4.3. Guest Policy

POLICY

Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing is a commodity to which the DSB is accountable to the Taxpayers.  In keeping with this it is only responsible that we as providers of such housing should set parameters to which a recipient of Geared-to-Income subsidy may provide lodging to guests before the provider should investigate the possibility of fraud or misappropriation of subsidy.  A guest policy will ensure that both tenants and housing providers comply with the regulations and receive equitable treatment.
 

PROCEDURE

DEFINITIONS

Visitors:  Persons who visit a tenant, but whose principal address is outside that particular project.

Tenants:   Persons who have signed a lease, and enjoy all the rights and responsibilities of tenancy. 

Guest:  Person invited to visit another’s home, but whose principal address is outside that particular project. 

Visitors may come to the unit as frequently as the tenant invites them.  Very frequent visitors may be asked to demonstrate they have a principal address outside of the project.

Guests 

1. Any tenant may invite guests into their unit for up to fourteen (14) consecutive days without gaining the permission of the DSB. 

2. If a tenant wishes a guest to stay for longer than fourteen (14) consecutive days, he or she must write to the DSB office, stating the length of time the guest would like to stay. 

The Request will be reviewed by the Social Housing Program Supervisor, who may agree to the stay (and will confirm in writing the length of the stay permitted).

The Community Housing Program Supervisor may refuse the request if:

• it appears the guest does not intend, or has no prospects of, moving at the end of the agreed-to-term, or
• staff or tenants have complained about the guest’s or guests’ behaviour, and those complaints have been found valid.

3. At the end of the term, the Social Housing Program Supervisor will check to ensure the guest has left.

4. If a guest continues to stay in the unit without the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB’s written authorization, the Program Supervisor will : 

• terminate the household’s rent subsidy with 90 days notice. The tenant has the right to ask for a review of this decision.
• consider the tenant to be in violation of the terms of their lease or tenancy agreement and can therefore be subject to eviction.
• Advise the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB’s Eligibility Review Officer (ERO) if applicable by completing a form 1040.

5. At all times, tenants are responsible for the behaviour of their guests.

6. Should the tenant vacate the unit, the guest must also move out. Any guests staying in the unit after the lease-holding tenant moves out will be removed.