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Off-Campus Housing

Starting to think about living off-campus for the upcoming academic year? Students should be starting to look for off-campus housing 8 months prior to their ideal move-in date to avoid being rushed and overwhelmed during the search process. 

Remember, just because you live off-campus, that doesn't mean that you need to miss out on events. First years can connect with LOCUS and upper years can find events on the Student Events Calendar.

Interested in connecting with someone about off-campus housing? Reach out to offcampushousing@wlu.ca to ask questions or arrange a 1:1 meeting with our Off-Campus Initiative Coordinators. Also, don't forget to follow @laurieroffcampushousing on Instagram for consistent updates about tips for living off-campus, events and workshops, contests, and more! 

If you decide to live off-campus, whether you're a first- or senior-year student, we have some resources to help you in your search.

Step 1: Starting Your Search

Off-campus housing can be a stressful and time sensitive part of the post-secondary experience, however if you start your search early, use your resources, be open-minded and realistic it can be much more manageable. Check out the links below for some online platforms to start looking at available listings. 

Step 2: Visiting Potential Properties

Once you have looked online or asked your friends or classmates, it's time to start viewing any potential rental properties you could be interested in. It is highly important to never rent a property unseen. Even if you are unable to see a property in-person, we highly reccommend you arrange a live Zoom call with the potential landlord to view the property in real-time. Check out the links below to learn more about things to consider when living off-campus. 

Step 3: Signing the Lease & Getting Ready for Move-In

An Ontario Standard Lease Agreement is a legal document that once signed you are bound to for the duration of your rental term (indicated on your lease). For students, this could mean anywhere from 8-months, to 12-months, all the way up to 3 years. Starting April 30, 2018, landlords of most private residential rental units – from individual landlords to property management companies – must use the standard lease template for all new leases. 

Additional Off-Campus Housing Resources