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Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.

He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.

In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.

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Are you new in Canada? Or simply you relocate from one province to another? Having trouble renting an apartment? Or maybe you've just bought a triplex and don't know your rights as a landlord? For all of you there is something special on the Net, the new free Guide for renting a home, a bilingual brochure in English and in French, produced by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

For both tenants and landlords, knowing their rights and responsibilities is very important for the common benefits and the enjoyment of their relationship. In Canada the situation on the market may vary significantly from that in the United States so anyone coming to live in Canada should carefully learn what is expected to do under the law. More than that, the legal framework may vary significantly from one province to another* so any relocation within the country should also be considered as an incentive to look at this Guide.

For example, in Quebec the landlords can't collect deposits. We don't say they don't want to collect deposits; under the law they just don't have the right to do it. They also can't collect last month's rent and may only request first month's rent. The landlord may not require post-dated checks. When the landlords or tenants want to terminate 1-year lease, they have to send a written notice within strict timing. On the contrary, in Ontario the landlords can collect a rent deposit up to one month's rent. Last month's rent also may be collected as a deposit. In this province post-dated checks can be suggested. When moving, the tenants have to give just 60-day prior notice. In Alberta it's another story. The landlords can request security deposits, which have to be put into interest-bearing bank account within a fixed period. Post-dated checks are also allowed in this province. In case of fixed term lease no notice is required to end the lease. The tenants before moving should give a 30-day notice. In this province there is no rent controls as in Quebec, but the rent increase for 1-years lease has to be preceded by 6-month notice by the landlord.

The Guide explains in details all steps the prospective tenants should take to find the house of their dreams or the one that corresponds to their pockets. It includes the tips on moving preparations, on identifying the real needs of the tenants. It also looks at some specific points, e.g. whether or not the housing is affordable, how to find the right location, and if one or another housing types suit the tenants' requirements.

This brochure contains tips, which could be priceless for those who don't have much time looking for their next housing. Particular attention is paid to the new immigrants to Canada, providing hyperlinks to appropriate sites with specific information.

The handbook for better understanding the rental market in Canada includes a 54-page additional brochure in PDF with terms' glossary. Last but not least, it provides the readers with sample letters, worksheets and applications used by the tenants in different cases, from the first application till the final notice to end the tenancy.

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* - Not least because in Canada there are two different Civil Code systems.

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See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Canada.