Your Home

Welcome home. Here you will find everything you need to know about how to make London & Middlesex Community housing your home, from moving in, utility information, tenancy requirements, your rights and responsibilities, to requesting accessible accommodations.

Access to Your Unit

There may be times when London & Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH) or Contractors on behalf of LMCH may need to enter your home. While we respect that this is your home, we may need to enter your unit in an emergency, to make repairs or conduct inspections. 

The Residential Tenancies Act requires that we give you at least 24 hours' written notice before entering your unit, except in the case of an emergency. 

*See what the 24-hour Notice of Entry looks like (PDF)*
 

Accommodation Requests

LMCH supports Accommodation Requests that are made by tenants living with disabilities or accessibility needs. LMCH is committed to working with tenants to make accessible improvements to their units and common areas so that they can enjoy their homes with dignity. 

Accommodation requests require the cooperation of staff, tenants, family members, and agencies to make the necessary changes that tenants are looking for. 

Forms
The Accommodation Request form needs to be filled out by the tenant and the tenant’s health care professional. The form can be submitted to accomodation [at] lmch.ca (accomodation[at]lmch[dot]ca) or dropped off at the main office.*
 
Appliances

London & Middlesex Community Housing units that are located in high-rise buildings come with a fridge and stove. If your fridge or stove needs to be repaired, please contact the Property Services Team at 519-434-2765 Ext *1, 1. 

LMCH Family Properties do not come with any appliances. If you are moving in and are looking for appliances, you may be eligible to use discretionary benefits to help with your purchase. Your caseworker will have more information and our Tenant Placement Coordinator will give you some information at your lease signing.

Air Conditioners

LMCH units do not come with Air Conditioners. If you would like to have an air conditioner installed, please contact a qualified professional. Air conditioners must be removed before you move out. 

Tenants are responsible for seeing that the condensate does not enter the unit walls. Place a pail on the balcony under the air conditioner and empty water daily. Tenants can be charged back for damages caused by their air conditioners. 

Click here for air conditioner installation instructions*

Balconies

For your safety: Never leave children or pets alone on your balcony. 

Help us keep your balcony safe and clean:

  • Please keep your doors and windows locked when you aren't using your balcony.
  • Barbecues (BBQ) are not allowed on your balcony. They are fire hazards.
  • Carpets are not allowed on balconies. They can damage the concrete.
  • Your balcony is not a clothesline. Use a drying rack to dry clothes.
  • Your balcony is not for storage. It creates a fire hazard and you will be asked to clean it up.
  • Your balcony is not a home for birds. Do not feed or house birds on your balcony.
  • Never throw things off of your balcony. You can seriously injure people below or cause property damage. Put cigarette butts in an ashtray; you can be fined for throwing them off your balcony. 
  • If you want a satellite dish on your balcony, follow the steps outlined in “Installing a satellite dish” here. (See satellite dish installation instructions)
  • Be mindful when watering your plants or washing your balcony. Do not let the dirty water run off your balcony and drip down on your neighbours' balcony. 
     
Decorating

Enjoy decorating your home to suit your taste and be more comfortable. 

Remember: Under the terms of your lease, permanent changes are not allowed when decorating. 

If you do make permanent changes, you will be charged for the cost of returning your unit to the way it was when you moved in. 

  • Flooring cannot be changed.
  • Doors, cabinets, plumbing, and light fixtures cannot be removed.
  • Paint must be returned back to the original colour if you move out.
Elevators

Each LMCH property is different. For a complete list of properties with Elevators, please click here.*

 

Moving in
For new tenants moving in, your Tenant Placement Coordinator will arrange for a scheduled elevator service hold for the day that you are moving in. If you are moving to a different LMCH apartment building or a different floor, please speak with the Property Services Team to reserve an elevator. We can arrange to put the elevator on service for your scheduled move-in. 

Heating and Cooling


According to the London rental apartment heat bylaw, building temperatures should be at least 20 Celsius from September 15th to June 15th.

If you are concerned about the temperature inside your home, check for two important things: 

  1. Are any of the windows open? Check to make sure both the inside and outside panes are closed.
  2. Can you adjust your thermostat to a warmer setting? Try moving the thermostat to a warmer setting and wait a few minutes to see if the room gets warmer as a result.

If the temperature inside your unit is still a problem, please call us at 519-434-2765 and speak to our Property Services Team.
 

Insurance

Do you have insurance for your belongings? We recommend that all tenants purchase Tenant Insurance. This will help cover any damages to personal property and to protect you in the event of liability issues. Insurance is very important as it can protect you and your family in the event of fire, flood, or theft. 

HSC Tenant Insurance Program offers low-cost insurance and can even be covered through the Ontario Disability Program (ODSP) and Ontario Works (OW). Please contact your caseworker for more information.

Keys and Fobs

All LMCH apartment buildings have a controlled entry system. LMCH will give you keys or fobs for your unit and for your mailbox. Changing your own locks is not permitted.

If you need a lock change or a key/fob replacement, please contact our Property Services Team* or call 519-434-2765 ext *1, 1 during normal business hours.

Please be aware that a lock change fee or key replacement fee may be applied. 

Mailbox Keys: $10.00
Unit door Keys: $10.00
*Kent St. Unit door Keys: $12.00
Fobs: $15.00
Lock Changes: $25.00
Remote (accessible entry) Replacement: $65.00
 

Moving In

Before you move in, your home is cleaned, repaired, and inspected. The locks have been changed and it is also sprayed for pests if needed. When you sign your lease, you will get a Move-in Record to fill out. Please make sure you fill the form out and return it to our office. This form will document the unit’s condition when you move in and will let us know if anything is damaged, missing, or isn't working properly. If our office doesn’t get your Move-in Record, LMCH will assume everything is in good condition and any repairs or replacement costs will be charged to your file when you move out.

You can find the Move-in Record form here*

Pet Care

We know how important your pet is to you. LMCH is a pet-friendly environment that follows the City of London bylaws that allow a maximum of three (3) dogs per household and a maximum of two (2) cats per household. You can have no more than six (6) of any combination of dogs, cats, ferrets, and rabbits at any time in your home. 

  • Pick up after your pet. LMCH enforces Provincial and Municipal pet -bylaws, including a “stoop and scoop” policy on all of our properties. 
  • Pets may not roam freely (including in the elevator) and must always be on a leash when outside of your home.
  • Aggressive dogs are not be allowed on LMCH property.
  • Please keep your pet clean and make sure to dispose of any waste properly. Double bag all pet waste (cat litter, birdcage linings) securely for garbage disposal.
  • Never leave your pet alone on your balcony.
  • Be sure that your pet does not damage property or the belongings of others, is not a nuisance, or does not create unreasonable disturbances. 

Pet Licensing
To find out if you need a license for your pet and for other rules about owning a pet, visit the City of London Animal Care and Control website.

Complaints about neighbours’ pets
If you would like to file a formal complaint about a pet in your community, please contact enforcement [at] london.ca (enforcement[at]london[dot]ca). You should also let your Community Relations Worker (CRW) know and file a complaint so that we can follow up as well. 

Phone, Cable and Internet

Phone, cable, and internet are not included in your rent. You can choose any of the companies that provide service in London and Middlesex. If your technician needs access to restricted areas of the building, please contact the Property Services Team for assistance. 

If you live in an apartment building, let the service installer know that your phone is connected to an intercom system. You will need to purchase your own telephone to operate the buzzer system. 

If you wish to get an antenna or satellite dish installed, please give these instructions to the service installer: 

  • Only one satellite dish per unit
  • Must be installed by a qualified professional
  • Satellite must be freestanding (example: a tripod) and no higher than 8 feet
  • Satellite must not be attached to trees, fences, buildings, walls, or roofs
  • To get the cable into your unit, installers may drill a small hole through the frame of the rear door, balcony door, or patio door
  • The freestanding structure/tripod must be weighed down so that it doesn’t fall. Never attach it to the balcony or building. Screw the tripod into a separate patio stone in your yard or balcony. Neer drill holes in the concrete or brick walls.
  • You must remove the satellite dish when you move. You will be charged a fee if we have to remove it or if it wasn’t properly installed.

 

Connected For Success

Everyone deserves the chance to connect, learn and succeed. The Connected for Success program has been offered to LMCH so that you can sign up for the plan that works best for you!

What exactly will I get from the Connected for Success program?
The Connected for Success program is a low-cost internet service for first-time customers. This offer includes:

  • Internet at $9.99/month (before taxes)
  • Free installation with no credit checks
  • 25Mbps download speed
  • 100GB per month with no over-usage charges
  • The first 3 months of service are free, paid for by the City of London!**

To sign up, call 1-866-689-0758 between the hours of 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Monday through Friday. 
*This offer from the City of London is only intended for LMCH residents currently living without Internet services.
**Please Note: after the 3 month period, tenants must call Rogers if they would like to continue the Internet services at $9.99/month.
For more information about the program, please visit the Connected for Success website.
 

Utilities

When you sign your lease agreement, your Tenant Placement Coordinator will tell you what utilities you have to pay for directly and which ones, if applicable, are included in your rent. 

Tenants living in one of the LMCH Family communities are responsible to pay for hydro. Tenants who live in LMCH apartment buildings have a $30.00 utility charge calculated into their monthly rent.