Written by Maryan Shaker
COVID-19 has been tough on many, and hundreds of thousands of people are struggling financially as lockdowns continue to occur. Although people are finding it difficult to secure a stable source of income, there is another side of the story that is much less discussed — students who thought classes would be in-person before the pandemic hit have found themselves in tight situations with landlords. Instead of living on campus, many students opted to rent-out apartments which were close to their schools. The problem arose when they signed a lease, but later saw no need to stay in that apartment after most schools shifted to virtual environments.
Many students cannot afford post-secondary education and often rely on government aid as well as loans to pay for their education. Paying for an empty apartment puts an unnecessary dent in their wallets. In an article written by Pat Foran, CTV News, many students have been reported in the same situation; some can no longer reconsider going back to school for the next semester as they simply cannot afford it anymore.
Moreover, even if they were to pay off their leases, there are still reduced opportunities for student income. A survey conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business suggests that 1 in 6, or about 181000 Canadian small business owners are contemplating shutting down for good. Based on these results, they were able to forecast that more than 2.4 million people could be out of work, many of which comprise of students.
Although government aids such as CERB and CESB exist, they are not always enough to cover rent and other expenses a student may face. The CERB previously allowed those who were previously working and who now cannot work due to the pandemic the eligibility to receive up to $2000 over a 4 week period ($500 weekly). The CESB, on the other hand, allowed students who were looking for work but could not find work the eligibility to receive up to $2000. While $2000 is a lot of money, the average monthly rent in Toronto for a 1 bedroom apartment is around $1431 without utility costs. $2000 is just enough to cover the expenses for a few months, but these benefits were temporary; most students would logically sign, at the very least, a 1-year lease.
There are not many things students can legally do if they have already signed on a lease. Although, there are ways to try to end leases early. The first step is to try and communicate your situation with your landlord and see if a rental agreement can be reached. Secondly, try and find someone else who may want the unit so you can sublet it. Lastly, if all else fails, seek legal advice online or through Legal Aid Ontario at 416-979-1446, 1-800-668-8258.
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