Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation

You must pay your rent on the first of every month. You can pay directly from your bank account by completing a Pre-Authorized Payment Plan Form.

Requests for Maintenance

To request a repair in your unit, call Housing Services at 905-666-6222 between 8 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday.

After Hours Emergencies 

If you have an emergency, call for maintenance after-hours at 905-666-6222. The Answering Service will respond. Only emergency repairs will be attended to after-hours (e.g. flooding, lock-outs, fire alarms.) 

You will be told at least 24 hours in advance of any work that is scheduled in your home, unless the work is urgent and you have given us permission to enter. You must keep all pets away from the work zone. If pest control is needed, you must remove all pets from your home for the stated time. Please do not smoke when maintenance staff and contractors are in your home. 

Inspections

We will do an annual inspection of your unit each year. We will check the smoke detectors, clean the vents and ensure window locks are in place. We also check to ensure that taps are not leaking. From time to time, there may be other reasons for us to enter your home (e.g. to inspect your furnace). We will tell you why we need to enter your home and give you at least 24 hours’ notice.  

As your landlord, we have the right to enter your unit under section 27 of the Residential Tenancies Act. If you are concerned about the work or inspection to be done, please contact your Property Manager at 905-666-6222 prior to the work crew arriving. 

Guest Policy

You cannot have a guest in your unit longer than seven days without written permission from us first. consent. To get permission, you must write to us stating:

• Name of guest(s)

• How long they will be staying

• Reason for the request to have them stay longer than seven days.

Your Property Manager will confirm in writing how long your guest can stay with you.

We can refuse your request if we believe your guest will not leave at the end of the agreed-to term or if their behaviour has disturbed the quiet enjoyment of other tenants.

If you have a guest stay longer than seven days without our written approval, we will consider the guest an illegal occupant. Your guest must either leave your unit or complete an application to be added to your lease. Your guest will need to be eligible for rent geared-to-income (RGI) to be added to your lease. If your guest stays in your unit and is not added to your lese, we can end your RGI and you may have to pay market rent for your unit.

Remember: At all times, you are responsible for the behaviour of your guests.

If you want to transfer to another unit where you live now or in another DRLHC property, contact your property manager. See the list of building locations managed by DRLHC.

Special Priority Tenants

If you live with someone who is abusing you and you want to permanently separate from them, you may receive priority for a transfer to another DRLHC property or another social housing provider. You must complete the Special Priority Application Package.

Overhoused Tenants

If you live in a unit that is larger than you are eligible for under the occupancy standards, you must transfer to a smaller unit. You will be placed on our wait list to transfer to a smaller unit in any of the DRLHC buildings in the municipality where you live now. You can also request to be added to the Durham Access to Social Housing (DASH) wait list.

If you have not transferred to a smaller unit after one year, you will be placed on the DASH wait list. If you turn down three offers to transfer, you will be ineligible for rent geared-to-income (RGI) and your rent will be increased to the full market rate.

Underhoused Tenants

If you live in a unit that is smaller than you are eligible for under the occupancy standards, you may apply for a larger unit by contacting your Property Manager. Your application date will be the date you requested a larger unit.

Extraordinary Situations

If you need to transfer for extraordinary health or safety reasons, your Property Manager may consider the request. You must not owe rent in your current unit, and you may have to take the new unit in an "as is" condition. You cannot have damage to your current unit or a history of disturbing the quiet enjoyment of other tenants. We will consider Special Priority tenants and overhoused tenants for transfer first.

You can contact DRLHC staff at 905-666-6222.

• Eleanor MacDonald, DRLHC General Manager ext. 2477

• Lynn Alexander, Property Manager, ext. 2450

• Kaye Banfield, Property Manager, ext. 2486