Important Information About Your Tenancy

The Tenancy Agreement is a legal, binding document, agreed to and signed by the landlord and adult tenants. It outlines the terms of your tenancy.

The Capital Region Housing Corporation is not responsible for your personal belongings. Our tenancy agreement requires you to obtain tenants’ insurance prior to moving into your unit. We recommend that you maintain insurance throughout your tenancy agreement. If there is a fire or flood in your unit, the Housing Corporation will not pay for any lost items.

Your caretaker will inspect and record the condition of your suite on a move-in/move-out inspection form. You will be asked to sign the inspection form so let your caretaker know about any other damages or problems you find in the first three days after moving in. Otherwise you may be charged when you move out for damage you were not responsible for in your unit.

The locks are always changed before a new tenant moves in. Your caretaker will give you keys to your new home after the move-in inspection. We do not permit the tenant  to change the lock or add any additional locks. Please contact the caretaker for assistance if you require additional keys.  There is a charge for lost or additional keys.

Note:  The Housing Corporation is not permitted to change locks to exclude a legal tenant without proper authority from the police or courts.

Laundry facilities are for residents only and are available from 8 am to 10 pm daily. You can help our caretakers keep the laundry room clean by cleaning up around the machines and removing lint from the dryer after each use. Please be considerate of tenants who will be using the machines after you by promptly removing your laundry when it is done.

• Vehicles must be licensed, insured and operational at all times. Storage insurance is not adequate.
• Unlicensed vehicles may be towed. If you require time to renew your license, please contact the office.
• You may only park in your assigned parking space (carport/garage/numbered space)
• Any available additional parking spaces are rented first-come first-serve. Contact your caretaker to rent an extra space. You will be billed six months in advance for your extra parking space. (January and July)
• Give your caretaker your vehicle type and license plate number and let your caretaker know if you change vehicles or license plates
• If you park in a Visitor parking spot, your vehicle may be towed at your expense.
• No parking on laneways at any time.
• Vehicle repairs are not permitted anywhere on the property. This includes, but is not limited to, oil changes, body repairs and engine repairs.
• An authorized handicap decal must be displayed if a vehicle is parked in a handicap parking spot.

Please lock your home whenever you are out. Do not give out keys for your unit or the front door of the apartment building. Do not let anyone into the apartment building that you do not know. Do not let strangers follow you into the building. Telephone the police if you see strangers loitering in or near your building.

A number of our buildings are part of the Crime Free Multi-Housing initiative of the Victoria and Saanich Police Departments. The Housing Corporation has made a number of modifications to the locks, landscaping, fencing and exterior lighting to reduce the opportunity for crime in our communities.

New tenants are required to sign a “crime-free” addendum to the tenancy agreement for designated buildings which allows the Housing Corporation to issue an eviction notice should they be involved in any illegal activities on site.

Tenants play a huge part in the success of this program as you are the eyes and ears on site.

If you see anyone causing damage to Housing Corporation property, please call the 24-hour emergency number and the police immediately. Vandals may be charged and billed for the cost of the repairs.

• Never disconnect your smoke detector. Please contact your caretaker immediately if the smoke detector is not working properly.
• Learn the fire safety plan for your building including an alternate emergency exit.
• Notice the location of any fire alarms.
• You are not permitted to store flammable materials or liquids in your home or storage area. This includes gasoline, paint thinner or solvents.
• Recycle your old newspapers. They can be a fire hazard if too many accumulate.

You and your guests may use the property for private residential purposes only. No business, trading or other income-producing purposes are allowed.

Exceptions may be made for providing daycare to the children of immediate family members or children who live in the complex. Please contact the office to get written permission prior to starting a business.

Playgrounds are for toddlers and younger children and are available from 8 am to 8 pm or sunset, whichever is earlier. The same hours apply if there is a basketball hoop at your complex. Please be considerate of your neighbours and make sure your children are not too noisy when they are using the playground.

It is your responsibility to supervise your children at all times or to make arrangements for someone else to watch them.

Children must not play in hallways, laundry rooms, elevators or underground parking garages. You are legally responsible for any damage caused by your children.

Dogs are not permitted on CRHC property at any time unless they are Government of BC Certified Service or Guide dogs.

• Guide Dog & Service Dog Certification - Province of BC

You must have prior written permission from the Corporation before getting a cat. Please contact the office to ask about the rules in your building. Please see your tenancy agreement for more information.

Some of the CRHC buildings are non-smoking buildings. This means smoking is not permitted anywhere on the property, including inside a tenant’s unit or on their balcony.

In all Corporation buildings smoking and consumption of alcohol is not permitted in any common area, including hallways, parkades, laundry rooms, lounges etc. at any time.

If you are in receipt of a rent subsidy you can apply to transfer to another Corporation unit if:

Eligibility

1. You have been a tenant of the Corporation for 12 consecutive months;
2. You have paid your rent in full and on time for the previous six months and continue this up to the date of your transfer;
3. You have kept your suite clean, tidy and undamaged, as determined by your annual inspection, and by an inspection which will take place before your transfer request is approved;
4. You and other occupants of your suite have not been disruptive to your neighbours;
5. You must meet one of the following transfer reasons:

Medical Need

The unit presently occupied by the tenant is (or will become) injurious to the health of the tenant or to a member of their household. The tenant has medical documentation from a medical practitioner indicating how a move will improve or alleviate their medical condition.

Safety Concerns

Continued residence in a unit or vicinity will put the well-being of the tenant or a member of their household at serious risk from trauma, violence and/or harassment. Police, medical or professional victim services must support these circumstances in writing.

Inappropriate Unit Size for Household

A change in the household composition has resulted in the unit being too big (over housed) or too small (under housed) for the household. National Occupancy Standards apply: dependent people aged 12 years of age or older do not share a bedroom and dependents of the opposite gender aged 5 and older do not share a bedroom.

Subsidized Income Increases

Tenants in receipt of a rent subsidy can apply for a transfer to an affordable or near-market unit if their income increases above the Household Income Limits however not above the maximum income for our affordable or near-market units.

Affordable and Near-Market Transfer Requests

If you are an affordable or near-market tenant you must meet the first 4 eligibility requirements as stated above and meet our income guidelines. Read more >>

Tenant Relocation due to Redevelopment

The CRHC Tenant Relocation Policy (PDF) outlines rehousing provisions for current affordable housing tenants in aging CRHC affordable housing communities that are being proposed for redevelopment.