Rent
Paying Your Rent
As a tenant of Community Housing, you may either pay rent-geared-to-income or market rent for your unit. Rent is due on the first of the month. Rent can be paid by: Cheque, automatic withdrawal, online banking, money order or by cash. If you live in an apartment building, you can use the drop box located at your building. The DRRSB also has a drop box placed outside of your main office.
You may provide post-dated cheques for your rent. Please ensure rent cheques are made out to your Landlord. In compliance with The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 (RTA), landlords can evict tenants who do not pay their rent or who continue to make late payments.
What is Rent-Geared-to-Income?
Rent-geared-to-income (RGI) is assistance provided under a housing program to reduce the amount the household would otherwise pay to occupy a housing unit.
How Does RGI Work?
Tenants wishing to apply for RGI complete the housing application and provide the required documentation. The Integrated Caseworker determines the tenant’s eligibility for RGI and informs the tenant of the decision regarding RGI and the tenant’s placement on the waiting list
At the time RGI is offered to the tenant, the Integrated Caseworker calculates the tenant’s rent based on 30% of the household’s net monthly income by the household members net income amounts in their notice of assessment for the relevant taxation year, subject to certain adjustments.
A household member’s net income may be calculated differently depending on when rent is being reviewed. In some instances, net income may be based on a projection of net income for the net 12 months in situations where income tax return information is not available or where it does not accurately reflect the current financial position of a household member.
Income Changes
In-year reviews may only be completed under specific circumstances (e.g. permanent change in household composition, a decrease in income of 20% or a change in full-time student status) and households will no longer be required to report an increase in income before the next annual review.
Annual Income Verification
At least once every 12 months you will be required to complete a review to determine your continued eligibility for RGI and for the size and type of unit that you occupy. You are required to complete the forms, provide proper verification of income and return the entire package by the due date stated on the form. Failure to return this package by the due date can result in the loss of your RGI.
Notice of Assessment
Household members whose income is to be included in the rent calculation will be required to file their income tax returns annually as a condition of continued eligibility, subject to the Service Manager discretion in extenuation circumstances.
Internal Review of Decisions
Tenants in receipt of rent-geared-to-income are subject to the Housing Services Act, 2011 (HSA) and have the right to appeal the following decisions:
- ineligibility for RGI
- ineligibility for Special Needs unit
- type of accommodation household can be accommodated in
- category household is placed on waiting list
- amount of RGI payable by the household
- deferral of RGI
Send your internal review request in writing (within ten business days from the date you receive the decision letter) to:
District of Rainy River Services Board
450 Scott Street
Fort Frances, ON
P9A 1H2
Internal Review Request Form (PDF)
Market Rent
Market rent is similar to rents charged by private landlords. Once a year you may receive a Notice of Rent Increase, Form N1, from your Landlord. This form will notify you that the market rent on your unit will increase. If you are an RGI tenant, this does not affect the amount of rent you pay. The rent increase applies only to those tenants who pay market rent. If you are paying market rent and think you might qualify for RGI, contact your Integrated Caseworker who can help you with the application process.