Tenant Information Hub

Your lease agreement is the foundation of your tenancy. Your lease is a document that describes your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. It also describes the rights and responsibilities of Peterborough Housing Corporation as a landlord.

All lease agreements with between Peterborough Housing Corporation and tenants share the same basic format, however your lease may have unique conditions that are specific to your property. For example, a lease agreement for a high-rise apartment will be somewhat different from a townhouse.

Lease agreements for tenants in the Rent Geared-to-Income program will include an additional document called a Schedule A. The Schedule A details the specific rules and eligibility criteria for tenants who are receiving a rent subsidy.

You will be given a copy of your lease agreement when you move into your unit. If you need a new copy of your lease agreement, or have questions about your lease agreement, please contact our office.

Your lease renews annually on your move-in date. For Rent Geared-to-Income tenants this date may change if your income changes throughout the year.

If you are unsure when your lease renews, please contact our office.

You will be mailed an Annual Renewal package five months before your lease renewal date. The Annual Renewal package will give you instructions on what you need to provide to renew your lease.

It is very important to hand in your Annual Renewal on time. If you are late handing in your Annual Renewal, we won’t be able to renew your lease and your subsidy may be removed.

If you have questions about your Annual Renewal, or if you need assistance completing the paperwork, please contact our office.

If you plan on moving out of your unit, please let our office know as soon as possible.

You are required to provide sixty (60) days written notice prior to moving out. If you do not provide proper notice, you may be required to pay for rent owing up to sixty (60) days after you leave.

To give proper notice that you are moving out, please complete the N9 Tenant’s Notice to End the Tenancy and provide it to our office.

If you require a shorter notice period to move out of your unit (less than 60 days), please contact your Resident Services Manager. Resident Services Manager as soon as possible.

When you move out it is important that you remove all your personal belongings. If you do not remove your personal belongings, they will be disposed of and your account may be charged back for the cost of disposal.

If your unit is damaged beyond the regular wear-and-tear associated with rental accommodations, your account may be charged back for the work needed to repair the damage.

In general, you should try to return your unit to the same state it was in when you moved in.

If you receive a subsidy through the Rent Geared-to-Income program, you do not have a last month’s rent deposit on your account. You will be responsible for paying your rent up until your move-out date.

If you are a tenant in an Affordable or Market Rent unit, a last month’s rent deposit was collected when you moved in and is topped-up annually. Your last month’s rent deposit will be used to pay for the last month of rent owing before your move out.

If you have any questions about moving out, please contact our office.

The rent you pay depends on the type of housing program you are part of.

Rent Geared-to-Income tenants will pay approximately 30% of their monthly gross income for rent, plus or minus utility service charges.

Rent for Affordable Housing tenants is set at a rate below the average market rent for the Peterborough area. The rent of each tenant in Affordable Housing may be increased annually.

Market Rent tenants pay approximately the same amount of rent you would pay if you were renting from a private landlord. Market rents increase once a year.  You will get 90 days’ notice before the market rent goes up.

Your rent can be paid by any of the following options:

• Debit
• Online Payment (add PHC as a payee and tenant account code)
• Cheque
• Money Order
• Direct Payment (OW/ODSP)
• Pre-authorized payment

If you cannot pay your rent, please contact your Resident Services Manager as soon as possible.

We will work with you to come up with a payment plan. If you can’t pay your rent and do not contact our office, we will proceed with filing an L1 Application to Terminate Tenancy with the Landlord Tenant Board.

Your unit may be inspected annually.  Unit inspections are done to check the condition of your unit and address maintenance needs. Inspections may also take place anytime throughout the year. You will be given 24 hours’ notice before any inspections.

PHC will inspect smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on an annual basis. You will be given 24 hours’ notice before inspection.

If you have any maintenance concerns, or believe your smoke or carbon monoxide detectors are not working properly, contact our office. immediately.

As a landlord, PHC has a responsibility to provide 24 hours’ notice when staff or contractors are entering your unit. PHC may issue a 24-hour notice of entry to allow access for maintenance staff, or to conduct unit inspections.

You may also receive a 24-hour notice of entry if PHC believes there is a concern for health and safety, including inspections for excessive clutter, fire safety, or damage to your unit.

A 24-hour notice will be provided if there is a concern that PHC staff will not be allowed into a unit. If a 24-hour notice has been provided to you, PHC staff can unlock your door to provide access to your unit, even if you are not home.

If you have pets, please ensure they are confined while PHC staff are inside your unit.

In an emergency situation, PHC staff may be required to access your unit without providing 24 hour’s notice.

If you have a maintenance concern in your unit, please contact our maintenance department as soon as possible.

You can also visit our maintenance page for more information about maintenance services, and to submit an online maintenance request form.

Yes, you are allowed to have friends, family, and other guests in your unit for up to 14 days without permission from PHC. If you want to have a guest stay in your unit longer than 14 days, you must contact PHC for written approval.

Guests are not permitted to live in your unit long term. If you allow someone to live in your unit longer than 14 days without the written permission of PHC, you may lose your subsidy.

Guests must have a permanent alternative address. If PHC believes you are allowing a guest to live in your unit, you may be asked to provide confirmation of a permanent address for your guest.

If you want someone to move into your unit, you can complete a Joint Tenancy Application and submit it to PHC for approval.

As a tenant, you are responsible for the behaviour of the guests that you allow into your building or unit.

If your guest causes damage to the building or your unit, your account may be charged for the cost to repair the damage. If your guest causes a disturbance in the building, you as the tenant may receive a legal notice to end your tenancy.

It’s important that you make sure that any guests you let into the building or your unit respect the terms of your lease agreement.

If you have a concern with your neighbour, the first thing you should do is try to have a conversation with them. Most disputes can be resolved by having a respectful conversation about your concerns and trying to work with your neighbour to come to an agreement.

Every resident has a right to enjoy their home, and a responsibility to respect the rights of their neighbours. By establishing positive relationships with your neighbours, we can ensure all residents feel safe in their community.

Here are some things you can do to establish positive relationships with your neighbours:

1. Be considerate of volume levels when playing your stereo, radio, or TV
2. Don’t be rude or insult other tenants – if you don’t like someone, don’t talk to them
3. Keep your patio, balcony or yard clean, and do not keep garbage outside your unit
4. Make sure any guests you invite on the property respect your lease agreement, and PHC parking policies
5. Treat your neighbours as you would want to be treated – avoid escalating conflicts, and instead try to work towards a mutual agreement

If the issue with your neighbour persists, and can’t be resolved by talking to them, you can consider making a complaint to PHC about their behaviour.

While PHC strives to ensure all residents can enjoy their homes, PHC cannot help you with every issue or complaint you may have with your neighbour.  Some complaints may not be appropriate for a landlord to intervene in, while other issues can only be resolved by police or by-law officers.

If your complaint is beyond the ability for PHC to intervene, we will support you with connecting to the appropriate resources to address your complaint.

The following list shows what PHC can and cannot do about your complaint:

If you are unable to resolve an issue with another resident and the issue is impacting your rights as a tenant, you can make a complaint with PHC.

To make a complaint, you should first write down (or type) some details about your issue, including:

1. What is the problem?
2. Who does it involve?
3. Where and when is the problem happening?
4. How long has the problem been going on?

It’s important to be as specific as possible when writing your complaint (ie. dates, times, names, locations, what was said)

Having documented information about your problem is very important, as PHC staff will ask that you provide as much information as possible in writing. If you are unable to write down your complaint, a PHC staff member can help you.

Once you have information about your complaint together, you should call your Housing Support Worker, or Resident Services Manager and let them know about your concern.

PHC staff will work with you to come up with a solution to your complaint.

How will PHC resolve my complaint?

PHC resolves most complaints by mediating the conflict between residents. This will involve talking to both sides to understand the issue, and coming up with a mutual agreement that addresses the complaint.

During the mediation process PHC may ask a resident to avoid contact with another tenant or ask that a resident stop engaging in a particular behaviour. PHC will attempt to talk to all residents involved in the complaint and provide them with clear direction both in person and in writing.

Other complaints may be dealt with by providing the resident with a notice that outlines why their actions are disruptive, and potentially against their lease agreement.

If a tenant’s behaviour is a serious violation of their lease agreement and/or the Residential Tenancies Act, and mediation is not possible, PHC may proceed with legal action to evict them.

IF YOUR COMPLAINT IS REGARDING A POTENTIAL CRIME, OR IF YOU BELIEVE YOUR SAFETY IS AT RISK DUE TO A RESIDENT’S BEHAVIOUR, CALL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY.

ONCE YOU HAVE CALLED 9-1-1 TO REPORT THE CRIME/SAFETY RISK, THEN CALL YOUR RESIDENT SERVICES MANAGER.

PHC has internal policies and procedures to ensure that all tenants are treated in a fair and consistent manner. These policies guide how PHC staff interact with tenants, make decisions, and resolve conflict. PHC’s internal policies are reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

As a landlord and social housing provider, PHC is also required to follow provincial legislation. This includes the Residential Tenancies Act, which governs the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants in Ontario, and the Housing Services Act, which governs social housing programs.

Residents must follow the conditions provided in their lease agreement, as well as the Provincial rules detailed in both the Residential Tenancies Act, and the Housing Services Act.

Depending on where you live and what you do, other resident policies may apply. Some common resident policies include PHC’s parking policy (hyperlink), scooter/storage room rental policy, and key release/lock change policy.

If you have any questions about resident-specific policies, please contact our office.

If you have questions about your rights as a tenant, or about Provincial legislation, contact your local community legal centre.

PHC residents are required to follow all municipal by-laws for their respective municipality.

Some common by-laws that may affect PHC residents include animal control, noise complaints, municipal parking, and property standards.

For more information, contact your municipal by-law office:

Peterborough (City)

Clerk's Office
500 George St. N.
Peterborough, ON K9H 3R9
705-742-7777 ext. 1820
clerks@peterborough.ca
https://www.peterborough.ca/en/city-hall/by-laws.aspx

Selwyn (Lakefield)
1310 Centre Line
Selwyn, Ontario K9J 6X5
(705) 292-9507
https://www.selwyntownship.ca/en/township-hall/bylawsandpolicies.aspx

Asphodel-Norwood
2357 County Road 45,
Norwood, ON K0L 2V0
705-639-5343
info@antownship.ca
https://www.antownship.ca/Modules/Bylaws/Bylaw/Search

Havelock-Belmont-Methuen
1 Ottawa St. East, PO Box 10,
Havelock, Ontario K0L 1Z0
705-778-2308
havbelmet@hbmtwp.ca
https://www.hbmtwp.ca/en/township-services/by-laws.aspx

North Kawartha (Apsley)
280 Burleigh Street, PO Box 550
Apsley, ON K0L 1A0
705-656-4445
https://www.northkawartha.ca/en/our-services/by-law-enforcement-and-compliance.aspx

If PHC believes that a resident is not following the policies outlined in their lease agreement or provincial legislation, we will try to work with the resident to inform them of these policies and the consequences for breaking them.

If a resident repeatedly or intentionally breaks a policy, PHC staff may proceed with removing their rental subsidy and/or a legal filing with the Landlord and Tenant Board.

A serious violation of a resident’s lease agreement or provincial legislation can result in eviction.

PHC’s primary goal as a social housing provider is to keep people housed. However, when there is a serious violation of a resident’s lease agreement or provincial legislation, PHC may proceed with legal action to evict a resident.

PHC does not take eviction lightly. We will try to work with residents to resolve tenancy issues before considering an eviction.

If you receive a notice that says you are being evicted, you should contact your Resident Services Manager as soon as possible. They will be able to provide with important information about the notice that may be able to assist you.

Depending on the reason you have received the eviction notice, you may be able to come up with an agreement with the Resident Services Manager that could save your tenancy.

Some eviction notices can be voided. For example, if you receive an N4 notice that says you will be evicted because you owe rent, you can void the notice by paying the amount indicated on the N4, or coming up with a repayment plan with your Resident Services Manager.

PHC will not seek to evict a resident for neighbour disputes unless the reason for the dispute is a serious, repeated, and direct violation of their lease agreement and/or provincial legislation. In most cases, neighbour disputes can be resolved through mediation.

An eviction is not a simple process. PHC must provide the Landlord and Tenant Board substantial proof that mediation is not possible, and that eviction is the appropriate action.

The eviction process can also take a significant amount of time. It may take several months to get a decision from the Landlord and Tenant Board. As such, if a resident wants to see quick resolution to their dispute, it is in your best interest attempt mediation.

If you have questions about the eviction process, or are having a dispute with your neighbour, please contact your Resident Services Manager.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for on this page, contact our office.

PHC is committed to updating the Tenant Information Hub regularly – if you have suggestions on how to improve this page, please let us know.