AMS RentsLine The AMS RentsLine is an automated touchtone telephone service for finding off-campus housing. Make sure you have a pen and paper handy to jot down interesting notices, and phone 604-714-4848. The RentsLine is also online at www.amsrentsline.com.
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Newspapers Vancouver has two daily newspapers: The Province and The Vancouver Sun. Both carry classified ads for rental accommodation, sorted by neighbourhood. Get the newspapers early in the morning and call right away because rentals go quickly in August and September. There are also some rental listings in The Georgia Straight, a free weekly arts and entertainment newspaper, and The Vancouver Courier, a twice-weekly free community newspaper.
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Rental services There are services that will provide you with a list of vacancies that meet your criteria for a fee. These are often advertised in the rental listing sections of newspapers. They can be helpful if you need to save yourself some time, but there is a charge for this service.
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Online Visit international.ubc.ca for links to up-to-date offcampus housing resourses. You can also try www.housing.ubc.ca. The AMS RentsLine is also online at www.amsrentsline.com.
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Word of mouth Ask other students if they know of any vacancies. There are often many suites in a building, and someone living there already would be among the first to be aware of a vacancy.
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Interpreting the ads Most newspaper ads and noticeboard postings will use abbreviations to describe the accommodation:
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abbreviation definition
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Appl appliances: stove, fridge and dishwasher
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Apt apartment
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Bdrm or br number of bedrooms, usually indicated by a number. Bedrooms are separate from the kitchen and living room.
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Bsmt basement: below the main floor of the building; usually a self-contained suite in the bottom part of a house
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cable extra channels for your television; sometimes included in cost of rent
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drapes curtains
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f prefer female occupant only
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f&s fridge and stove only, no other appliances
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hydro electricity
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hot plate heating elements for cooking but no oven
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gas natural gas (heating)
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incl util Price includes cost of utilities (heat, hot water)
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m prefer male occupant only
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n/d non-drinker (of alcohol)
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n/p no pets
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n/s non-smoking
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prkg parking
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pvt ent private entrance
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r&b or rb room and board, cooked meals provided
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refs references required
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ste suite; set of rooms
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w/d washer and dryer
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w/w wall-to-wall carpeting
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<a href="http://students.ubc.ca/international/handbook/offaccom/" target=nlink>http://students.ubc.ca/international/handbook/offaccom/</a>
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