Apartment Moving near you

In Ontario, the Landlord and Tenant Board explains that a tenant who pays rent monthly and isn't in a fixed-term tenancy must give at least 60 days' notice in writing, on Form N9, and that the termination date has to be the last day of a rental month. A tenant who moves out without proper notice may stay responsible for rent until the unit is rented again or until the earliest date the tenancy could have legally ended.

In Quebec, the Tribunal administratif du logement sets the notice a tenant gives to not renew the lease: 3 to 6 months before the end of a lease of 12 months or more, 1 to 2 months before the end of a shorter lease, and 1 to 2 months before the desired end of a lease with an indeterminate term. A tenant who has received a notice modifying the lease, such as a rent increase, and wants to leave replies within 1 month of receiving it. Keep a copy of your notice and proof that the landlord received it.

In British Columbia, a tenant on a month-to-month agreement gives written notice that the landlord must receive at least one month before the effective date and before the day rent is due, and the province stresses that this means a complete rental month, not simply 30 days. Fixed-term leases and other provinces follow their own rules, so check your lease before you set a date with the mover.

In a walk-up, duplex or triplex, there's no elevator to book, but every load goes up or down the stairs, and outdoor staircases can be steep, narrow or icy. In a rental tower, moves are usually arranged through the superintendent or the property office, which may reserve a service elevator, limit moving hours and ask for the mover's insurance details. A basement or upper unit in a house often shares an entrance and a driveway with the owner or other tenants, so agree ahead of time on where the truck will park and when.

In a small unit, the hard part is finding room for the boxes. Pack in stages, starting with what you use least, and stack full boxes along one wall so the apartment stays livable through the last weeks.

For a ground-floor studio with little furniture, a rented van and a few friends can do the job. Moving yourself, though, makes you responsible for driving and parking a truck you may not be used to, for injuries on the stairs and for any damage to the building's walls, doors or elevator. Check whether your tenant insurance covers your belongings while you carry them, and what protection comes with the rental truck.

Movers bring dollies, pads and the know-how to turn a sofa on a tight landing, and a small crew can often empty a one-bedroom quickly. A middle path is to pack yourself and hire movers for the furniture and the heaviest boxes only, keeping in mind that the Office of Consumer Affairs notes a mover is generally not liable for goods you packed yourself.

Clean the appliances inside and out, the bathroom, cupboards, floors and windowsills, and remove everything you brought, including what's in a storage locker or on the balcony. In British Columbia, the province says cleaning the unit at move-out is the tenant's responsibility, but tenants aren't responsible for reasonable wear and tear, meaning the natural deterioration that comes with age and normal use.

A walkthrough with the landlord records the unit's condition. In British Columbia, the landlord should propose two times for the move-out condition inspection, a tenant who doesn't take part may lose the right to have the damage or pet deposit returned, and once the landlord has the tenant's forwarding address in writing, it has 15 days to return the deposit if there are no issues. Wherever you rent, take dated photos or a video of every room after cleaning, hand back all keys and fobs, and ask for a written acknowledgement.