With the fall semester about to start, international students at Fleming College and Trent University, say they are facing unique struggles when it comes to finding affordable rentals in Peterborough.
“I have been searching for a room for the past two months on every website like Places4Students, Kijiji, Airbnb, House Resource Center, etc.,” stated Sakshi Arora, over Facebook Messenger. “But the problem is most people out there like to rent their whole house rather than a room.”
Arora is an international student from India, who is beginning her post graduate certificate at Trent. She currently lives in Brampton and is concerned about finding an affordable room in Peterborough before classes start.
She explained landlords in Peterborough often don’t reply, or the room is already rented, despite still being listed. Arora recently found a room, but it won’t be available until October and her classes start in September, forcing her to keep searching.
When asked if she had reached out to housing support at Trent, Arora said she’s been in steady contact with them, but that the rooms offered were not financially realistic.
“They are sending me Airbnb options that are for $1,300 a month,” stated Arora. “I mean, are they for real?”
Naina Thomas, an international student from India who attends Fleming, is dealing with similar issues.
“Yes, it’s a struggle,” stated Thomas over Messenger. “I didn’t expect Peterborough to be expensive.”
Thomas has been living in Scarborough for the last year, since her classes were online, and is now finding it difficult to secure an apartment before the new semester begins.
“I must have contacted 20 plus people through Facebook Market and Kijiji,” stated Thomas. “And I got replies from six people.”
Of those six, there were multiple delays and cancellations, which has left Thomas still unable to find housing. She also explained there are scammers on these sites.
“There are fraudulent people,” stated Thomas. “Who would be like, you need to take an application form, which cost $100. That person was like ‘transfer $100.’”
Rental scams are common among students, but are more common among international students, says Aimee Le Lagadec, executive director of YES Shelter.
“I’ve seen about two non-international students needing access to emergency shelter over the last year,” said Le Lagadec. “But we’ve seen about 10 to 12 international students, either being precariously housed or being intermittently homeless within the last year.”
Le Lagadec says in most cases, the international students fell victim to rental scams because they lacked documentation and income needed for more legitimate rentals.
“That’s how they end up going with the more illegitimate landlords,” said Le Lagadec. “Because it’s more financially feasible, and they’re not going to ask for things like guarantors, references, or credit checks.”
These landlords deliberately target international students, knowing they are desperate and unfamiliar with tenant rights in Canada, explained Le Lagadec.
“We have a young person, living in a sort of scam rental situation, with multiple people sharing a bedroom. I want to say about 12 people, in like a two-or-three-bedroom apartment,” said Le Lagadec. “So, we’re trying to find him something that is affordable, where he won’t have to share a bedroom with everyone.”
Le Lagadec says she finds it troubling that the student cannot be housed at YES because he doesn’t have Canadian citizenship.
“We very seldom see international students actually in our emergency shelter, because the City of Peterborough doesn’t cover the cost of them accessing shelter, since they’re international,” said Le Lagadec.
As a result, Le Lagadec says international students are supported through outreach teams and case managers in the community.
“The city provides base operating funding for shelter services and does not fund on a person-by-person basis. The City will reach out to YES to discuss this further,” a city representative stated via email, saying the city is constantly working to improve shelter services and accessibility.
“Imagine adding that extra layer on top of the homelessness,” said Le Lagadec. “You’re an international student, and you’re in a foreign country that you know very little about, and you don’t know how to advocate for yourself.”
Le Lagadec also says that when YES Shelter has reached out to Trent and Fleming, they have not received any assistance.
In response, Fleming President Maureen Adamson, stated they have many services available for students in need.
“Fleming actively works with all students, both international and domestic, to provide comprehensive housing support, before and after arrival to our region,” stated Adamson by email.
Paul Longhurst, global engagement manager with Trent International, had a similar stance, citing multiple services Trent offers to international students.
“I can speak from experience that I’ve helped. And I’ve worked closely with colleagues at the shelter with several individual students in the past,” said Longhurst.
