Tenant's Frequently Asked Questions

As a rule of thumb, we’ll inspect a property every 3 months. So if you’re on a 12-month lease, expect four inspections.

In any case, we’ll give you plenty of notice advising when we’ll inspect, and give you a 2-hour time-frame of when we’ll enter. You can choose to be there, but it’s not necessary. 

You can pay your rent by cheque.  Ideally, we would like to receive post-dated cheques.  We store these cheques in a safe until they become due, and we provide you with 1 month's notice when we deposit your last post-dated cheque.

Please ensure that all cheques are made out to Charah.ca Inc.

You can also pay your rent using an Interac e-Transfer. You can set up the Interac e-Transfer to send the payment to rentals@charah.ca.

Please ensure that all maintenance requests are completed in writing. Submit a Maintenance Request Form. For EMERGENCY REPAIRS, and to find out what is considered an ‘emergency’, please see below.

Emergency repairs are those that could cause injury to tenants or damage to the property, and may include:

• Broken or burst water pipes
• A blocked or broken toilet (if a second toilet is not available)
• A serious roof, or gas leak
• Dangerous electrical faults, dangerous power outlets, loose wires etc
• Flooding, rainwater inundation inside the property, or serious flood damage
• Serious storm, fire or impact damage (i.e. impact by a motor vehicle)
• Failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply
• Failure or breakdown of an essential service or appliance for water or cooking
• Hot water service failure on a weekend, or long weekend (this would not be considered an after hours emergency if this occurs on a week night)
• Faults or damages that makes the premises unsafe or insecure
• Faults likely to injure a person, cause damage or extreme inconvenience

If an emergency repair is required, please contact us directly.

As a rule of thumb, we’ll inspect a property every 3 months. So if you signed a 12 month lease, expect three inspections.

In any case, we’ll give you plenty of notice advising when we’ll inspect, and give you a 2-hour time frame of when we’ll enter. You can choose to be there, but it’s not necessary.

What will happen leading up to a routine inspection?

We will submit to you a day and approximate entry time via an email or phone conversation. Due to time restraints and schedules allocated for property inspections, it is difficult to rearrange times, however, in extreme circumstances, please contact our office to request a change of entry. Your presence at the inspection is welcome, but not necessary, as the staff member conducting the inspection will use our agency key set.

How can I prepare for a routine inspection?

The purpose of an inspection is to identify if repairs and maintenance are needed. A report is prepared and forwarded to the property owner for instructions.

As soon as you notice a problem, complete and submit a Maintenance Request Form for our attention and action.

What will Charah inspect?

Interior

• Floor coverings
• Walls
• Doors
• Ceiling and fans
• Smoke alarms
• Light fittings
• Power outlets
  
• Built in cupboards – shelving and rails
• Curtains and blinds
• Fixtures e.g. oven, hotplates etc.
• Hot water system
• Furniture (if included)
• All wet areas

Exterior

• Garage/carport
• Gardens and lawns
• Paintwork
• Eavestroughing and downpipes
• Steps – structure and paint
• Balcony and decks
• Driveway, paths and courtyard
• Locks
• Pool/spa 
• Fencing
• Taps

The following are responsibilities of the tenant during the tenancy:

• You will notify your property manager when a smoke alarm has failed or is about to fail, other than because the battery is flat or almost flat.
• You will not remove, dispose of, or otherwise tamper with to cease its effectiveness, the smoke alarms installed at the premises unless it is to clean or change the battery.
• You will ensure that all exits from the property are maintained as clearways so they can be safely and effectively used for escape in the event of a fire.

Circuit breakers and Ground-Fault-Interrupters (GFIs) are designed to reduce the likelihood of electric shock should an electrical fault occur. They are designed to prevent injury or death.

They monitor the flow of electricity through a circuit. They automatically shut off the electricity supply when current is detected leaking from faulty switches, wiring or electrical appliances. This stops the chance of current flowing to earth, through a person, electrocuting them.

Are safety switches failsafe?

Nothing is failsafe. Safety switches should be regularly checked. Just like a smoke detector or other safety device, if it is not working properly, it cannot protect.

It is also important to make sure electrical appliances, electrical wiring, extension leads and other electrical equipment are regularly checked and kept in good working order.

How do I know if a safety switch is installed?

Check by looking at the "fusebox" for a TEST/RESET button. That tells you if there is a safety switch installed. When you open the fusebox you should see something like this:

How do I know if a safety outlet is installed?

Check by looking at the power outlet look for a TEST/RESET button. That tells you if the power outlet is a safety switch. When you look at the outlet you should see something like this:

Typical fusebox

This shows the main switch,  and seventeen circuit breakers. All homes have circuit breakers or fuses. These are designed to protect the wiring and appliances within the premises. Only safety switches are designed to protect people.  

Testing a safety switch

To test a safety switch, simply press the 'TEST' button. This should automatically trip the switch to the ‘off’ position. Reset by pushing the switch back to the 'off' position, and then to the ‘on’. If it doesn’t work, contact your Property Manager immediately. You MUST carry out safety switch test every three months.

Why did it ‘trip’?

If a safety switch turns off the power, it may be that a resident could be using a faulty appliance or the electrical wiring may have become faulty. Reset the safety switch. If it trips again, unplug the last appliance used. If everything works okay, take that appliance to a licensed electrical contractor to be checked. If the safety switch keeps tripping, disconnect all appliances and plug them in, one at a time, until the faulty one is located.

*Avoid touching appliances while carrying out this process

Rental adjustments may take place at the end of a fixed-term lease, and every year after that. The rental price may be revised to better suit market conditions and is subject to the Landlord and Tenant Board Annual Rent Increase Guidelines.

At Charah, we understand that sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances that result in delayed rental payments. Although the situation may never apply to you as most tenants pay rent on time, it is important we advise you of the processes involved.

Although we will endeavour to accommodate any extraordinary situations resulting in late rental payments, there is a strict arrears management procedure that will be maintained, regardless of the reason. This is to ensure effective management of arrears and protect the Lessor’s investment.

If you happen to fall into arrears or know that you will be unable to make a rental payment, please contact us and discuss the situation with your property manager.  It is important to note that in the event that you exceed 7 days in arrears, an N4 will be issued regardless of the reason for the non-payment.

These actions form our arrears management procedure and occur at the time specified:

• 1-7 days in arrears - Reminder phone call, SMS message, letter
• 8 days in arrears - N4 (Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent) issued with 14 days to remedy breach.
• 21 days in arrears - An L1 (Application to evict a tenant for non-payment of rent and to collect rent the tenant owes) with a hearing date will be issued.

Failure to rectify a N4 (Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent) within the required timeframe will result in a hearing and ultimate eviction.  In the event that payment is not received by the time of vacating the premises and there are monies owed, the tenants named on the tenancy agreement may be listed with a tenancy database .  Tenants will have the opportunity to pay all monies owed as well as being consulted before their details are listed.

If you have misplaced your keys during business hours you may arrange to obtain a master set and have a copy cut. All you'll have to do is present identification and return the master set to us. If you have misplaced your keys after hours, you may call a locksmith to assist you back into the property. All of this is at the tenant's cost.

It’s important to show due respect to your neighbours at all times. Loud music, parties and disruptive behaviour can disturb a neighbour’s right to peace and quiet. This is especially true of units and apartments, where there can be little more than a wall between homes. Disrespectful behaviour reflects poorly on yourself as tenants, and on Charah as the property managers, and as such, it will not be tolerated.

You may only keep pets at your property if you have explicitly been granted permission on your lease. If you are found to have a pet at your property without explicit permission, you will be in violation of your tenancy agreement and may face eviction. Hence, if you are considering getting a pet, do not do it without first finding out if it can be added to your lease.

If you do have an approved pet at your property, you must abide by the following responsibilities:

• Keep the yard and property clean.
• In the event of any fleas or flea eggs being present, you will need to arrange for flea fumigation of the property at your own expense. 
• Cover the cost of any damage to the premises caused by the animal. 
• You must abide by all local, city or state laws, licensing and health requirements regarding pets, including vaccinations.

Failure to comply with these terms shall give the owner the right to revoke permission to keep the pet, and is also grounds for further action.

At the end of your lease, you will default into a "month-to-month tenancy".  This means that you can leave on the last day of any month provided you provide 2 month's notice to the property manager.  You should provide this notice either by email (which should be acknowledged), or by completing a "Tenant's Notice to Terminate the Tenancy". This form should be filled in and emailed, mailed, or faxed to Charah: ensure that you obtain confirmation from the property manager.

There are many misconceptions as to what constitutes proper notice to the Property Manager. This is an issue that surfaces repeatedly between Property Managers and tenants. We often find that tenants in general are misinformed as to the proper procedure and legal guidelines for giving Property Managers notice to vacate a suite. Since most people pay their rent on a monthly basis, we will focus on this in this section.

If you are currently in the middle of a signed lease, you are bound to that lease, for the term stated in same. Unless the Property Manager has agreed to let you out of your lease or a court has terminated the tenancy, the leaseholders are responsible until lease-end or re-rental, whichever comes first. For example: if you have a lease that expires on October 31st and you want to vacate August 31st, then you must ask the Property Manager to free you of your obligation to the lease. Verbal agreements are not accepted. Always obtain an agreement in writing. If the Property Manager declines your request, they have the right to demand payment of rent until re-rental or lease-end, whichever comes first.

Many residents in Ontario are not presently committed to a lease. This type of tenancy is most often referred to as a "month to month tenancy". All month to month tenants are required by law to give the Property Manager a minimum of two calendar months notice from the last day of any given month to vacate. Proper notice is a written letter of intent or fill out the Tenant's Notice to Terminate the Tenancy form and signed by all leaseholders of the unit indicating the date which the occupants are vacating. No explanation is required in the letter.  We recommend always completing the letter in duplicate and have someone representing the Property Manager sign both copies as a receipt that the vacating notice has been submitted.

Please note, tenants that are in a specified lease term who intend to fulfill the obligations of their lease must still follow the same procedures to vacate as a month to month tenant. For example: if your lease expires October 31st then you must give the Property Manager written notice no later than August 31st in order to vacate.

In closing, over the years we've heard every excuse in the book as to why people feel they are in a position to give short notice to a Property Manager. Let me assure you that the Property Manager is simply exercising their right to try and rerent the suite with no vacancy. The biggest mistake for a tenant to make is to assume that the Property Manager will have no problem renting your unit. If you really need to move early, cooperate with your Property Manager in every way possible - make sure they have a key to your apartment, that your apartment is always clean, and even place an ad in the local paper/website yourself in order to try and generate some traffic.

You must seek permission to add people to your lease. Additional tenants will have to complete our application process and sign onto the lease. We may refuse your request if the property is unsuitable for an additional person, or the person you are proposing does not meet our eligibility criteria.

Someone on my lease wants to leave, what happens with their Last Month's Deposit (LMD)?
IF PERMISSION IS GRANTED for tenants to change/transfer during a tenancy agreement, then the outgoing tenant must liaise and arrange with the incoming tenant to be paid their share of the Last Month's Deposit. You must then liaise with us for any transfer of names required on the original LMD.

Can I sub-let on my lease?
Subletting is not permitted without written approval from us. This includes assigning the tenancy over to a third party, or allowing other occupants to move in without our express permission. New tenants will have to complete our application process and sign onto the lease. We may refuse your request if the property is unsuitable for an additional person, or the person you are proposing does not meet our eligibility criteria.  All costs associated with performing application checks will be the responsibility the existing tenants.

Once adequate notice has been given, a tenant will be issued with a vacate date. This is the latest date that a vacating tenant is able to return the keys to Charah. A tenant is also required to have all their property out from the property and have left the property in good order. You are required to pay rent until this date, regardless of whether you occupy it in the final days or not.

Tenants are required to complete an exit condition report upon leaving a property. We highly recommend that you make this your check list for the vacating process. This details all your obligations with respect to cleaning, smoke detectors, appliances and so forth. If the property is not left in a respectable condition, we will hire professional cleaners at your expense.

Should you need any further information on the vacate process visit our 'Vacating a Rental Porperty' page.

If you vacate a property with money still owing and damage to the property, we will pursue this matter in Small Claims Court, and you will be recorded onto a national tenancy database. Even if this is later rectified, your details may not be withdrawn from the database.  Therefore due to the serious nature of being listed on these databases, we encourage all tenants to ensure all aspects of their tenancy be finalised in full with us before vacating.

Should an eviction occur, your details will be entered on the national internet tenancy database