April 2020

Toronto student housing is closed for coronavirus–but your life can stay open

April 29, 2020

COVID-19 cases are climbing in Ontario, and Ryerson University, the University of Toronto’s Victoria and University Colleges, and three Ottawa universities shut down their student residences last month to prevent the spread.

While that choice will save lives, it’s left some students juggling major decisions on top of adjusting to online classes. To find Toronto student housing or return to family homes where elderly relatives live? How to travel to hometowns in a hurry, and whether to temporarily walk away from their school year lives, including roommates, friends, and part-time jobs.

International or out-of-province students face travel restrictions that are changing regularly, the transmission risks of flying, how to pay for travel back home, or where to stay now that many international borders have closed.

Even students whose residences are still open are working out how to stick to social distancing guidelines with roommates and communal bathrooms.

If you’re a student coming back to Toronto after a university residence closure—or a student sticking with your Toronto life—a furnished short-term rental can help you safely self-isolate without giving up work, navigating borders, or the risk of exposing people you love.

Keep your daily routine stable

The transition from residence living to a short-term furnished rental is easy.

Our suites include everything a residence fee does—and more: housing, local and North American long distance calls (some areas excluded), broadband internet, laundry, cable TV packages, and all utilities.

If you packed last September for a furnished dorm room and meal plan, booking a fully furnished temporary rental suite lets you skip the stress of finding furniture, dishes, and cookware while non-essential stores are closed. All our suites have a fully stocked kitchen, laundry, and toiletries so you can stop searching for a pasta pot and focus on what’s important.

Our suites are run by professional property managers who know the ins and outs of the fuse box, common apartment problems, and how to get an emergency plumber if your toilet backs up at three a.m. Support staff are on call 24/7 to help you adjust to your new apartment and answer common questions.

And if your part-time job is still open, our multiple locations across the GTA let you stay close enough to skip the commute and avoid transit.

Keep your support network close

Suddenly moving out of residence doesn’t just shake up your sense of place; it splits up the people you rely on, and that’s hard during a crisis.

We have two-bedroom and family-sized units available to let you stick with your roommates and friends and keep your support networks solid. You don’t have to worry about feeling sick far from family or isolating in a newer city. Separate bedrooms with doors and multiple bathrooms let you self-isolate from roommates if someone has symptoms—without leaving each other alone.

Keep costs down

To help during this pandemic, we’re offering major discounts on our suites to keep them affordable on a student budget. We’ve priced a two- or three-bedroom suite, right for sharing, at only a few dollars more per night than many university residence plans.

We’re also making our stays flexible: You can cancel anytime up to your check-in, in case your plans change. You can extend your stay easily if your summer sublet falls through, and because there’s no long-term lease, it’s much easier to substitute another friend into your second bedroom if a roommate has to move out.

Toronto student housing that works for you

Book through our website or email Info@delsuites.com for more information on how we can help you finish the school year safely, affordably, and together. We’ll do our best to help you find the easiest transition from residence to temporary home.

Relocation, Toronto Condos

Your Solution to a Delayed Moving Day

April 21, 2020

Social distancing regulations are affecting every aspect of Toronto life—including the stress of deciding what to do with a delayed Moving Day.

With evictions sensibly frozen and public health departments telling all of us to stay at home to stay safe, thousands of families—the Canadian Real Estate Association reports 65,494 homes were sold across Canada in January and February—are unsure whether Moving Day is happening.

With so much up in the air, we’d like to offer some quick facts on the ever-changing situation and how you can keep your housing stable.

House-hunting during a pandemic

For people who have bought or sold a new home, there is very real uncertainty around reaching closing day. The Ontario government has declared real estate an essential service and realtors are still available by email and phone but COVID-19 has put real obstacles into finding a new home this month.

The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) has told its members to stop “all face-to-face business, including open houses, agent and public office hours, and in-person showings, particularly of tenant-occupied homes, during the Province’s COVID-19 state of emergency.”

Those responsible actions, aimed at preventing COVID-19 exposure, are also being taken up by many home inspectors and contractors, who are focusing on emergency repairs only.

The City of Toronto’s building inspections department is also prioritizing emergency building inspections, and still evaluating whether it’s safe to do the occupancy inspections that new homes and high-rises must pass before letting buyers move in.

Even historically low hotel bookings might not last, as the City of Toronto buys out entire hotels to shelter our most vulnerable neighbours.

The upside: We’re pulling together as an industry and society to keep each other healthy in ways that will save lives.

The downside: Even if you’ve already signed your paperwork, it might be very difficult to meet your conditions of sale, close on time, or find a new home if you’ve sold without buying yet.

Staying sheltered and staying safe

If you’re facing a gap between your old home and your new one, our fully furnished rentals are already designed to reduce stress during a housing emergency.

Located in stable residential buildings across the GTA, our suites let you settle down in your own neighbourhood—or your new one!—and minimize any disruption to your daily routines until your new home closes, or you can start your search again.

Our suites come fully equipped with bath towels, toiletries, ensuite laundry and detergent, and everything you need to cook your usual favourites already in the kitchen. If you’ve already done your packing, there’s no need to do it twice: you can use our basics—furniture, kitchen supplies, and linens—until it’s time to unpack in your new home. Our cleaning staff are taking thorough safety precautions with every suite.

And with all utilities included—broadband internet, cable TV, hydro, water, and long-distance telephone packages—you don’t have to do the work of moving your own accounts, and can easily work from home.

Booking your temporary home

During this unprecedented public health emergency, we know everything’s changing quickly, so we’re offering flexibility on your arrival and departure dates. Our support staff will work with you to extend your stay, get the childproofing supplies or furniture you need, and solve any problems you encounter.

And in recognition of the times, we’ve made significant cuts to our nightly rates, so every one of our neighbours can safely have a home—even if you’re between homes.

Book through our website or email Info@delsuites.com with your unique situation, and we’ll do our best to help you, crisis or not, have a place to call home.