John Orr Tower Tenants


244 Sir. John A. MacDonald Blvd
Kingston, Ontario
K7M 5W9

John Orr Tower is a 16 story apartment building containing 123 one bedroom apartments, each with a balcony. The apartments are designed to minimize the financial outlay for furnishing and maintenance while providing an attractive and comfortable atmosphere. Unfurnished apartments are equipped with refrigerators and stoves; there are also furnished units available complete with furniture.

John Orr is mainly populated by student couples and single students. Please note these units may pose a risk for children. This building is compliant with all standards and codes, but is 16 stories high, has balconies and windows which are accessible to children. There are no public play areas available.

John Orr Tower is located off of Sir John A MacDonald Drive and is a prominent feature of Queen’s west campus. Tenants may take advantage of the many west-campus recreational facilities such as tennis courts, track, gym. It is approximately a 20 minute walk from main campus.

John Orr Tower is classified as a student residence. Therefore, for income tax purposes, a maximum of $25 per year may be claimed for rent.

Current tenants who wish to be considered for a new lease MUST submit an application each year (typically in February/March for September leases).

Types of Apartments

One Bedroom Unfurnished

Video tour of a one bedroom apartment in John Orr Tower.

 

 

How to Apply/Eligibility

Please note that John Orr Tower is a high rise apartment building with balconies and as such is not very well suited to accommodating children.

Applications for John Orr Tower are available year round subject to apartment availability. Most leases have annual start dates of September 1. There may be a limited number of leases with January 1 or May 1 starts. Leases are typically for 12 months. Furnished units may be available for shorter lease terms (subject to availability).

Priority for apartments is given to registered Queen’s students in good standing with the University. Please be sure to include your Queen’s student number and a current email address (preferably your @queensu.ca account) on your application. We will send you an email to let you know that your application has been received. Successful applicants will be notified by email of rental offers as they are available; please be sure to check your email regularly as there is a limited timeframe in which to respond. If you have email filtering activated, please be sure to add community.housing@queensu.ca to your safe list.

John Orr Tower Sample Lease

OCCUPANCY LIMITS
Occupancy limits apply per section 3.1.17.1.(1) (c) of the Ontario Building Code are two persons per sleeping room or sleeping area in a dwelling unit or suite.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who has particular requirements with respect to housing, you are asked to complete and submit a Special Consideration Form. Please note it is not assumed that students who require disability-related accommodation in other areas of University life e.g., in the classroom will necessarily have special requirements related to housing.

Community Housing will do its best to meet your needs. Please be aware however, that the aim of the disability accommodation process at Queen’s is to help students with disabilities find living accommodation at the University that is most appropriate to their requirements, not to ensure their preference of living accommodation.

Early application for consideration of disability accommodation is essential. It may not be possible to meet accommodation requests made after these dates. Please contact our office to request an application form if you are applying for priority consideration due to disability accommodation.
 

Lease Start Applications Open In Deadline for priority consideration
January 1 September September 30
May 1 November November 25
September 1 March March 10

Application Forms – Currently we are maintaining a waiting list in the event we have lease cancellations.

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Rent Information and Rates

Rent information:
Payments
Rent is due on the 1st day of each month.
Community Housing accepts one payment only per unit.  “Split rent” payments are permitted only when Pre Authorized Debit Agreement Forms (for the balance of the lease term) are submitted by all members of the rental unit; all required documentation for the unit must be received as a package by the 15th day of the month preceding the month to start split rent payments (i.e.  April 15 for May leases, August 15 for September leases).  Where tenants choose to split rent payments for their unit in this way, the total of the amounts to be debited each month must equal the monthly rent.  Pre-Authorized Debit Agreements are valid for one lease period only and must be resubmitted as above for any subsequent lease periods.
Units choosing to pay rent in one monthly installment may also use the Pre Authorized Debit Agreement Forms, pay by cash, debit, money order to the Community Housing office so that it is received by the first day of each month.  If your unit chooses to leave post-dated cheques, your unit will need to provide a series of post-dated cheques for the full lease term, for the total monthly rent, dated for the first day of each month.
Late Rent, Overdue Accounts, and Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF)
If rent is not paid by the first day each month or a cheque is returned for any reason or we are unsuccessful in debiting funds through automatic debit due to non-sufficient funds (NSF), Funds held, Funds not cleared, cannot trace etc, the full rent charge will be added along with an additional administration fee (this is separate from the fee charged by your bank). Only cash, interac, money order, or certified cheque will be accepted for payment of rent and the NSF fee in these situations (these cannot be added to your next pre-authorized debit payment).
On a first time failure to pay full rent (including NSFs), the unit will be sent a letter requesting payment. Failure to respond to that notice or a second rent related problem will end the privilege of split rent payments for the unit for the duration of the lease and result in the filing of a L9 Application to Collect Rent The Tenant Owes with the Landlord and Tenant Board. This carries an additional charge and involves a hearing in front of the Board (unless the rent due, NSF fees and the filing fee are paid in advance of the hearing). Subsequent rent related problems will result in additional L9 Applications and/or lead to eviction proceedings. While this is the usual process, the University reserves the right to move directly to the “N4 – Notice to End a Tenancy Early for Nonpayment of Rent” and/or “L9 – Application to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes”, as permitted by the Residential Tenancies Act in regards to late rent.  Most importantly, poor rent payment history will prevent tenants from being able to rent a Queen’s owned property in the future. 
Where there are outstanding debts, any payments received from tenants will be applied first to the outstanding debt with any remaining balance applied against current charges. It is the responsibility of the tenant(s) to ensure the unit account remains in good standing.
We do not track individual payments – outstanding amounts are charged to the unit/household. Household members are responsible for tracking their payments. There is an administrative fee to have our records searched.
Outstanding accounts owed to Community Housing is considered debts to the University. They are reported to the University on a monthly basis. All sanctions apply to these outstanding accounts, including withholding of marks, transcripts and blocking of registration.
Please remember, all tenants of a unit are “jointly and severally” responsible for any debts of that unit. Even if you have an agreement with your roommates to split the rent payments, if one does not pay everyone is held responsible for the debt.
Note 1: accepted methods of payment – pre-authorized debit, cash, cheque, money order, interac, in CANADIAN funds only.
Note 2: we cannot accept future rent payments other than via post dated cheques/pre-authorized debits
Note 3: we understand circumstances sometime crop up where special consideration may be warranted for late payment of rent. When this happens, tenants should send in a request for consideration to Community Housing by emailing community.housing@queensu.ca outlining a) what the exceptional circumstance is and b) the timeframe that we should expect rent payment. If such a request is received, reviewed and found that an exception to pay late should be granted, it would be understood that this is a one-time exception not an on-going arrangement.
Other Fees
There are other fees applicable from time to time. The list below illustrates some of the more common ones but is not an all inclusive list:
  • Extra Appliances: Advance permission must be received from the Associate Director or Manager of Community Housing before any additional appliances may be brought into/installed in/used in (e.g. air conditioner, extra fridge, deep freeze,space heater, washer, dryer, dishwasher) the rental unit. Additional charges may apply
  • Garbage: Warnings will be issued for garbage not disposed of properly. Repeat offenders will be fined each time the landlord has to pick-up and dispose of garbage mishandled.
  • License Plate Numbers & Proof of Ownership (registration): must be submitted to Community Housing. Please note: Unregistered vehicles parked in Tenant parking areas are subject to municipal tickets and towing
  • Paint: please refer to Tenant Handbook, Alterations section – not to make alterations including paint and wallpaper – costs for restoring colour/condition immediately will be attributed to the tenant
  • Satellite Dishes: Satellite dishes may not be installed in Community Housing Properties
  • Cleaning: Tenants must leave their unit thoroughly cleaned and in a ready to rent condition upon vacating. Charges will be assessed for cleaning, damages, etc. as applicable.

Rates:
Effective February 1, 2019
Utilities (Heat, water, electricity) included. Does NOT include parking, please contact Parking Services to apply for a parking permit and rate information.

 

# of Bedrooms Furnished? Lease term Monthly Rent
1 No 12 $791.00
1 Yes 12 $955.00
1 Yes 8 $1090.00

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John Orr Tower Handbooks

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Services, Amenities and Resources

Storage

Storage lockers are available for each apartment at John Orr Tower. They are located in the basement area. Tenant(s) wishing to use the storage locker should contact community.housing@queensu.ca. This storage locker area is checked on a regular basis. Items are permitted to be stored within the caged locker itself not in the common area outside of the locker (walkway) and/or locker room (basement hallway).

Parking

Parking is NOT included in rent for John Orr Tower. Tenants wishing to park at the apartment tower are required to purchase a university parking permit from the Parking Office on campus.

Laundry

John Orr Tower has a central laundry facility on the first floor. Tenants are issued a “smart card” which can be loaded using a credit or debit card. The card loading station is located in the laundry room.

Laundry Room Hours: The laundry rooms are locked 24/7 and accessible by using your building key. Tenants are asked to be considerate of others by using the laundry rooms between the hours of 8:00 am and 10:00 pm only (last load should be in a machine no later than 9:30 pm).

Laundry left in machines: Please ensure prompt removal of your clothing from the machines so other tenants may use them. Items left in the laundry room are left at the tenant’s own risk.

Questions about the machines or defective smart cards should be directed to Coinamatic at 1-800-561-1972 or by emailing customercare@coinamatic.com.

Garbage and Recycling

Domestic garbage, cardboard and other recyclable items should be deposited in the designated bins provided in the basement of John Orr Tower

Fire Safety

The best way to learn how to protect yourself and those around you is by reading our fire safety document. In it you will find information about what to do in case of a fire or fire alarm.

Each of our units and our buildings are equipped with fire detection devices. To learn more about the fire detection models present in your unit and building follow the links below.
John Orr Tower fire devices

Additional fire safety related information is available on the Student Affairs website

Transportation

Kingston Transit provides service to other areas of the city that tenants may wish to visit. For tenants, there are bus stops within walking distance from John Orr Tower.  For those wishing to access other areas of the city there are many routes and schedules accessible to tenants.  Visit the Kingston Transit website for details.

Student Safety and Community Living

Thinking about Hosting An Event at Your Place?

As tenants, you and your guests are part of the Kingston community and should promote positive relations with the City and your neighbours

Make sure all of your house members are aware that a gathering is being planned

Assign a house member to be in charge of the event – controlling who comes and goes – keeping invited guests inside

Have a plan if you are having friends over where alcohol may be a factor. Be sure to inform your guests of all relevant policies before hand (e.g. not to be outside with alcohol, music volumes, etc).

You should be aware that you can be held responsible for the safety and behaviour of your guests until they are sober – not just until they leave your party. You can be held responsible for injuries or damages that can occur even after guests have left your place. Be a responsible and careful host and be sure to clean-up after your event.

A clean neighbourhood protects housing values, looks nice and instills a sense of pride in the residents of the area

Health and Well-being Office
An Clachan & John Orr Tower (Unfurnished) Unit -User Guide
An Clachan & John Orr Tower (Furnished) Unit- User Guide
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Sublet Process

All leases for Queen’s owned rental units are for rented on fixed terms with defined end dates. Occasionally, there may be situations where a student who is in a current lease needs or wants to leave Kingston or the rental unit (e.g. for work study, graduation, etc.).
Under the RTA, the University is exempt from the clause(s) that require a landlord to permit a sub-tenancy or assignment, however in exceptional cases with written permission from the Associate Director of Community Housing or designate a tenant may be permitted to sublet or assign the rental unit. Potential sub-tenants/assignees must meet the eligibility criteria (i.e. must be a Queen’s student).
Permission to assign or sub-let the unit must be granted by Community Housing BEFORE anyone other than the current tenant occupies the unit. Tenant(s) should not advertise/guarantee “option to renew” for their unit.

Assignment or Sublease Application form – This form is to be completed by the student who wants to sublet or assign a unit from a current tenant of An Clachan or John Orr Tower.

Assignment Sub-Lease
Responsibility for lease The assignee is taking on all the responsibilities of the head lease for the remainder of that lease period The sub-tenant is renting from the tenant and the tenant remains responsible to the landlord for the unit and the sub-tenant
Eligibility The assignee must qualify for a head lease (be a registered Queen’s student in good standing) The sub-tenant must be a registered Queen’s student in good standing.
Rent The full rent for the unit is being paid by the assignee(s) to Community Housing The tenant decides on the amount of rent the sub-tenant is to pay (cannot be more than the lawful rent for the unit) which the sub-tenant pays to the tenant. The tenant continues to pay Community Housing directly for the full rent
Signing a lease in next period Assignees who started their tenancy by March 1 will be afforded the same opportunity to sign a new lease (based on eligibility, behaviour, rent history, etc.) as other tenants. Assignees who start their tenancy after March 1 will be considered for a new lease on a case-by-case basis (not automatic).In all cases, rent for units where an assignment is done will be moved to market rent in the lease period immediately following the assignment (e.g. if an assignee in period Sept 2011 to Aug 2012 and offered new lease, rent will be moved to market rent for Sept 2012 lease). Sub-tenants do not have renewal rights to the unit for the following rental period. Sub-tenants who wish to be considered for a rental unit of their own in the next lease period must apply (applications open February 1 each year). If a sub-tenant is allocated a rental unit for the new lease period, they will be required to vacate their unit per their Sublease Agreement and will not be able to take possession of the new unit until 3pm September 1 per the terms of the Lease Agreement.In all cases, rent for units where a sublet is done will be moved to market rent in the lease period immediately following the sublease (e.g. if sublet in period Sept 2011 to Aug 2012 and the subtenants are offered new lease, rent will be moved to market rent for Sept 2012 lease).
End of lease The normal end date of the original head lease applies  The sub-tenancy typically ends at least one day before the end of the head lease
Process
  1. Tenant(s) submits a Request to assign or sublet their unit. An application form from potential sub-tenant/assignee may be submitted at this time as well.
  2. Upon receipt of the request, an inspection of the unit will usually be scheduled (usually 3-5 business days after receipt of the request) to review the unit for cleanliness and any damages. If the unit passes the inspection and the rent account is up-to-date, the request will be approved and the tenant notified by email. If the unit fails inspection, the tenant will receive further correspondence on what must be addressed. Once addressed, the tenant may request another inspection. There will be a charge of $25 for this follow-up inspection and for each additional inspection that is required in regard to the assignment/sublet request.
  3. Eligibility of the prospective sub-tenant/assignee will be reviewed and approved as noted above.
  4. Paperwork (the sublease or assignment agreement) will be produced and a meeting scheduled with the parties to complete the paperwork (usually 3-5 business days after approval is granted).
Thus, the process normally takes 6-10 business days from submission of a request, where the tenant and applicant fulfill the noted requirements. This can be delayed at peek times of year (August/September, January, April/May).
Please Note:
Tenants/sub-tenants/assignees currently residing in a Community Housing unit will not be approved as applicants for sub-tenancy or assignment for the same lease period in another Community Housing unit. For example, a tenant with a signed lease from September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2015 in An Clachan will not be permitted to sign a sub-lease or assignment elsewhere in a Community Housing property for the same lease period.
Applicants who are approved for sublet/assignment understand that any cleaning requirements for the unit they hope to sublet/assign is between them and the Tenant they will be renting from. To be clear, Community Housing does NOT clean the unit before a subtenant of assignee moves in.

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