Glossary

They have 1, 2 or 3 separate bedrooms, with separate bathroom, living, and kitchen space.

Bachelor apartments are ideal for one person. Also known as studio apartments.

Apartments that are below ground level.

Bed bugs are a small, inscet that feed on people and animals as they sleep.

Bed bugs are found throughout Nova Scotia and are transported through travelling somewhere that has had bedbugs.

For more information on Bed Bugs, Identification, and Pest Control visit: https://novascotia.ca/nse/environmental-health/bed-bugs.asp

A publicly cultivated piece of land, often overseen by government or a non-profit association.

Consent means someone freely agrees to engage in a certain act. Consent is an active, ongoing, affirmative, conscious, direct, unimpaired and voluntary agreement to engage and continue to engage in an activity.

A damage deposit is also known as a security deposit. It is the amount of money paid to a property owner when renting to ensure the rental is kept in good condition. Upon ending your rental lease property owners may keep this amount if there are damages, otherwise they must return your deposit.

a damage, security, or rental deposit. It is money that you give to the property owner (or rental company) as you sign the rental agreement/contract/lease. This money is given back to you at the end of the tenancy unless you have caused damage to the property. 

A shop, a market, or collective of sales booths where farmers and other vendors sell their products directly to consumers. Often artisanal and produce related sales occur at these locations

a store that sells groceries (food, and other essential items)

These apartments are on the street level, not in a basement or on a second or higher story.

within the rental market context, a guarantor is someone who guarantees to pay any outstanding rent that you owe to a property owner. You'll find this word on application forms when you want to rent a place. A guarantor does NOT need to be a Canadian citizen, but they need to be living in Canada.

The inspections that occur upon move in and move out of a rental space. These should occur with the property owner present, or be recorded if the property owner cannot be present.

Immigration Services Association of Nova Scotia

Someone who does not live on the mainland, someone who lives on an Island. Like someone who lives in PEI or Cape Breton

if your lease has a term that expires, your lease may be renewed and you may keep renting for another term. Automatic renewal of leases without a new written agreement is common.

an agreement between a property owner and tenant in order to rent a place. Rental leases/agreements can be written or oral, both are legally binding. It is recommended that you only enter into a written agreement.

A furnished or unfurnished accommodation that is secured for 3 months or longer.

Someone who lives on the mainland of Nova Scotia, someone who does not live on an Island

The language of the Mi'kmaq people

it refers to a tenancy that renews each month.

it refers to a notification, in writing.

a person who owns and rents/leases an apartment building, condominium, townhouse or house to another person.

as a verb, you rent a place when you pay a property owner or a rental agency to live in a accommodation. As a noun, it is the payment made by a tenant (you) for the right to occupy or use the property of another person.

this is an application used by a property owner or rental company to determine if a prospective tenant (you, the person who is looking for a place to rent) is suitable to rent. It often includes an authorization to conduct a credit check.

it refers to lands and/or buildings and/or units and/or rooms available for, or being, rented.

a person who you share an apartment or house with

Sexual Assault refers to any form of sexual contact without consent. Sexual assault includes, but is not limited to, unwanted kissing, fondling, touching, disrobing, oral or anal sex, vaginal intercourse, or other forms of penetration.

Sexual Harassments is a course of unwelcome, humiliating, and/or embarrassing comments of a sexual nature, persistent or abusive sexual solicitation or advances directed at an individual based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, by another individual or group who knows, or ought reasonably to know, that this attention is unwelcome

Sexual Violence is an umbrella term describing any act targeting a person’s sexuality, gender identity or gender expression, whether physical or psychological in nature, that is committed, threatened or attempted against a person without their consent.

Temporary furnished rental, including hotels, AirBnb, campgrounds, where accommodation is payment by night or week

as a verb, it means to rent a property that it is leased to another person. The person currently renting it still has the responsibility to the property owner. For example: tenant A lives in a 2-bedroom apartment and wants to sublet it to tenant B. Tenant A is still responsible for the rent and agreement to the property owner - if tenant B does not pay the rent or causes damages, tenant A is the person responsible to cover for rent and damages.

a person who leases or rents a premise from a property owner. The premises rented is often an apartment, room or house.

a person who leases or rents a premise from a property owner. The premises rented is often an apartment, room or house.

insurance purchased by the tenant to protect financially against uninsured damage to the unit, personal property or similar.

Also known as rental insurance, is a type of home insurance that protects those who do not own their home but rather rent it. Without tenant insurance you may be liable for damages caused by fire, or other incidents. You can get tenant insurance through providers with home insurance and other forms of insurance.

The large enclosed bay, forming the northwestern end of Halifax Harbour

The law for rental housing in Nova Scotia.

Stores that sell second hand items including clothing, household goods, and variety of other items.

Without furniture, especially available to be rented without furniture. Typically with appliances but no other furnishings.

these are services such as heat, water and electricity/power that may or may not be included in your rent.

A verbal agreement that is equivelant to a written agreement or Standard Form Lease.

a limitation on parking to minimize inconveniences or barriers that would prevent snow removal from roads or highways

A written agreement that cannot be changed through a verbal agreement it may only be changed through writing. The most common written lease is the Standard Form of Lease provided through the Residential Tenancy Board.