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 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 requiring Special Consideration

Queen’s Community Housing strives to provide the best possible environment for students to achieve their academic goals. The residential rental properties owned by Queen’s University and managed by Community Housing are not handicapped accessible housing. Tenants/occupants have the opportunity to view the unit personally or have an agent view the unit prior to signing a lease and should be able to make an informed decision if the unit meets their individual needs as the unit is presented. However, there may be unique circumstances where a tenant/occupant may request special consideration. Community Housing cannot guarantee to accommodate all requests for special consideration.

Not all disabilities or medical conditions require special assignment or considerations. The documentation completed by the medical professional must verify the tenant has a disability or medical condition but not the specific diagnosis, and identify the functional limitation (if any) related to the disability or medical condition.

Should you have questions regarding this or would like to make a request for consideration, please contact Community Housing by emailing community.housing@queensu.ca.

Application Forms – We are fully leased and as such have closed our new tenant application.  Thank you.

  • John Orr New Tenant Application form

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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, 2020
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 $808.00
1 Yes 12 $976.00
1 Yes 8 $1,113.00

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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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Assignment and 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, research assignment, 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 it is the practice of Community Housing to permit sub-tenancy and assignment when tenants follow the required process. Permission to assign or sublet must be granted by Community Housing BEFORE anyone other than the named tenants and occupants live in the unit. Tenants should not advertise or guarantee any option to renew the lease for the unit. No requests to assign or sublet a unit will be granted for only the last month of the lease term.

Assignment

  • The tenant wishes to leave the unit and not return before the end of the lease term
  • The person taking over the lease (assignee) must qualify as a tenant, ie be a registered Queen’s student in good standing with the University
  • The assignee assumes full responsibility for all lease terms and conditions for the balance of the lease term
  • The full amount of the rent will be paid to Community Housing by the assignee for the balance of the lease period
  • To be offered the opportunity to sign a new lease in the unit for the next lease term, the assignee must live in the unit for at least six months. Any assignees starting their tenancy in the last 6 months of the lease term must apply as a new tenant. Rent may be moved to market rent for the new lease period

Sublet

  • All tenants and occupants are going to vacate the unit for a period of time and return to the unit before the end of the lease term
  • The subtenant must be a registered Queen’s student in good standing with the University
  • The full amount of rent will continue to be paid to Community Housing by the tenant. The subtenant will pay rent to the tenant
  • Subtenants do not have any reapplication rights for the unit

Process

This process can take 6-10 business days provided all requirements are met.

  1. The tenant must complete and submit a Tenant Request to Assign or Sublease form to the Community Housing office. An application from the potential assignee/subtenant may be submitted at this time.
  2. Upon receipt of the application an inspection of the unit may be scheduled. This is usually within 5 to 10 business days of the submission of the application however will be no more than 60 days prior to the start date of the sublet/assignment. The inspection will review the unit for any damages and cleanliness of the unit. The unit must meet the inspection requirements to pass. If the unit does not meet inspection requirements the tenant will receive instructions of what must be done in order to pass the inspection. Once the issues have been addressed the tenant can request another inspection. There is a fee of $25 for any follow-up inspections. This amount must be paid before the inspection will be scheduled.
  3. Once an application from a potential assignee/subtenant has been received it will be reviewed for eligibility.
  4. The agreement for either assignment or sublet will be produced by the Community Housing office. Signature from all parties are required.
  5. The transfer of keys is the responsibility of the tenant.

Please note: Community Housing does not clean the unit before an assignee or subtenant moves in. Tenants/sub-tenants 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.

Request to Assign or Sublet form – This form is to be completed by the tenant(s) who what to assign or sublet a Community Housing unit they currently live in.

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.

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