Residence Help!

[dunkaholic]

I'm a first year student going to Waterloo in the fall, but i don't have residence because i missed the deadline. i'm still at #13 on the waiting list but there is a chance i'll get a room in september. i don't know what to do right now. i have only 2 weeks before school starts, and i'm trying to find a place to rent. i want to rent a place and pay month by month in hope that i'll get to move into residence asap. is it a good idea to stay at a friend's residence on campus for a bit and hope i'll get a place in residence early in september? i'm going crazy over this situation because i don't want to live off campus in my first year... was anybody in the same situation as me before..? any advice/help/tips would be greatly appreciated

[Exodus]

Have you tried going to the off campus housing website? If you can phone them or email them, you should ask them if there are any other options because I'm sure they have other ideas of you don't get a res.

Besides that, I can't think of any other way to help you. There will be places to rent when you get there, it's just you have to find them. Also, I don't think it's a good idea to temporarily stay at your friend's res (I had this happen to me before...).

[dunkaholic]

oh.. what happens if you stay at a friend's res? i've made a few calls to some landlords and most places are rented out already. some of the ones available are kinda far from campus.. and some are unfurnished...

[36469]

if you stay at your friend's res, you're considered a guest.
waterloo's res terms and conditions says that a guest can only stay for 48hrs, normally not staying over night (not that anyone follows that). you're considered a guest because you're not paying residence fees, and universities don't like it cuz you're using their water, eletricity, etc. without paying.
however, it's still best that you talk to the housing department at waterloo first about this issue if you already haven't.
hope this helped.

oh.. what happens if you stay at a friend's res? i've made a few calls to some landlords and most places are rented out already. some of the ones available are kinda far from campus.. and some are unfurnished...

[dunkaholic]

if you stay at your friend's res, you're considered a guest.
waterloo's res terms and conditions says that a guest can only stay for 48hrs, normally not staying over night (not that anyone follows that). you're considered a guest because you're not paying residence fees, and universities don't like it cuz you're using their water, eletricity, etc. without paying.
however, it's still best that you talk to the housing department at waterloo first about this issue if you already haven't.
hope this helped.
do u mean i should ask for permission to stay at my friend's or talk to them about the general issue?

[nkwu]

You're a bit late, You shoulda staked out and checked out the Off Campus Housing Listings on the Waterloo website. My friend is in the same predicament, but I'm pretty sure he'sjsut gonna go to off campus

To my knowledge, the Residence has been full since the deadline. The only chance I would think you would have is if someone was to drop out.

If I were you, I would just try and lock up some off campus housing.

[Tharyn]

I'll be completely honest with you, it's going to be quite tough to find a place with "month-to-month" rent.

At this point, your best bet is to find some off campus housing. I'd suggest checking out,

http://www.wcri.coop/

It's close to campus, but it'll cost a little more.

Cheers and best of luck!

[winner2000]

Well I should let you know that, working with UW rez, I can tell you for a fact that we're full to the max. Every single room has already been rented out -- there's not even ONE empty room in ANY residence (first or upper year). Granted, there's always a few no-shows on move in week so that MIGHT get you a spot, but if you're #13...it's pretty rare that 13 people don't show up for their assigned rooms.

So definitely don't pin your hopes on getting rez anytime soon...definitely look for something off-campus. The link above me is a good start. Good luck!

[36469]

permission to stay at your friend's.
if you ask them about the general issue, they'll just tell you to find an off-campus place to stay.

do u mean i should ask for permission to stay at my friend's or talk to them about the general issue?

[RLP06]

To be exact, you will NEVER find a month to month place in the FALL, unless its a complete craphole 100miles away from the university


I'll be completely honest with you, it's going to be quite tough to find a place with "month-to-month" rent.

[dunkaholic]

oh... sigh.. this looks really bad. i'm going to waterloo to visit two places i might want to stay at.. and about this WCRI place. isn't it too late to apply already? and is this organization affiliated with the university at all?

[dunkaholic]

You're a bit late, You shoulda staked out and checked out the Off Campus Housing Listings on the Waterloo website. My friend is in the same predicament, but I'm pretty sure he'sjsut gonna go to off campus

To my knowledge, the Residence has been full since the deadline. The only chance I would think you would have is if someone was to drop out.

If I were you, I would just try and lock up some off campus housing.
where did u friend go to find off campus housing?

[angelove]

OMG I was like you but was fortunate to get residence on the waiting list. I was in the top 20 and within the due date that those had received residence dropped out so I took their place. Mind you I'm going to Ryerson... ^^;

Your best bet is to contact Residence Office to see if you've moved up on the waiting list. But due to Sept. quickly approaching, I think you may need to look for off-campus or find a new-bestfriend who lives in Residence to crash! :twisted:

[RLP06]

I highly doubt you will get residence, since there are way too many first years this year. They were offering upper year students that were promised residence $1000 or something to move off campus so that first years have rez.

[Demonwar]

Well, i don't know what stream you are in, but regardless, there will be spaces for winter/spring, so you will get to live in residence for 4 months at least.

but, finding a place for 4 months, will be difficult. wcri still has space in a residence like community, but you must sign an 8 month contract. wcri is a student run housing, that is right next to waterloo, about where uwplace is.

if you have friends who live in mkv, you could live in their lounge =P, which is more than spacious enough to accomodate a 5th person.

if waterloo really can't get u a residence place for fall, i recommend

signing a 8month wcri contract, and subletting for 4 months in winter/spring

or finding a 4 month sublet for fall.

[dunkaholic]

Well, i don't know what stream you are in, but regardless, there will be spaces for winter/spring, so you will get to live in residence for 4 months at least.

but, finding a place for 4 months, will be difficult. wcri still has space in a residence like community, but you must sign an 8 month contract. wcri is a student run housing, that is right next to waterloo, about where uwplace is.

if you have friends who live in mkv, you could live in their lounge =P, which is more than spacious enough to accomodate a 5th person.

if waterloo really can't get u a residence place for fall, i recommend

signing a 8month wcri contract, and subletting for 4 months in winter/spring

or finding a 4 month sublet for fall.
my friend lives at UW in the 3-person suite.. i would stay there for a while but i'm afraid i'll get him in trouble. i checked the sublet listings on the WRCI website, and there's like nothing...

[Demonwar]

if your friend is living in uw place, and his other 2 roomates don't mind {hopefully they are your friends as well), you can definitely stay at his place.

my friend lived in a third person suite and rooms seemed a bit cramped to me, but i think some suites have enough space in the rooms for an inflatable bed. there is definitely enough space in the kitchen/lounge for another bed.

about getting your friend in trouble, there is almost 0% chance of getting caught, since everything can be done in the suite, not like dormitory style, where there is a communal bathroom.

Most dons are very understanding, and if you tell them your situation at the beginning of the year, most will likely will not mind as long as you are not disturbing the other 3 roomates. And if they do mind, there is no way a don can check your suite anyways without your permission, unless for emergency purposes. In fact, most dons will even encourage you to partcipate in floor activities even if you're not really part of the floor, and such, although uw place is pretty dead anyways.

The only real question is if your friend, and his roomates mind.

If you are nice, offer to cover the cost of most groceries since your getting free rent, and do the majority of the cleaning, almost nobody would really mind. also if your a good cook, bonus points. =P

[RLP06]

You won't find a place thats close and also 4 month lease. There are 4month contracts out there, but you will be walking close to 25 mins, or a 10 min drive... if you have a car, thats no problem.

But best bet for you like Demon said is to get a place for 8months and sublet it in the Winter, and its best to sublet in the winter cus u'll get a good price, places go for way cheaper in the spring.