How to give a notice to your landlord?

How to give landlord Notice?

To move out of your rental unit you need to notify the landlord that you will be terminating the lease and moving out. The notice time and form is different from province to another in

Ontario,

In Ontario, the noticed is called N9 Tenant's Notice to End the Tenancy. The notice should including the following information:

• Your name and full rental unit address.
• The exact date you are moving out. 
• Date and sign the notice.

Click here to download N9 from
http://www.sjto.gov.on.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N9.pdf

The notice is not legal unless you give it to your landlord at the right time and determine your proper move out date. In Ontario, you must give the landlord 60 days notice before you move out. You have by then completed your annual or 1 year lease rent or have already switched to a month to month lease. If you have moved in a rental unit on Jan 1st and wanted to move out after 1 year of the lease is up. You need to notify your landlord by no later than Oct 30 that you will be moving out on Dec 31st.


In 

Alberta,

it is called Notice to End a Periodic Tenancy. So now when do you give this notice and how? For short term weekly rental, you give the landlord one week notice

For monthly or month to month lease you give the landlord 30 days minimum or 1 month notice. 

Example if you rent ends on March 31st you have to give notice on the last day of the prior month Feb 28.

How do you deliver the notice?

- Personally 

- By Fax

- You can't deliver it by email. It has to result in a printed copy on the landlord side.

Tips for Renting with Pets

Pets can be a wonderful addition to your home.  Whether it is a dog or cat, goldfish or parakeet, pets offer companionship and keep you connected to what is most important in life.  However, living in an apartment or condo can pose challenges for pet-owners.  Limited space and close proximity to neighbours means renters need to take extra care when considering whether or not to get a pet.  By keeping a few things in mind you can enjoy the benefits of pet-ownership, and dodge the pitfalls.    

Choose Wisely

The first thing to consider is what pet best fits your life, and your space.  Fish are a wonderful and lower-maintenance pet option.  They bring both colour and a soothing sense of calm to your space.  Other less-hands-on pet options are birds, and small rodents, such as guinea pigs, hamsters, or gerbils.  These more independent creatures give you a little more interaction than fish, but mostly keep to themselves. Cats and dogs are, of course, delightful companions, but they demand more care and attention.  Cats and dogs love to spend time with their owners and eagerly await your return, but be sure to pick a cat or dog that suits your space.  Cats, for the most part, are pretty conducive to apartment living, but some are a little more rambunctious than others, so it might help to do a bit of research.  Dogs, on the other hand vary significantly between breeds.  When selecting a dog, choose a breed that is better matched to smaller, less active living, such as Pugs, French Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, or Shih Tzus.

Be Responsible

Once you have chosen the right pet, be sure to consider whether or not you are up for the responsibility.  First, be sure you are able to keep the noise your pet makes down to a minimum.  Dogs, cats, and some birds can make quite a racket, so opt for quieter animals or breeds, and do your best to train and discourage loud calls.  Secondly, be sure to keep it clean.  Aquariums, cat litter boxes, bird and rodent cages can become quite smelly if you do not actively clean them, so stay on top of their daily maintenance.  The same goes for dog waste outside—remember to clean up after your dog, so as not to become the building litterbug.  Also, be sure to give your pet the care it needs.  Behaviour problems usually result from insufficient exercise and inattention, so remember to play with your pets as often as you can, and be sure to give dogs the walks and exercise they need.  Last, if you opt for a dog, ensure that it behaves properly in the building’s shared space.  Not everyone loves dogs, so keep yours well behaved, heeled, and on a leash when in the elevator and hallways.

Remember, it is crucial that you verify that pet ownership is authorized in your building, and be sure that you follow the guidelines set out by the property owners regarding pets.  With clearance from the property owner, and by taking the proper responsibility, pet-ownership in an apartment can be tremendously rewarding.

Simple Tricks to Soundproof Your Pad

Living in an apartment or condo can be downright loud.  The density of apartment living offers a bustling vibrancy, but it can also bring a lot of unwanted noise.   Whether it’s a neighbor down the hall who watches movies at deafening levels, or the wailing of sirens outside, or the chattering of voices from the hallway or the sidewalk below, noise is part and parcel of denser living.  However, there are ways you can prevent the noise from getting in, and keep the noise you make, from getting out.

Keep the Noise Out

By adding some additional blockage to your doors and windows you can greatly reduce the amount of ambient noise that drifts into your unit.  Door sweeps—rubber seals that easily fasten on to the bottom of doors—are an excellent way to prevent the conversations and echoing footsteps of a busy hallway from flowing into your apartment.  Door sweeps provide the added bonus of keeping drafts and roaming insects out as well.  Another way to keep out the noise is by adding thick curtains in front of windows, sliding doors, and front doors.  Thick curtains muffle sound, but they also keep your apartment nice and warm in the colder months, and provide a stylish and dramatic flare to your living space.

Muffle the Noise Within

Noise can be greatly increased by the acoustics of your apartment, as well.  This is especially the case in newer buildings where open concept apartments with high ceilings really allow noise to bounce off the ceiling, floor, and walls.  You can significantly diminish this echoing by adding rugs and carpets to your apartment.  The effectiveness of rugs can be improved further by inserting rug pads underneath them.  Not only do the pads keep your rugs from sliding all over the place, their thickness muffles sound as well.  Another option is to hang rugs or carpets on your walls.  Some rugs are too beautiful to simply go underfoot, and by showcasing their design on the wall you greatly decrease the echoing of internal apartment noise.  Also, consider placing a wall length bookcase against any walls that are thin and noise-porous.  Nothing stifles unwanted sound like books, and you get some much needed storage space as well.

Go Pro

If you are less interested in the DIY approach there are also numerous noise-canceling products available to buy.  Items like complete window inserts, sound-proof panels for walls and ceilings, and acoustic window/door blankets and sealing kits are all solid solutions to cutting down the noise in your apartment.  If you do plan on going with a more installation-heavy approach, be sure you check with the property owner first. 

By taking a few small steps to stop the flow of outside noise, and to soften and neutralize the noise inside your unit, you can have all the benefits of urban density without all of the racket.

Keeping Pests out of your Apartment

Whether its ants, spiders, moths, mice, squirrels, or raccoons, chances are you will end up sharing your living space with some unwelcome pests at some point in your life.  Pests are unpleasant to say the least, but worse still, they can be destructive, unsanitary, and even carry the risk of disease.  It might not be possible to live entirely pest-free, especially for those of us who are renting in older buildings or in basements, but by following a few straightforward rules, you can lower the chances of pests setting up shop in your abode.

Mind the Gaps

The best way to keep pests out of your apartment is to guarantee they have no means of entering your home.  This means ensuring that any and all cracks, gaps, space or holes (in the siding, in the window or door frame, or around pipes, electrical outlets, or air conditioner units) are completely sealed off. 

Some of these might be quick fixes, like adding steel wool or a stain-free removable caulking around small gaps or cracks, but if you locate more sizable holes be sure to contact and consult with the property owner to see how best to proceed.

Keep it Clean

Pests are attracted to food, so if you keep your apartment tidy and litter free you eliminate their food source, and send them packing.  You can accomplish this inside your unit, by properly rinsing your recycling materials, and by making sure that your recycling, garbage and compost bins are clean and well-sealed at all times.  This is also true of your food.  By storing dry goods, like rice, beans, grains, sugars, and flours, in glass or plastic sealable containers, and by ensuring that vinegar and oil bottles are wiped clean, you can keep your food free from pests, and leave the pests with nothing to eat.

An Orderly Outdoors

Keeping things clean and tidy outside can also force pests to look elsewhere.  Do whatever you can to keep your recycling, garbage, and compost bins tightly sealed.  Larger pests, like squirrels and raccoons, are incredibly resourceful so if you cannot keep your bins out of their reach, or if you cannot seal the lids, ensure that there is no way for pests to climb upon the bins or push them over.  If a pest views your building as a reliable food source it will continue to return, so cut them off at the source by keeping your bins unavailable, and by keeping your deck, balcony, or patio clear of any and all garbage and debris.

Pests are a fact of life, but by preventing their access to your space, and by keeping tidy, you can limit their damage, and encourage them to move along.

Tips for Home Deliveries to your Apartment

With the rise of online shopping, more and more of us are getting the things we need delivered directly to our homes.  Big companies have long pushed their clients to order direct, but other goods and services providers, such as grocery and produce boxes, wine and beer boxes, and ready-to-prepare meal or dinner subscription boxes, are increasingly common these days.  For those of us who live in houses or buildings without secure delivery spots, the rise in home deliveries poses a major problem. How can we ensure our packages arrive safely?

Make Alternate Delivery Plans  

One option is to think outside the home delivery box.  Rather than having packages delivered to your unsecured front steps, consider having them delivered someplace else.  You can easily arrange to pick up your package, either from a nearby post office or through a shipping company’s retail location.  A more permanent version of this solution is to get a post office box.  A PO box ensures your package remains safe, secure, and climate controlled until you are able to come and collect it.  Another option is to have packages delivered directly to your place of work, just be sure to clear this arrangement with your superiors first. 

Secure Your Delivery

If it is easier for you to have packages delivered directly to your door, there are ways you can better secure your deliveries.  Shipping companies offer more and more options for their users these days to help ensure secure delivery.  You can often view your package’s location, reroute or change your delivery destination, or change the desired delivery time, all in real time and all to better coordinate safe delivery.  Also, you can arrange to have the shipping company send you a message as soon as the package has arrived, which allows you to minimize the amount of time the package sits at your door unattended.  If these kinds of tech-savvy solutions do not appeal to you, there are other ways to help secure your delivery.  If you are fortunate enough to have a backyard or deck, request your package to be discretely placed at your backdoor, or in some other, non-visible spot. 

Storage Lock Box

Perhaps the securest solution to apartment deliveries is to get one of the many new delivery or parcel lock boxes that are now on the market.  These portable strong boxes come in a wide array of colours, styles, and sizes, and they ensure your delivery stays safe and dry until you return home. If you do intend to get a lock box and you plan to place it in a shared space, such as a front porch, be sure to clear it with the property owner and your fellow tenants first.

Online shopping can offer some great prices and a greater level of convenience.  By taking a few precautions, you can reap the rewards of home delivery without running the risks of losing your packages.