F.A.Q.

How long is a rental term?
You are required to stay at least 3 months.

Is there any fee to use your service?
Yes. We have hundreds of privately owned rental properties that are often managed by Property Management Companies. Many of them are never advertised on internet listings sites! The service fee is aimed to cover our search of over 100 of the area’s top Residential Property Management web sites, to find the exact listings that meet your housing needs, to coordinate with them so that you will get the best rental price and to view the apartments in person.

Why should I use your service?
Affordable and decent furnished apartments are hard to find. Most furnished apartments are now over $3000 per month and with such price, you may not get what you should actually deserve. Bed bugs, dirty appliances, smelly rooms, unclean floors etc may often hamper you from enjoying your new home. Our service is offered to avoid such conditions since apartments, condos, and homes that we are offering to you have been seen in person by our staffs prior to your arrival.

Who pays your service fee?
The tenant.

What payment methods do you accept?
We accept PayPal. You can pay by credit cards (Visa, Master, American Express, Discover) through PayPal.

Can I make payments to your PayPal account if I’m not its member?
Yes, you can make payments to a PayPal account even if you’re not a PayPal member.

Is your service fee refundable?
70% of your payment is refundable only if we can’t find an affordable furnished apartment based on your criteria or it is due to other circumstances (for example, a property owner rejects your rental application). However, this rarely happens since we require you to fill in “Get A Quote” form here to avoid this situation. Once we get your confirmation to view the apartments in person (after communicating back and forth with you), 30% of your payment is non-refundable.

How long will I receive your response after I submit “Get A Quote” form?
We will response your request within 48 hours after you submit the form.

What makes your service different from that offered by other rental property listing companies?
Apartments, condos, and homes that we are offering to you have been seen in person by our staffs before, to avoid unpleasant surprises that may hamper you from enjoying your new home. XpressHAND is not a landlord. When we visit and view apartments or properties, we do it from the point of view of the tenant, our customer. In addition, you will also get our support to secure the most suitable place for you.

What information do you need to search for my apartment/housing?
You can see what we need in “Get A Quote” Form. Basically what we need is information that will guide us to find the most suitable place for you, e.g.

• -Location of the apartment (name of the city)
• -Preferred city area or near such-and-such street intersection, if any
  -Number of tenants
  -Number of bedrooms
  -Move-in date
  -Rental period (you are required to stay at least 3 months)
  -Whether any pets. If yes, number of pets (if a dog, also the breed & weight)
  -Your budget range for rent per month
  -Where you live now (just the city or city area, not your precise address; preferably also your   phone number)
  -Specifics, like “low-rise, not high-rise”, “studio”, “bright”, “Internet access”, “1- car parking spot”,   etc.

Are you through with me once you’ve received your service fee or when you’ve made your offer of available vacancies?
Yes. we will monitor your case till you have secured an apartment of your choice.

I’m relocating to Toronto, when should I start looking for rentals?
There is really no right answer. Furnished apartments only require a 30 day notice or even a short notice to vacate. Most rentals are not advertised until they are vacant and ready for move in. It is rare for an occupied unit to be shown. This is due to Ontario Landlord Tenant Laws. Once the unit hits the market, showings get scheduled and it gets rented in a matter of days; sometimes hours! Once an applicant is approved (this typically takes 24-48 hrs) a lease is required to be signed and financial possession taken immediately. So, as a general rule: If you are looking at apartments, you can start as early as 45 days out or as late as 2 weeks out. We recommend actively looking no longer than 2 to 3 weeks prior to your target move in date.

Can you still help me find a place if I already live in your area?
Absolutely! Although XpressHAND is focused on relocation, we have assisted many local residents in finding furnished apartments in the city. If you don’t have the time or the desire to search for properties, contact listing agents to confirm pricing and availability (remember, just because its advertised online does not mean its actually available), coordinate multiple showings or even navigating the city and parking issues to get to showings, we will be happy to do it for you!

Can XpressHAND help me rent out my private property?
XpressHAND does not offer property management services. Nor do we sell real estate. Our sole focus is on furnished rental market and helping clients find rental housing. However, we are happy to have you send us a link to your listing and will provide the info to any of our clients that may be a match. We can also provide you with resources to help you find someone who can help you rent out your property.

Can you help me find an unfurnished apartment?
Sorry, we only focus on affordable and decent furnished apartments.

If I am looking for something more budget friendly, should I look in the suburbs vs. the city?
The simple answer is no! Contrary to most cities, it is not necessarily more affordable to live outside the city. Because it really depends on many variables, including; how much living space you require, whether or not you own a vehicle and what type of pets you may have. These and many other factors come into play. Part of our service is to recommend what areas we think will be the best options based on the information you provide to us.