Resources

Call 519-342-0608 x 2 to cancel your viewing, in as much advance as you can or email rent@domushousing.com

Please wait outside for the leasing agent if he or she is not already there for you. Do not knock on the front door, even if you are early. Remember that we want to be respectful of the current residents.

Think about...

• how many people you want to share a living space with
• who you want to be your housemates
• what your budget is
• how far you're willing to live away from campus
• how close the nearest bus stop is and what routes service that area

Apartments are rented to both single and group applicants. Our houses are only open to groups.

You will need to place a deposit (immediate payment) of last month's rent to secure the room in your name. This is a non-refundable deposit. The deposit secures the room/suite/house for 5 days, at which time all lease documents need to be completed, key deposit and rent payments arranged in order to complete the rental agreement.

The last month's rent deposit is not refundable. See below for key deposit info.

A $200 refundable key deposit must be paid within FIVE days of the initial deposit. It can be paid by debit, credit or post-dated cheque. You can post-date the cheque to be cashed on the 1st day of your lease.

The key deposit is refundable, as long as you return ALL keys/fobs by the last date of your lease. A key deposit return cheque will be issued to you on the last day of your lease.

The key deposit is not a security deposit. Key deposits are legal. Unreturned keys take time and money to replace locks and keys.

Key deposit refund cheques will be prepared to hand back on the last day of your lease. Provided you return all of your keys on time, you will receive your cheque back immediately. If you don't return all your keys, there will be a fee. 

Late fee charge per key that is returned late at a rate of $25 for keys and $60 for FOBs

We offer three-year leases with the option to terminate after one year, or to renew for up to 3 years at the same rental price.

There is a sample copy of our lease located on our Resource page.

You will be able to print out a personalized lease, only after you (and your entire group) have made a deposit and started the online lease process. When you make a deposit, we send you a link in your email to begin filling out a personal information form. The lease is created using your information and from there, the link outlines instructions to complete the rest of the lease documentation.

Short answer: it's easy!
In more detail, follow these steps:

1. When you make a deposit on a rental, we send a link to your email to kick-start the lease process. The lease is to be completed entirely online. If you do not receive this link in your email, check your junk mail to make sure it didn't end up there. If it's not in your inbox or junk mail, call the office at 519.342.0608 x 1 or send an email to living@domushousing.com to see if we can resend it or correct a wrong email address.
2. Once you have the email, click on the link and follow the step-by-step instructions.
3. If you are part of a group of 2 or more, you must ALL complete your section of the lease in order for the whole lease to be complete. Even if you have completed your section, your lease is not done until your roommates complete their parts.
4. All lease documents are due within FIVE days after making a deposit. It is always best to complete everything in your package in this time to avoid admin fees and to ensure that you don't forget anything. Promotions or limited time offers may expire if you don't complete your lease in time.
5. Once you have handed in everything, be sure to go back to the link and double check that you are completely finished.

If you have questions after you have read through all instructions and the whole lease, let us help you by calling or emailing a Domus rep.

For initial deposits: debit, certified cheque, or credit card*. These payments must be made ON SITE in our office.

For key deposits: debit, certified cheque, post-dated cheque, credit card*.

For rent payments: post-dated cheques, void cheque or a PAD (Pre-Authorized Debit) form.

NOTE: If you have no way to come to the office to make a payment please contact our office.

Ease for all parties, and for you to take advantage of the lawful rent is discounted every month, Your method of payment is required as part of your lease package which is due within five days of making a deposit.

Having a guarantor for your lease is very similar to getting a co-signer for a mortgage. It ensures the landlord will get paid if a tenant does not pay the rent. In the majority of cases, a student's parents act as the guarantor. Therefore, if you do not pay your rent, expect your landlord to call your parents. Nobody wants that to happen! The guarantor form requires:

• students to find a guarantor before the lease can be finalized
• the guarantor to agree to pay outstanding rent if the tenant does not pay
• the guarantor a citizen/permanent resident of Canada and to have a full-time job, proof may be requested

If you do not have anyone to sign as a guarantor, you can talk to our Lease Advisors about setting up a Guarantor Fund (two months of pre-paid rent in lieu of a guarantor).

All tenants read and sign a waiver in the lease package that outlines our policy on cleaning between rental terms. It requires each tenant to understand that the house or apartment will be cleaned between move-ins and further cleaning by you and/or your group may be required to achieve personal standards. We do not re-send cleaning crews. Our cleaning crews empty all contents left behind by previous renters, clean appliances, floors, and bathrooms. The cleaners leave behind a checklist that they must check off to assure what jobs have been completed. The waiver also asks you to leave the house in the condition you have found it upon move-out and states that you are responsible for any damage you or your guests cause beyond regular wear and tear.

Yes. In the waiver you sign as part of the leasing package, it states that tenants belongings should be insured, either by renter's insurance or extended coverage under his or her parent/guardian's home insurance. Likewise, the management agrees to respond to all issues brought to their attention promptly and within the guidelines of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2008.

No, Domus Student Housing houses and apartments are shared accommodations and do not accept pets.

Our houses and apartments are non-smoking buildings. Smoking inside, on a balcony or within 10 feet of the building are against the conditions of the lease and will result in a $200 charge. If caught, you can be fined by the City of Waterloo By-Law Enforcement.

You will receive a Deficiencies List in your move-in package, to write down anything that is not working or broken. This list is to be submitted to us within 1 week of move-in, so that we can assess the list, inform the landlord, and make improvements.

www.domusresidents.com to fill out and upload deficiencies upon move in.

Throughout the year, our Resident Service team is available by phone/email during regular office hours. They can be reached: 519.342.0608 x 3 or fix@domushousing.com.

After hours emergencies please contact via phone:

519.342.0608 x 9 Be prepared to leave a message including your name, phone number, property and unit as well as a brief description of the issue.

 Maintenance requests are taken into consideration, consulted by our property admin and the landlord, and plans are communicated to our tenants. Emergencies (i.e. leaks, broken roofs, etc.) will be handled promptly

Yes.

You can find my use out sublet form, but not required.

When you find a subletter, it's a good idea to have something in writing confirming your agreement. Complete a sublet contract and send in a copy to living@domushousing.com so that we have it on file.

Sublets must be a student that is attending a university or college institution. Domus requires  a copy of their government issued ID and student ID and their contact information to be approved.

Please note, you are still the tenant, and you are now acting like a "landlord" for your subletter. You will continue to pay rent to Domus, and you are responsible for collecting rent from your subletter.

Domus offers a tip sheet and a generic Sublet Contract for you to modify and use. We do not advertise or do viewings to help sublet your room.

No. Unless, you talk to your roommates and get it in writing that this is acceptable.
Bottom line - communicate with everyone to avoid problems.

A replacement is an individual who will take over your entire lease contract and agrees to all the same terms as your original lease.

When a replacement is found, a $225 administration fee is charged. Replacements are required to submit all required documents and payments and be approved as tenant before you are released from your contract.

Our apartments is not residence. We do not govern behaviour, and therefore, we expect our tenants to communicate and sort out any issues among themselves. For legal advice, the Landlord and Tenant Board can be contacted at the City.

We assign rooms in apartments. For houses, it is up to the group to assign rooms among themselves.

Rent varies according to location, condition, amenities, and features. In Waterloo, it can be anywhere from $400-$900, and higher for a 1-bedroom or bachelor apartment. The cost of living often goes down as the number of residents increases. Living with a few roommates is an effective way to keep costs down. Pricing for our available properties can be found on our website listings or by requesting an Availabilities email be sent to you at rent@domushousing.com! Feel free to call our rentals team at 519.572.0278 for more specific rental prices.

Most of the Domus houses & apartments come with the majority of utilities covered by the landlord. Utilities are not included in the rent but as outlined in the lease, if you pay your rent on time, the landlord agrees to pay some of your utilities at a set price of $35. You are encouraged to pay on time to avoid paying extra for your utilities.

If you decide on housing that does not include this offer and utilities are the tenant’s responsibility, you can expect to pay roughly $45-65 per month for electricity, heat, and water. In this case, tenants are responsible for setting up their own utility accounts.

Check this link for the companies to contact to set your utilities up!

Accounts must be presented to a Domus Representative before moving in.

It depends; some have internet deals included, others do not. If not, the best approach is to bundle internet, cable, and phone together with one company to receive a bundle discount (a 10-15% savings). Be sure to account for installation fees as well. Separately students can expect to pay:

• Cable: $50-100 depending on the package selected
• Internet: $35-75 depending on the connection speed
• Phone: A minimum of $30, depending on if you select a land line or cell

We are the link between landlords and students, handling all housing related issues for both parties. Using a property management company does not cost students anything; it is the landlord's preference and cost. 

We provide:

• Help with your search, providing a number of viable options and taking the hassle out of looking for accommodations
• A standardized process for seeking student housing
• Help in narrowing your search to meet specific needs
• Professional and timely service
• Help with the application process
• Property maintenance services (i.e. lawn care and snow removal) included in the rent

Yes, at houses it is usually included. For our apartments, it is usually a fixed rate. 

There is no visitor parking at any of our buildings. Please ensure that guests find proper parking accommodations that follow the city by-laws. For overnight parking with the city, please ensure that you sign your car overnight to avoid getting ticketed or towed. You can find the overnight parking application here.

If you require rent receipts, please note the following. Please email receipts@domushousing.com with the following information in order to get your rent receipt:  Property and unit, what year you need the receipt for, legal name (if different than the name on file). Please allow 24-48 hours for your rent receipts after having requested them from our finance team.

Internet is provided at all our apartments. If you are having troubles connecting to the internet at your building, please contact the service provider that can be found by going to www.domusresidents.com/building/. You may have to send an email, phone or open up a service ticket depending on which building you live in.