januarymix

Coming from Europe, what would I need with no Canadian credentials.

Deposit? Plus rental contract? (It's not in English) Plus reference from landlord?
Deposit is one month plus next right?

Anything else?

Aviator

Are you a tenant or landlord?

januarymix

Oh def tenant.

Wish I could buy a few blocks and be an immediate landlord but no such luck, Aviator

Aviator

So then you won't supply a contract, the landlord does that. References in a foreign language are useless, get them translated and notarised unless the potential landlord understands the same language.

Minimum terms of rental are specified under the residential tenancy act in each province, so it would be governed by the province you are heading to.
Look up 'Residential Tenancy Act+[insert province you are going to]' into a search engine and you should get what you want.

orly

You just need to have the money.

januarymix

OK Thanks, Aviator and orly!

I will ask the landlord here to give me one in English. He understands it fortunately. Cheers.

Aviator

A Canadian landlord cannot present you with an agreement you cannot understand. It would also be very hard to enforce.

januarymix

Gotcha, thanks A

mazmataz

Deposit is generally half a months rent (different in Europe, right? As I remember I've usually had to do the month + half a month thing). I wouldn't hurt to have a written reference from your previous landlord (in English), as some people do ask for this and it can become a bit of a ball-ache when you're overseas (same goes for job references btw!).

Good luck!!

Siouxie

It would depend on where you are going, each Province has it's own regulations regarding rentals.

As an example, Ontario landlords require 'first and last' months rent; they are not allowed a security or key deposit.

You should bring confirmation from your bank that your account has been in good standing, if possible, as well as a reference from your current landlord.

As a newcomer with no credit history, you may find that you have to pay considerably more than the minimum to secure a place - whilst a landlord can't 'require' you to pay more, the reality is that you may be forced to. When I first came to Canada I ended up having to pay 12 months up front.

You might find this useful: http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/reho/index.cfm

Jericho79

Depends which Province you are in. In NS, half a months rent is the legal maximum. In AB and probably BC,ON, it's one months rent.

R I C H

If you don't actually know, why guess?

In BC, a maximum of 50% of a month's rent is required as a damage deposit. In addition, a further 50% (so a month's rent in total) can be required for pet damage deposit. Your first month's rent is therefore between 1.5 and 2 month's worth. Damage deposits are potentially refunded when you vacate at the end of your rental contract.

mazmataz

Yup for the record, I'm in BC

januarymix

Hi

Can't speak for all of Europe but in Brussells at least, even 3 months is common, although that should be in a special bank account, and never given as cash. It's negotiable depending on how competitive things are.

Thanks!

januarymix

Thanks also, RICH, Jericho and Siouxie (Siouxie - 12 months whoah!)

We should have enough to cover 3 months deposit, OH will be working from day one as well as he has a job lined up already (yay!).