Housing Problems

My first year of university, there was an unprecedented number of students coming so the university had to combine some single rooms into doubles. As well, many people didn’t get into residence. I was fortunate enough to get in and I think my disabilities helped since I had indicated on my forms my preference in residence. For example, I needed a single room. I think that was taken into consideration because I did get in and I did get a single room.

But when I was looking for a house for my second year, I didn’t start until the middle of August. There were over 2000 new students who didn’t get into residence which was insane. I joined a facebook group looking for roommates. There were so many people looking for places to live that the school stepped in and started buying residences and renting them out to first years. The housing situation was that bad.

This last summer, I had to pay for three places to live. My first year residence lease went from September to August but I wanted to live with certain friends my second year. The lease started in May and the only way I could secure a place with them was to start paying in May. So I had four months where I had to pay for two places. I could have stayed at my original place if I had wanted to and renewed the lease; then I wouldn’t have had the four month overlap. But I chose not to because I didn’t like the guys I was living with and the girl from the basement was going back home because she hated it here. So my share of the rent would have increased.

To make it worse, I couldn’t get a summer job and had to return home. My parents had moved so I couldn’t stay with them. So I ended up staying with friends and having to pay a third rent. Granted, it was a small amount, but it was still more than I could afford.

You are really stuck because leases start at different times and you can’t get a place without signing a lease. But paying three rents in one summer was something I would not want to repeat ever again.