Find the right place for you

A. Check out the place ahead of time

Look: Is the door peephole at the appropriate level for you? Is there a video monitor or entry phone so you know who is calling? Is the lighting in the lobby or entryway and elevator good?

It is always better if you do not have to rush to find a place to rent. First, try to make sure the place, the building, and the community match your needs. Consider:
 

• What is the neighbourhood like?
• How far is it to grocery stores or doctors’ offices?
• Is there a bus stop close by and how often does the bus run?
• Is there a seniors’ community centre nearby or are there other social meeting places handy?
• How close is the place to other services that you need, such as the bank, the post office and the local library?
Here are other things that seniors tell us are helpful:
• Ask some of the people currently living there how the building is.
• Ask them what they like best or least about living in this building.
• Ask tenants about the building manager or caretaker (do the staff and owners treat people with respect, take care of problems fairly and promptly, etc.?)
• Spend a little time outside the building watching the people come and go (see if you would fit in and be comfortable in this building).
 

Check out the practical things too.
 

You probably are thinking about how well the building that you are considering will meet your needs right now. But it can be helpful to also think about the future if your health starts to change. For example:
 

• How many stairs are there in the front and back of the building?
• Is there an elevator?
• Are the doors in this building wide enough for walkers, wheelchairs, scooters, etc?
• Is there parking space for a scooter?
• Are there electrical plug-ins for electric wheelchairs?
• Are there helpful aids already built in (for example, grab bars in the bathroom)?
 

Usually, if you try to keep both your current needs and your future ones in mind when choosing a place to rent, you can live there as well as possible, for as long as possible.
Obviously, no one place will have everything you want and need (especially considering what you can afford), but why not aim for many of these? This may be your home for a long while and moving can be costly.

Ask about how good the intercom/buzzer system is. When people cannot hear visitors over the system properly, they do not know whether or not to let them in.


Feel Secure in the Community

When you are considering a place to rent, also think about the safety of the area. Look at the building and the area around it:
 

• Are the sidewalks and paths to the front, back, and parking areas well lit?
• Are there any hidden areas (look for sharp corners, walls or bushes)?
• Is the bus stop well lit and in an open area with people nearby?
 

So you like the building and the neighbourhood...and you want to live here...

B. Talk with the landlord

Your conversation with your prospective landlord is very important. It is important to find out exactly what is covered by the rent. Find out not only the amount of the rent, but also:
 

• Are pets allowed?
• Is there a security deposit ? (also called a damage deposit)  (See page 17)
• Is there any extra charge for parking? For cable television, or an extra outlet?
• Is there adequate soundproofing in the rooms?
• Are there rules about smoking in the shared or common areas?

Be sure to get all your questions answered.
 

Some places will include parking, cable, laundry, heat, or utilities in the rent. Others do not. Some include cleaning or maid services in the rent. Some include certain appliances or furniture. Others do not.
 

Some places include facilities that you share with others in the building (e.g. a television room, a lounge or an exercise room).
 

Some places provide a meal plan. What is the cost? Could you afford the services if the amount increased next year by, say, 10% or 25%?

C. Find an affordable place

Like anyone, you want a place you can reasonably afford. Many seniors are concerned about being able to afford their apartment, particularly if the rent increases. They worry about having to move to a less expensive or less suitable apartment. There is help for many lower income seniors, called SAFER, which is the short term for “Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters”

D. Apply for subsidy if necessary

SAFER is a monthly subsidy. Many seniors can apply for SAFER to help afford the rent. About 12,000 seniors in the province currently receive SAFER.
 

SAFER is calculated on your income and the amount of rent you are paying. If you pay more than 30% of your income on rent, you may be eligible.
 

Despite the name of the program, you do not have to be “elderly” to apply. Any senior aged 60 and over who rents can apply.
 

See SAFER in the Community Resources (page 52). The staff can provide you with information on who is eligible and how to apply. There are some income and residency requirements. You can get help from a senior citizen counsellor in filling out the application.
 

SAFER is not available for people who live in subsidized housing or receive BC Benefits. If you are renting a trailer or mobile home, you can still be eligible for the SAFER subsidy. If you own the mobile home, you would not be eligible.

Important: Don’t forget. If you aren’t eligible for SAFER right now, but your circumstances change, you can always apply again.

E. Know what a landlord can ask you

In British Columbia, the landlord can ask you for credit references and other references to find out if you are a good tenant. Any other personal information should not be considered relevant.

A landlord cannot refuse to rent to you because of your:

• race,
• colour,
• place of origin (where you came from),
• ancestry (where your family came from),
• religion,
• marital status (for example, if you are widowed, divorced, single, married, or living common law),
• family status (for example, if you have children or grandchildren),
• sex or sexual orientation,
• source of income (for example, the landlord cannot ask you whether you receive the Canada Pension Plan, an old age or disability pension, or welfare).

A landlord cannot refuse to rent to you, charge you more rent, or put special terms in your agreement simply because you have a physical or mental disability.
 

Landlords are also prohibited from discriminating because of people’s age. However, age discrimination laws in our province only cover people aged 19 to 64. Hopefully this gap will be addressed in the future.
 

Does that mean that as a senior, you have no protection from discrimination? No. All the other protections against discrimination are still there. For example, the law says you cannot be discriminated against because you have a disability.
 

Some seniors have a physical or mental disability. Some disabilities are invisible, such as arthritis or brain injuries. Disabilities also include health conditions such as heart disease, asthma, and depression.
 

Sometimes a landlord might not want to rent to an older person who has a disability or uses a walker or scooter, or because the landlord just thinks the person would be more trouble or work. That is a type of discrimination based on a perceived disability. It is against the law.
 

How do you know if a landlord is discriminating against you?
 

Most landlords are happy to get a good tenant. It does not matter about the person’s age, sex, race, or if they have a disability, or other condition. Sometimes landlords say something that sounds as if they do not want people of a specific age or group. Sometimes, they just say “Sorry, the place is already taken”.
 

Jolla’s Story
 

When Jolla went to check out the new building down the road, she liked it a lot. When she went to apply, she was told by the building manager: “All the suites are gone.”
 

Jolla thought that was strange, because the newspaper ad had just came out. So she asked her nephew to give the manager a call. The manager said a place was still available. The nephew asked the landlord if he was looking for a special kind of tenant. The landlord said “Yes, I want younger Canadian couples. They are less trouble and don’t complain”.
 

Jolla decided to call the Human Rights Commission to find out if a landlord could do that. The landlord could not. He was discriminating on several grounds (race, family status, age). He had a stereotype of older people and assumed that they were (or would become) disabled and need help.

If you think you have experienced discrimination, you can contact the British Columbia Human Rights Commission (See page 47).

Some seniors may think it is not worth the bother because it will not help them to get this apartment. Sometimes that’s true.

However, the Commission will follow up on your complaint and work with the landlord to help see that other seniors who are renting do not face the same type of problem in the future. Be an advocate for seniors’ rights!
 

Go to the next section Your Tenancy Agreement: A Must Have!

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