CBC recently
did an investigation into a student rental near McMaster that was overcrowded (12 bedrooms!), and a landlord taking advantage of International students by forcing them to pay a year upfront with no refund when tenants wanted to leave.
TIP: In Ontario, landlords CAN NOT require more than a month's rent as a deposit. (
http://bit.ly/2oq98i3)
Please be sure to know your rights as a student rental tenant, and report suspicious activity to the City of Hamilton.
Make sure that there are sufficient smoke detectors in the house, fire extinguishers, etc.
The McMaster OFF-CAMPUS RESOURCE CENTRE (located in the Student Centre basement) has free downloadable checklists on their website that you should review before moving into a property (Accommodation checklist, Fire safety tips, Lease tips, and more):
https://macoffcampus.mcmaster .ca/o...ntresource.htm
Before renting, check the MacInsiders forums for your potential house number and/or landlord name to see if other students have reported or reviewed them from prior years.
Stay safe.
Full CBC article by Kelly Bennett
