Ensuring that your house is taken care of can prevent damage from occurring. Getting informed about parking in your neighbourhood and commuting will help you navigate having a car in Kingston or when guests with cars visit.
Winter Maintenance
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Check your lease to identify who is responsible for snow removal: it could be your landlord's responsibility, or your own. Determine if your house needs snow shovels or de-icing salt before snow arrives.
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As per the Residential Tenancies Act, in Ontario, your landlord is responsible for clearing the driveway/parking lots, walkways, stairs and entrances. If you rent a whole house, the law is not clear about who is responsible for snow removal.
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It is important to check your lease to identify who is responsible for snow removal and other outdoor maintenance and to have those conversations before signing a lease.
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Ensure your sidewalk, stairs and fire escapes are clear of snow and ice to prevent injuries.
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Make sure to review our neighbourhood safety page for tips about preventing theft and damage during times when your house is empty, including winter break and summer.
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AMS Holiday House Check is a free service for students at Queen’s. During Winter holidays, inspectors will ensure that there is no damage to the exterior of your home and collect your mail. Visit the AMS Commission of External Affairs Instagram and follow @ceaqueensu for more info!
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Remember when leaving for Winter break, or any extended period, to cancel any food box subscriptions to prevent waste and pests around your house.
Summer Maintenance
Whether or not you are staying in your house in Kingston for the summer, outdoor and indoor maintenance is important.
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Check your lease to identify who is responsible for lawn mowing. It could be your landlord's responsibility, or your own; depending on the type of rental property. Responsibilities should be explicitly stated to avoid confusion.
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As per the Residential Tenancies Act, in Ontario, landlords are responsible for maintaining the property, including lawn care. However, if you rent a whole house, the law is unclear when it comes to outdoor maintenance, so make sure these items are discussed in advance of signing your lease.
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Pests like rats, mice, ants, and wasps should be dealt with as soon as possible. Reach out to your landlord if you have any issues as it is your landlords responsibility to control pests in your rental. However, there are situations where a tenant can have living behaviours that lead to an infestation. In these situations, a tenant can be responsible for taking care of pest control.
Parking
- You can apply for a parking spot on campus here, but parking spots on campus fill quickly, so you may have to join a waitlist.
- Looking at different Facebook groups and Facebook marketplace are good options to rent a private space at a house if parking on campus is not an option.
- On-street parking and overnight parking rules differ based on neighbourhood. Look for posted signs and follow any regulated zones and times.
- Do not park on your front lawn.
- During the months of January and February, all on-street parking is prohibited between 1am and 7am. During December and March, Kingston typically see’s fewer snowstorms. On-street parking is permitted based upon weather conditions determined by the City and will only be banned if required due to weather.
Temporary Visitor Parking
- Look to the signs in your neighbourhood to determine whether your guest can park overnight.
- If your guest is staying for more than one day, you can obtain a temporary permit for on-street parking by filling out the application, and then making a service request or emailing contactus@cityofkingston.ca .
- If your guest needs parking for only one day you can obtain a parking exemption by submitting a service request, emailing contactus@cityofkingston.ca or calling 613-546-0000.
Residential On-Street Permits
- You may have to join a waitlist for an on-street permit or lot parking; finding a place to park your car prior to move-in will avoid stress and prevent receiving tickets for parking violations.
- Consider renting a private parking space – find these on Facebook, Kijiji, etc.