Finding Home

Know what you need first

Before you look at a single ad, know your own answers. Being clear about what you need saves you from wasting viewings — and from taking a place that won't work.

• How many people will live with me? Do I want or need roommates?
• Do I need the place to work with a disability?
• Do I have pets, and does the place allow them?
• Do I need to be on a bus route? A parking space?
• Do I need laundry in the building?
• Do I need utilities included in the rent, or can I manage separate bills?

Where to look

• Yukon Housing Corporation — rent geared to income. The wait list is long, so apply right away: 867-667-5759, 410 Jarvis Street.
• Grey Mountain Housing Society — rent-geared and affordable housing for Indigenous residents of Whitehorse: 867-633-4880, 211 Main Street.
• Your First Nation — most have a housing department. Ask what you're eligible for even if you think you aren't.
• Online — Kijiji Whitehorse and Facebook Marketplace carry most private listings now, and the Whitehorse housing groups on Facebook move fast.
• Ad boards — grocery stores, coffee shops, the Canada Games Centre, Yukon University. Put up your own "looking for housing" poster too.
• Property managers — a few companies manage most of the bigger buildings in town. Ask to be put on their lists.
• House sitting — lots of people leave for the winter. Watch the boards and ask around.
• Word of mouth — it works. Tell everyone you know exactly what you're looking for.

Money matters

• A landlord can ask for a security deposit of at most one month's rent — that's the legal maximum, and it can't be raised later even if the rent goes up.
• When you move out, the deposit comes back to you within 15 days, minus only what you've agreed to in writing or what the Residential Tenancies Office awards.
• On Income Support? Meet with your case worker before you start looking, so you know exactly what they'll cover — including help with a damage deposit — and how it gets set up.
• Asked for an unusual extra deposit? Check with the Residential Tenancies Office (867-667-5944) before paying anything beyond the security deposit.

What a landlord will ask — and what they can't

Expect questions about how many people are moving in, pets, smoking, how you'll pay rent, and references. Have your answers and references ready — see Tips for Interviewing Landlords for scripts.