When you first begin living with housemates, it can be easy to think it is just about sharing rent, but it is a lot more than that. In my opinion, I don’t think you need to be best friends with your housemates, but it is important to establish some sort of community early on. My first off-campus living experience taught me that good communication and shared respect are the key tools to creating a happy living environment. 

Whether you’re living with others for the first time or returning after the summer, sharing a home takes effort, patience, and clear communication. Everyone arrives with different routines, expectations, and priorities and talking openly from the start helps your household build trust and avoid misunderstandings.

Many students think their lease “expires” at the end of the 8-month or 12‑month term. In Ontario, that’s not how it works. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, your lease automatically continues month‑to‑month with the same terms and rent. You don’t need to sign a new lease, and your landlord cannot ask you to leave just because the term is ending.

Living on-campus offers a great benefit - a short walk from all the libraries and endless studying spaces, and people who are always down to join you for a study session. Living off-campus looks different - you need to plan on studying ahead with friends and you need to plan the commute, and other things are taking up your time. Staying focused and productive becomes a necessity, not an amenity. 

Being a first-year international student, I did not have hometown friends, or friends of a friend to share housing next year with. I also found out that not everybody from my friends from classes and clubs were on the same page about living costs, chores, and schedules. 

From AMS club members to housemates - 2nd year. 

When you move into off-campus housing, your landlord can play a huge role in your living experience than you may expect. From handling repairs to addressing concerns, a good relationship with your landlord can make renting smooth and stress-free. Building this positive connection does not take much effort, but it requires effective communication, mutual respect, and some common sense.

One of the best parts of living off-campus in Kingston is the newfound sense of independence. Unlike the structured environment of dorm life, where rules and shared spaces can sometimes feel restrictive, having my own place means I have the freedom to make my own choices—both big and small.

In Ontario, landlords can only raise the rent once every 12 months of tenancy, and they must give you 90 days’ written notice using the official N1 form. The notice has to include the date the increase starts and the new rent amount. If any of this is missing or the timing is off, the increase may not be valid.