The Maintenance department requests that you not use liquid bleach to clean.   It is harsh on the environment and can also damage building materials, such as carpets.   Instead, use alternatives such as washing soda powder or salt water to kill bacteria.

NOTE: It costs less to heat dry air than wet air, so keeping your windows open a little and the fan running will result in smaller hydro bills for you and your family.

Please remember that any alterations or renovations to your unit must be approved in writing, in advance by the Maintenance Coordinator.

Tenant Relations will let you know what day you may move into your new home. Please contact your Building Manager to arrange a time for your move-in.  

This allows building staff to schedule the elevator if it's required.

Maintenance will install a new lock on your door before you move in and give you keys for your new unit and (depending on the building) a front door key, your mailbox key and garage key.  

Please note that there is a replacement fee if you lose any of your keys.

The Society keeps master keys to all units to ensure tenant's safety in the event of an emergency. If you need your lock changed, please contact your Building Manager. If you are locked out of your building, you can call the Society's Emergency Maintenance line: (604) 876-0811 ext 223, this is not a mandatory service for the Society to provide. You will be charged for this service.

Maintenance and the Building Managers cannot permit unauthorized persons who are not on your lease to enter your home. On occasion, Maintenance must enter your suite for repairs or routine unit inspections. A Notice of Unit Entry will be delivered to your door prior to entry unless it is an emergency.

If you have a break and enter or are in a dangerous situation, please call 911 immediately. If you have security concerns, you can discuss this with your Building Manager.  

The Society has Security staff available 7 nights per week. The phone number is posted in your building by your Building Manager and given to you at the time of Move In.

Tenant parking is available at most of Lu'ma's buildings. You must get a Parking Stall Request form from your Building Manager or from the Society Office and submit it. You will be notified of your new stall number and garage keys (deposit required) if necessary. Parking is only available for insured, road-worthy automobiles and unauthorized or uninsured vehicles will be towed at the tenants expense. The parkades cannot be used for storage.

Lu'ma Native Housing Society's insurance insures the buildings only, not tenants' belongings.   Although you are not required to purchase contents insurance, we recommend that you do so to protect your belongings in case of fire, theft, earthquake or other damage. Please note that you are required to carry a minimum of $100,000 waterbed liability insurance if you have a waterbed.

If your home has a balcony or yard area, it must not be used for storage.  

Barbeques, whether charcoal or propane, are not permitted on your balcony because the fumes and burning coals are a potential health or fire hazard. This is a building insurance rule and is also against the City Bi-laws.

Please note that in the winter, you should clear any snow from your balcony because accumulated melting snow could leak under the door into your home.

Please note that birdfeeders and bird feeding are not permitted for health reasons.

Refer to your lease about whether any pets are permitted in your building.

It is your responsibility to remove all waste deposited by your pet within the common areas or outside areas of the building. Please remember that pets must be on a leash and with a responsible person when not inside their units.

All of Lu'ma Native Society's buildings have individual cable hook-ups and tenants are responsible for contacting their local cable and telephone companies to arrange for connection and payment.

In most of Lu'ma Native Society's buildings, tenants are responsible for paying for their own hydro.  

In the buildings where bulk hydro is provided, a hydro surcharge is included in the rent.

Your guests (someone who is not on your lease) may stay with you for a total of 14 days in a one-year period.  

If you want or need to plan a longer visit by guests, you must obtain written approval from Tenant Relations department in advance of the visit.

If it does not put you in an under-housed position (too many people for the apartment size), and your guest is actually moving in with you, please contact Tenant Relations to have the new room-mate registered onto your lease.

Buildings that have laundry rooms are for the use of registered tenants only. If your building has laundry facilities, your Building Manager will demonstrate how to use the machines.  

If your building uses Coin-o-matic machines, you will have a laundry Smart Card issued to you through your Building Manager with a (five) $5.00 replacement fee for the card.   Money can be put on the card at the eastside Coin-o-matic Smart Card reload centres:

1. 1645 East 1 st Avenue & Commercial, Super Valu, beside the tofu case
2. 370 East Broadway & Kingsway, Kingsgate Mall, beside the escalator downstairs
3. 101 East Hastings Street, Sunrise Hotel
4. 1896 East Hastings Street, Shell Gas Station

Get to know the laundry hours for your building, which are posted on the wall of the Laundry Room. Please clean around the drum and exterior of the washing machine after you've used it and remove the lint from the lint screen in the dryer after each use. The last load load should go in before 9pm out of respect for neighbouring tenants.

Report any washer or dryer that isn't working to the company that provides the machines.   The company contact information is posted in the Laundry Room.

The best defense is for you to keep your kitchen and bathroom really clean and sanitized. You can also reduce the incidence of pests by keeping your counters wiped and keeping food stored in glass, metal or hard plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. We recommend that you clean behind and under the fridge and stove every six months. Ask your Building Manager for assistance if you cannot move the appliances yourself. Taking out your garbage before you go to bed at night also helps.  

Pests, particularly insects, may become a problem in your home.   If you discover bugs in your unit, report them to your Building Manager.   We may have to treat the units in the building to keep the bugs under control. If Maintenance has to treat the units, you'll receive a notice that explains what must be done before any treatment can be completed.

As a preventative measure, you can sprinkle boric acid (available at he drugstore) under your kitchen sink, stove and fridge, and under your bathroom sink. Boric acid is a poison that kills cockroaches, but it must be kept away from food, children and pets.  

Please make sure that your garbage is not dripping any liquid on the floor when you carry it down the hallway.  

All garbage from your household should be removed and disposed of in the building dumpster and recycling bins immediately. This will also keep bugs and other pests under control.

You and your neighbours are entitled to privacy and quiet enjoyment of your homes.  

Please ensure that you, your household members and guests live in a manner that does not have a negative impact on your neighbours. Please note that excessive noise and disturbances may lead to action against your tenancy.  

(refer to section 21 of your Tenancy Agreement)

Vandalism to elevators, stairwells and hallways can result in costly repairs and makes our buildings look run down. Graffiti on brickwork is difficult to remove and is very unsightly. We ask that you call the police right away and tell your Building Manager if you see anyone damaging Lu'ma Native Housing Society buildings. Your cooperation in this is greatly appreciated. We take great pride in keeping our units and buildings looking the best they can for everyone.

Tenants can form their own Tenant Council for their building in a spirit of community and to build good neighbourly relations. Ask your Building Manager if there's such a group in your building. If not and you're interested in organizing tenant activities, phone the Public Housing Advisory Council for information. Some tenant associations and social committees promote social, educational and recreational development by providing information, resources ad referrals. A tenant group might organize a potluck dinner, Christmas party or other holiday events.

When you decide to move out, you need to give Tenant Relations written notice.   Hand in your notice no later than the last day of the month, one month before you plan to move. For example by close of business day on March 31 st for an April 30 th move-out. (Refer to section 14(a) of your Tenancy Agreement.

Your Building Manager or staff from the Maintenance department will make an appointment with you to inspect your unit before you leave and will give you a list for the cleaning you have to do before moving out.   You must leave the unit absolutely clean or you will charged cleaning costs.

Except for normal wear and tear, any damage to your unit is your responsibility. Repairs may be charged to you. (Refer to sections 15(b) and 29 of your Tenancy Agreement)

You must be moved out by 1:00pm on the last day of your tenancy. (Usually the last day of the month)

It is your responsibility to return all keys, the laundry card and sign the move-out inspection form.

Don't let strangers follow you into the building as you enter.   Visitors to the building can use the intercom to call their friends or family. When you receive a call on the intercom, never let someone in if you don't know that person. Only let workers come into the building or your unit if you know they should be there and they have proper identification.