized housing, income has not been reported
- Landlord requires the unit for him/herself personally
It is the landlord's responsibility to maintain the unit and ensure that it is in a good state of repair, even if:
- The tenant was aware of problems in the unit before they moved into it, or,
- The landlord puts into the lease that the tenant is responsible for maintenance.
The tenant is ultimately responsible for keeping the unit clean, up to the standard that most people consider ordinary for normal cleanliness. The tenant is also responsible for repairing or paying for any damage to the rental property caused by the tenant, their guests or another person living in the rental unit.
All requests for repairs must be submitted in writing. You may submit your request online by filling out
maintenance form, or by
email. Please provide enough detail for us to assess the problem and assign an appropriate repair person without visiting your unit.
If your situation is an emergency (leaks, flood, no heat/water/electricity), please call our office day or evening at
226-499-0986.
Get out safely, call 911, and inform the City Lights office as soon as possible.
If you have roommates, please try to have them let you in. If you cannot reach them, and it is during office hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm), you can call the office at
226-499-0986 and someone will meet you at your rental unit to let you in.
In this case, you will be required to pay a $25 fee. If you have locked yourself outof your apartment after office hours, you will be required to call a locksmith to get back into your apartment and pay all associated costs (may range from $60-$100).
If you have roommates, make arrangements to make a copy of their set. You will be responsible for all associated costs. Call or email the office during regular business hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm) and City Lights will provide a new set of keys within 24 hours at a cost of $25.
Painting without City Lights’ permission is a violation of your lease and is subject to legal action. If you would like to paint your apartment, please
email your request and we will let you know whether or not you can proceed. If your request is approved, you will be required to paint your apartment back to its original colours prior to moving out.
Yes. Your lease states that you will be held financially accountable for any damages that occur in your apartment. Periodic inspections may be held throughout your tenancy (24-hour notice will be supplied in writing) to evaluate the condition of your rental unit.
