Your unit is your home and we respect this. However, there may be times when Lanark County staff and contractors need to enter it. They may need to enter your unit in an emergency, to make repairs, to inspect your unit, or to show it to new tenants if you are moving out.

The Residential Tenancies Act requires that we give you at least 24 hours’ written notice before entering your unit, except in the case of an emergency.

At least once every year, Housing Services in partnership with local fire departments will inspect your unit to make sure:

• Your unit’s smoke alarms (and carbon monoxide alarms, if applicable) are working.
• Window screens are not damaged and window locks are in place and not tampered with.
• Appliances are clean and working.
• There is no excessive clutter or fire hazards.
• There are no major repairs needed.

Apartment units come with a fridge and stove. They will work better if you clean them regularly. If your fridge or stove needs to be repaired, submit a maintenance request or call 613-267-4200 ext. 2414. Staff can arrange for service during regular business hours.

Lanark County is committed to providing clean buildings for residents. Maintenance staff perform daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning routines.

Clean buildings are everyone’s responsibility, and it takes staff and residents working together to keep a building clean. Here are some tips to remember:

• Properly dispose of cigarette butts when smoking in outdoor common areas or on your balcony.
• Keep the lobby, hallways and other common areas clear of clutter, garbage/debris and large objects, including scooters and bikes. Never leave items in common areas as they are fire and safety hazards.
• Enjoy your balcony responsibly. Never throw garbage, cigarette butts or other items off the balcony Don’t use your balcony for storage.
• Dispose of waste properly. Keep the trash chute clear and do not leave garbage bags and/or garbage/debris on the floor of the chute room or in common areas. Sort your garbage and recycling properly and bring your recycling to the designated recycling area or bin.
• You are responsible for your pet’s behavior and the behavior of the pet of any visitors or guests. This includes cleaning up after the pet and keeping pets on a leash in common areas.

Proper waste management is an easy way to help keep your community clean. Here are some tips to remember:

Do:

• Keep the trash chute and garbage room clear.
• Sort your garbage and recycling.
• Rinse all containers that you are recycling. When you are ready to dispose of them, put them down the recycling chute or in the proper bin. Do not leave items on the floor of the garbage/recycling room.
• Dispose of large items properly. Large items need tags that can be purchased from the Town or Maintenance at 613-267-4200 ext. 2414.

Don’t:

• Pour cooking oil down the sink, toilet or drain; it can clog the pipes in your building and community.
• Put batteries in the garbage or recycling.
• Throw garbage or cigarette butts off your balcony.

Laundry Rooms

Most Lanark County apartment buildings have shared laundry rooms with coin-operated washers and dryers. Hours and prices are posted in each laundry room. If you see a machine that is not working, or a machine keeps your coins, call the number posted in your laundry room.

Outdoor Spaces

Residents are welcome to use outdoor spaces, such as private resident spaces (like a backyard) in a fair and reasonable way. You are responsible for the actions of your guests and visitors. Remember, you need to stay within your backyard space and respect your neighbours’ expectations of noise and cleanliness

Parking

Parking is by paid permit only for tenants. Parking space is limited at our buildings and some of our family unit communities. When space is available, the cost is $15 per month per space. All vehicles must be roadworthy and properly plated before a parking permit can be issued. All tenants and guests using our parking lots must follow our snow removal rules. Failure to do so could result in the vehicle(s) being towed at the owners’ expense.

Smoking

Currently, tenants are permitted by law to smoke tobacco or cannabis inside their unit as well as in any outdoor space beyond nine metres of a building entrance or exit. In future, any household signing a new lease, either as a new tenant or as a transfer, will be required to agree not to smoke in their units or anywhere on County property as a condition of their lease.

No smoking in common areas

In Ontario, it is against the law to smoke tobacco or cannabis in common areas (shared spaces):

• elevators
• stairwells
• hallways
• parking garages
• laundry rooms
• lobbies
• garbage or recycling rooms
• community rooms

If you or someone in your household smokes in a common area, you could face a fine of up to $5,000.

No smoking near entrances or exists

It is against the law to smoke within nine metres of any entrance or exit of a public building, this includes all County Housing buildings and offices.

Smoking in your home

If you are smoking in your unit, keep the unit doors closed so smoke doesn’t travel down the hallway. If you smoke on your balcony, check with your neighbours to make sure they are not affected by second-hand smoke. Never throw cigarette butts off the balcony.

Heating

Maintenance staff monitor the temperature in most buildings, with temperatures set to at least 21 Celsius from September 15 to June 1.

If you are concerned about the temperature inside your unit, check if there are any of the windows open and/or adjust your thermostat to a warmer setting.

Air Conditioners

Air conditioners can be installed after April 15th and must be removed by October 15th each year. The installation of your air conditioner must be inspected annually by Lanark County Housing, at no cost to you. Do not use wood to seal around your air conditioner, use plexi-glass only. In units where Lanark County pays the hydro, a fee of $125.00 per season (May-September) applies.

You are responsible, under your lease, for getting insurance for your belongings. This type of insurance is usually called contents insurance or renters’ insurance. Lanark County’s insurance will not pay to replace your belongings if something such as fire, flood, or other emergency damages your unit.

If some or all of your income is from Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program, these programs may cover the cost of contents insurance. You need to speak with your case worker for more information.

Keep your unit in good condition by notifying us right away when repairs are needed. If you wait, a problem could become worse and you may be charged for some or all repairs.

You can send an email to maintenance@lanarkcounty.ca or call 613-267-4200 ext. 2414 if it’s not an emergency.

How repairs happen:

• During regular business hours, the Maintenance staff take care of maintenance and repairs. In the evenings and on weekends, we will send someone to take care of emergencies until a permanent repair can be arranged. For example: If a pipe in your kitchen bursts, we may send someone to turn the water off in your kitchen until we can fix the broken pipe the next day.
• Staff will enter your unit for inspections and to complete repairs. Unless it is an emergency, we will give you at least 24 hours’ notice before staff enter your unit.

Unfortunately, cockroaches, bedbugs, mice, and other pests can sometimes get into homes. They are harder to control in places that are cluttered or overcrowded.

Help us control pests on your property.

• Keep your unit clean and clutter-free.
• Do not feed pigeons, squirrels or stray animals. They can attract other pests.
• Do not pick-up furniture that others have thrown away, as it could be infested.
• Do not put any garbage in hallways or on the floors of chute rooms, as this contributes to infestation.
• Make sure all garbage is placed into the garbage receptacle and the hatch is fully closed. Larger items that do not fit into the chute must be brought to the bulk garbage area.

If you suspect a pest problem, report it immediately. We can help get rid of them quickly and efficiently but only if we know about it.

We have a pet-friendly environment.

 

You are responsible for your pet’s behaviour. You are also responsible for the behaviour of the pet of a visitor or guest. This includes excessive noise made by the pet, as well as cleaning up after the pet.

Pets in your unit

If you, or your visitor, have a pet, you need to follow these guidelines:

• Keep your pet on a leash in common areas e.g. when you leave your unit and when going outdoors.
• Be sure that your pet does not damage property or the belongings of others, is not a nuisance, or does not create unreasonable disturbances, as stated in your lease.
• Never leave your pet alone on your balcony.
• Safely secure pets if you know a contractor or staff member will be entering your unit to do maintenance or repairs when you are not home.
• Stop, scoop and bag your pet’s waste every time. Dispose of pet waste responsibly using outdoor garbage bins when walking your pet and double bag securely for garbage chute disposal.

Pet Licensing

To find out if you need a license for your pet and for other rules about pets, contact your local municipality.

Complaints about neighbours’ pets

If your neighbours’ dog barks all the time or they never pick up after their pet, or you have other pet complaints, contact your local Town Hall. Complaints about neighbours’ pets must be logged with the local By-law Enforcement to follow up with your neighbours about your concern.

Your Caseworker will tell you which utilities you have to pay for directly and which ones are included in your rent.

• If you pay rent-geared-to-income, the amount you pay for utilities will be different depending on the size of your unit. The amounts are set in the Housing Services Act and the County’s rent-geared-to-income guidelines.
• If you are responsible for paying for electricity, call your local provider to set up your account before your move-in date.

Phone, Cable, Internet

Phone, cable and Internet are not included in your rent. You can choose any of the companies that provide service in the area. Make appointments with the phone or cable company during the day, from Monday to Friday, so maintenance staff can be there if the technician needs access to a restricted area of the building.

Absences from RGI Units

For a household paying rent-geared-to-income (RGI), Lanark County’s guideline for social housing sets 90 days as the maximum number of days that all members of the household can be “absent” or not living in their unit while continuing to receive a rent-geared-to-income subsidy.

If all members of a household are away for more than 90 days in a row or more than 90 days within a 12-month period, and have not informed Lanark County Housing, they could lose their RGI subsidy.

Please tell us if you are in hospital, in rehabilitation, awaiting trial or have documentation to support another valid reason for being away from your unit longer than 90 days.

If you pay rent-geared-to-income, we will send you a rent review package once a year. The package includes forms that you must fill out to report the income of everyone in your household. You must complete and return these forms by the specified deadline. If you do not, you could lose your rent-geared-to-income subsidy.

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, you can be evicted if you:

• Have more people living in your unit than is allowed by health, safety or property standards.
• Have people not listed on your lease living in your unit.
• Misrepresent your income or the income of anyone else living with you while you pay rent-geared-to-income.
• Violate the terms of your lease.

The Residential Tenancies Act also says that you can be evicted if you or your guest, visitor or other occupant:

• Willfully or negligently cause serious damage to your unit or to the building.
• Act in a way that interferes with the reasonable enjoyment of other residents.
• Threaten the safety of another resident.
• Break the law on Lanark County Housing property.

Read Lanark County Housing Policy on Evictions for Cause for more information.

Eviction for Arrears

Under the Residential Tenancies Act, you can be evicted if you do not pay your rent. Read Lanark County Housing Eviction Prevention Policy for more information.

Lanark County Housing works with tenants who fall behind in their rent payments to help them meet their responsibilities and, when possible, to keep their housing.

Eviction is always a last resort

Your unit is your home, and we want to help you keep it by working together. If you are having trouble paying your rent, please let us know right away.

The Legal Clinic

The Legal Clinic provides free legal advice and representation to people in their communities.

Giving notice

When you are ready to move out, you must give notice in writing 60 days (two full calendar months) before you plan to move, and the move-out date must be the last day of a month.

Returning keys

You must return all unit keys before you leave. Your rental account will be charged if you do not return them.

Rent and other charges

You are charged and responsible for the rent up to the end of the 60-day (two full calendar months) period after giving in your notice, even if you need to move out earlier. For example:

• If you gave written notice on March 1, you will pay rent for March and April and will move out before May 1.
• If you gave written notice on February 15, you will pay rent until April 30 and move out before May 1.

You are responsible for the cost of:

• Repairing any damage you caused to the unit.
• Cleaning your unit if it is dirty when you leave.
• Disposing of any items you leave behind.

Inspection

Lanark County Housing staff will inspect your unit shortly after you give written move-out notice. They will inspect it again after you have moved out. Your unit should be in its original condition. You will be charged for any damage to your unit beyond normal wear and tear.

Former tenant arrears

To apply for rent-geared-to-income housing in the future, you must have a repayment agreement in place and be in good standing if you owe any former tenant arrears to a social housing provider.

Lanark County Housing will not approve market rental or affordable rental applications if the applicant is a former tenant with Lanark County Housing with former tenant arrears. Arrears can be from unpaid rent, parking, maintenance, legal fees and any other charges. Arrears must be paid in full to be considered for any new market rental or affordable rental vacancies.

Over-housed transfers

If you are a rent-geared-to-income household and you are living in a unit that is too large for your household as outlined in the County’s Occupancy Standards, you will be added to the internal transfer list. Staff will work with you to find a unit that is the right size for your household.

If you have been over-housed for 12 months or longer and have refused an offer from either the internal transfer list, you may lose your rent-geared-to-income (RGI) subsidy. A household that loses their subsidy must pay the market rent and may remain in their unit.

Under-housed transfers

If you are a rent-geared-to-income household and living in a unit that is too small for your household based on the County’s Occupancy Standards, you may apply for an under-housed transfer.

Your rent is due on the first day of the month, every month. You can pay your rent in one of the following ways:

Pre-authorized payment (PAP)

This is the easiest way to make sure your rent is always paid on time. For pre-authorized rent payment, your bank sends your rent payment from your bank account directly to Lanark County Housing every month. You will get a form to set up this type of payment when you sign your lease.

Both your bank and Lanark County Housing will charge you a fee if there are not enough funds in your account on the first of each month.

Phone or online banking payment

You may be able to pay your rent by phone or online banking. Speak to someone at your bank, credit union or trust company to find out how.

In person

You can drop off a money order or cheque at any Social Services office (Carleton Place, Perth, Smiths Falls). These offices have debit machines and will accept cash if no other option is available to you.

Lanark County and Province of Ontario set the rules for rent-geared-to-income subsidies. If your income, asset or household composition changes, you must report the change in writing or in person to Housing Services within 30 days. If you do not report these changes, you could be charged for back rent and/or lose your rent-geared-to-income subsidy. Your rent will then be raised to market rent and you could face eviction if your rental account is in arrears.

Please complete the Transfer Request Form

If you have a complaint or concern, you must submit it in writing; verbal or anonymous complaints will not be addressed. Complete the Tenant Complaint Form including date(s), time(s) and details of the incident(s).

Before submitting a complaint, consider if it is something:

• You have witnessed first-hand.
• That directly impacts you.
• That happened within the last 30 days.

A complaint is different from a service or maintenance request or an administrative inquiry. Service requests related to your building or your unit should first be directed to maintenance.

Visitors may stay with you for a maximum of 30 days in one year. This can be 30 days in a row or 30 days over a 12-month period, but no more. This policy applies to any person staying in your unit who is not an approved member of your household.