Tenant Information

If you are locked out of your unit your key holder may be able to let you in, otherwise, tenants should not go directly to the key holder. Housing Services staff may ask the key holder to check on something, or grant access to the tenant or a contractor. If your residence does not have a keyholder, please contact our office at 519-759-4150 during regular hours, or the after-hours service at 519-759-3330 and press 1 if your matter is urgent.

• Rent
• Setting up monthly rent payments
• Annual income reviews
• Lost keys, access cards, laundry cards
• Pursuit of income
• Booking your building’s common room

• Complaints in writing about neighbours
• Questions about your lease
• Rent
• General concerns about the building
• Current or former arrears
• Transferring to a different unit
• Guests staying longer than 14 nights
• Damages
• Alterations to the unit
• Moving out
• Community supports or assistance with annual income reviews and documentation

Rent is due on the first of each month.

Preferred method is pre-authorized payment. You will need to complete a form with your banking information and give Housing Services permission to charge your account (provide a void cheque or the form with the account info, from the bank).

Payments can be made by e-transfer, cheque, money order or post-dated cheques. To pay with a debit card, an appointment must be made with your Property Manager. There is also a drop box at select residential buildings and at City Hall, 58 Dalhousie Street. Mark your payments “Attention Housing Department.” Do not put cash in the drop box.
Market Rent: the market rent rate is set based on the average market rent for the area. It increases once a year on the anniversary of your tenancy.

Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI): Rent-Geared-to-Income is calculated based on formulas established by provincial legislation, the Housing Services Act, 2011. A Notice of Assessment (NOA), specifically line 23600, or a proof of income statement are the primary tools for verifying income as it applies to RGI rent.

RGI rates are generally calculated based on 30% of the household’s income. In general, RGI rent is based on the most recent taxation year, with the additional factors: if the review is started between January and June, RGI is based on net income from the tax year before the previous year. If the review is started between July and December, RGI is based on net income from the previous tax year.

For example:

If the income and RGI review was started in January 2025, the 2023 tax assessment would have been used.

If the income and RGI review was started in July 2025, the 2024 tax assessment would have been used.

A household member who has income from social assistance, specifically from Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) must also provide the following:

• a recent Statement of Assistance that has the names of all household members included in the benefit (or a copy of the proof of social assistance from the recipients' MyBenefits account)

ODSP recipients who also receive income from CPP-D or OAS Spouse's Allowance, must also provide the following:

• if also receiving CPP-D, a T4A(P) for the relevant tax year
• if also receiving OAS Spouse's Allowance, a T4A(OAS) for the relevant tax year

As applicable, household members must also provide the following:

• an RDSP annual statement for the year of the tax assessment
• evidence of current full-time student status
• evidence of employment income for the year of the tax assessment.

Tenants must inform their Property Management Assistant of changes that may impact RGI within 30 days of the change including changes to monthly income or the number of people living in the unit.

• Victims of family violence
• Over-housed (too many bedrooms for family size)
• Approved for special medical priority (subject to medical documentation)
• Urgent Priority (severe circumstances requiring transfer)
• Under-housed (the household requires two or more additional bedrooms. This option does not apply to tenants who have intentionally added additional people to their household)

To qualify for an internal transfer the following must apply:

• The tenant must have lived in the current unit for 12 months
• The tenant must have had no rent arrears for at least 6 months in a row
• Transfer is subject to tenancy in good standing including a satisfactory unit inspection
• The tenant must continue to meet eligibility criteria

Tenants wanting to internally transfer must speak with their Property Manager who will provide them with a transfer request form is appropriate.

Tenants wanting to move for reasons other than those listed above must complete a new community housing application to be added to the waitlist.

Effective, April 1, 2024, all new leases signed will require tenants to obtain and maintain insurance coverage to protect the tenant’s property against loss or damage, and the cost of any claims against the tenant for damage to the leased unit/building or injury to other parties.
Any tenancies prior to April 1, 2024, are encouraged to purchase tenant insurance to cover their personal property and liability. Brantford Housing and Homelessness Services Department insurance does not cover tenants' belongings, or alternate housing if you cannot return to the unit.

• Rent subsidy calculation
• No longer eligible for rent subsidy
• Transfer refused
• Determination that the household is over housed

Before requesting an internal review, the tenant should discuss the situation with the person who issued the letter (PMA or PM). If the issue can't be resolved, then put in a request for an internal review.

If the building has on-site maintenance a non-emergency request can be put in the maintenance slot.

You could also try these things first:

• Plunging a plugged toilet or backed up sink
• Make sure a non-working fridge or stove is plugged in, and that the breaker is on.

If you hear an alarm from your smoke alarm, check for fire. If you suspect fire, leave the area, closing doors behind you. Sound the main alarm (in apartments). Call 911 from a safe location.

If you hear an alarm from your carbon monoxide detector and you have a headache, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, everyone must leave the home immediately and call 911. If no one feels sick, open windows and turn off the furnace. Then reset the alarm.

If the alarm (smoke and/or carbon monoxide) continues to sound Housing and Homelessness Services will replace the alarm. Do not disconnect your alarm. It is against the law, and you could be fined.

You must provide 60 days written notice, and the last day of tenancy must be the last day of a month. The tenant is responsible for the rent until this date.

Units must be left clean, all garbage removed, dark paint colours primed a light colour and any damages repaired to Housing Services' satisfaction. The tenant may be charged for damages beyond normal wear and tear. The charges will remain on the provincial arrears database and will be forwarded to collections. This could affect the tenant's credit rating.

All keys and access cards must be returned to Housing Services.