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Hey Everyone,

We really hope Western is being kind to you this exam season. We know as students this is a very busy time of year for you, but there is some important info you should be aware of before packing up and heading home (this info should also have been posted to your Yuhu account as well).

1st off, don’t forget helpful tips from the past! If you’re going to be gone for more than 48 hours, then you should shut off the main water to your unit to prevent leaks from occurring while you’re gone. And don’t forget to make sure you lock all doors and windows before you go. It is unfortunate, but sometimes people will try to target student housing rentals at key times when students are home from university.

A lot of times tenants will turn their furnace off when they go home trying to save heat. DO NOT DO THAT! This can result in pipes freezing and bursting which can cost tens of thousands of dollars in damage (and that would be your responsibility). Instead, just turn your thermostat down to about 10-12 degrees. This will save you a bit on gas costs, while keeping your unit warm enough that pipes won’t freeze. ***If you live in a unit where your thermostat controls other people’s heat (namely 351-365 Wharncliffe), please leave your temperature set to normal room temp!

Next, make sure you always check that you have your keys when leaving the unit, in case a roommate locks you out by accident, and absolutely make sure you have them before heading back to London after the break.

Finally, we hope you all have a successful exam season, a happy holiday, and a restful break. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone back in their student homes in 2021!

Ahh fall! The leaves are changing, the geese start migrating, and students all around Western campus trade their Birkenstocks for Uggs and tank tops for a cozy sweater! Something very common students will find in their off-campus rentals in London is that they have issues with getting the heat on when the air gets a wee bit nippy. We recommend you make sure you have your account set up with Enbridge. This is the company that supplies gas to your unit that heats your furnace. A lot of students assume it’s already on because they’ve been living here for a few months now. BUT, if you have an electric hot water tank, which some of our apartments and townhouses do, then you won’t technically have needed gas yet. So, make sure to check that now, because they have to come turn the gas on, and they’ll need into your rental to make sure everything is ok. This process can take time on their end, so not a bad idea to do that now! Also, just make sure your furnace is actually switched on (most have a switch above the normal lightswitch in the utility room), and make sure the thermostat is set to 'heat', with the fan on 'auto'.

Stay warm!