In Kingston, it is common for landlords to rent properties by the unit, not by individual rooms. That means the responsibility often falls on students to form a complete group of tenants before signing a lease. Whether you’re in a group looking to fill the remaining rooms, or if you’re looking to join an existing group, finding housemates can be a stressful experience if you don’t know where to look. This post offers several tips to help you get started with your search.
Before signing a lease with a group, it’s important to take some time to get to know your potential housemates. Have an honest conversation about expectations surrounding cleanliness, parties, overnight guests, managing chores, etc. Ensure that you and your potential housemates have a mutual understanding about what living together will look like. To help guide these conversations, the Off-Campus Living Advisor has prepared some resources for students to use. Remember, a signed lease agreement is legally binding and can’t be broken.
Students looking for housemates will often post ads on various social media platforms. Listed below are links to pages commonly used by students.
An Important Reminder:
The following pages are not affiliated with or monitored by Queen’s University. Students should exercise caution and verify information to avoid rental scams when searching for housing online.
Off-Campus Housing Facebook Groups:
Miscellaneous:
Other Tips:
- Each year, the incoming class of undergraduate students often create an Instagram page where incoming first-year students can introduce themselves to their peers. If you are a first-year student, posting on your class Instagram can be a good way to find potential housemates.
- Look to see if your degree program has social media pages that you can post on. It can be helpful to see if your peers are also looking for housemates.
Taking the Search Offline
You don’t have to restrict your search to social media. Here are some in-person options for finding housemates that are worth considering:
- Connect in class: It can be worthwhile to find out if any of your classmates are looking for housemates. Strike up a conversation with the people around you before and after lecture!
- Join a club: Joining one of the various student-runcan be a great way to meet like-minded people and potential housemates.
- Attend a housemate search social: The Off-Campus Living Advisor hosts housemate social events throughout the year, providing a low-pressure environment to meet other students who are also looking for housemates. Upcoming events can be found here.
Finding housemates takes time and effort, but starting early, staying active, and asking the right questions can help make the process more manageable. If you need additional guidance or support, the Off-Campus Living Advisor is here to help.