Rental fees to ask about before you book a furnished home

The rental fees to ask about before you book are deposits, cleaning, utilities, internet, parking, pets and what happens if you leave early. Ask about each one in writing before you pay, and the monthly price you budget for will be the price you actually pay.

This guide is for travelers booking furnished monthly housing for an assignment. It covers each cost in plain terms and explains how deposit rules differ by province. It also gives you a short list of questions to send a host, and explains why some provincial rules may not apply to a temporary furnished stay.

Key takeaways

• The advertised monthly price on a furnished rental may not include deposits, cleaning, utilities, internet, parking or pet charges, so ask about each one before you book.
• Deposit rules differ by province: where tenancy law applies, BC caps a security deposit at half a month's rent, Alberta caps it at one month's rent, and Quebec does not allow a security deposit at all.
• A furnished stay for an assignment may fall outside provincial tenancy law, so the written agreement with your host matters even more.
• Ask what happens to your rent and deposit if your assignment ends early, because a fixed term can leave you owing money for months you are not there.
• Get every fee, refund condition and included service in writing before you send money, so you can compare homes on the full cost.

Why the monthly price is not always the full cost

A listing price tells you what the host charges for the home itself. It does not always tell you what you will pay to move in, live there and leave. Furnished monthly rentals vary a lot in what they bundle, and two homes with the same price can end up costing very different amounts.

The costs that most often sit outside the listed price are:

• A security or damage deposit, and sometimes a separate pet deposit
• A cleaning fee at move-in, move-out or both
• Utilities such as electricity, heat and water
• Internet, and whether it is fast enough for streaming or video calls
• Parking, especially near busy downtown hospitals
• Charges or penalties if you leave before the end date

None of these is unusual on its own. The problem is finding out after you have paid. Asking early lets you compare homes fairly and plan your budget around your assignment.

What deposits can a host ask for in your province?

Deposits are one of the biggest rental fees to ask about, and the rules depend on the province. The table below summarizes the general rules where provincial residential tenancy law applies.

Province	General deposit rule where tenancy law applies
British Columbia	Security deposit of up to half of one month's rent. A separate pet damage deposit of up to half of the first month's rent is allowed, no matter how many pets.
Alberta	Security deposit of no more than one month's rent at the start of the tenancy.
Ontario	A last month's rent deposit of up to one month's rent, used only for the final month. Damage, pet and cleaning deposits are not allowed. A key deposit is allowed only for the actual replacement cost of keys, refunded when the keys come back.
Quebec	No security deposit. A landlord can only require the first month's rent in advance.

In BC, a landlord cannot keep a deposit without the tenant's agreement or permission from the Residential Tenancy Branch. In Alberta, if there are no deductions, the deposit and any interest owing must be returned within 10 days after you move out.

Whatever the province, ask the host how much the deposit is, what it covers, when it will be returned and how deductions are decided.

Does tenancy law apply to a furnished assignment stay?

This is the part many travelers do not expect. A furnished home rented for a few months may not be covered by provincial tenancy law at all, which means the deposit limits above may not protect you.

• British Columbia: the Residential Tenancy Act does not apply to accommodation occupied as vacation or travel accommodation, and bookings made on short-term rental platforms are generally not covered. If the Residential Tenancy Branch has no jurisdiction, disputes may go to the Civil Resolution Tribunal or the courts.
• Ontario: the Residential Tenancies Act exempts accommodation meant for the travelling or vacationing public or occupied for a seasonal or temporary period. Even so, the Landlord and Tenant Board has applied the full Act to a furnished four-month booking, so the answer depends on the facts.

Because the rules can go either way, treat your written agreement as your main protection. To check how the law applies to your situation, contact your province's residential tenancy office, such as BC's Residential Tenancy Branch, Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board, Alberta's residential tenancy services or Quebec's Tribunal administratif du logement.

Is there a cleaning fee, and when is it charged?

Cleaning is easy to overlook because it is often a one-time charge rather than part of the monthly price. Some hosts include it, some add a flat fee, and some take it from the deposit if the home needs more than a normal clean.

Questions to ask:

• Is there a cleaning fee, and is it charged at move-in, move-out or both?
• What condition should the home be in when you leave?
• Will any cleaning cost come out of your deposit, and how will you be told?
• Is cleaning during your stay offered, and does it cost extra?

On 12-hour shifts, a clear move-out checklist saves you guessing on your last day. Ask for it before you book.

Are utilities and internet included in the rent?

Utilities and internet are where monthly costs drift the most. In a furnished home, many hosts include them, but not always, and some include them only up to a limit.

Ask the host to confirm, item by item:

• Electricity, heat and water: included, capped, or billed separately?
• If billed separately, how is your share worked out, and how often will you pay?
• Internet: included, and roughly what speed? Is it reliable enough for video calls or online courses?
• TV or streaming services: included, or do you bring your own logins?

Winter heating can change the picture in many parts of Canada, so if utilities are not included, ask what past bills have looked like for the same months. In Alberta, payments made to third parties such as utility providers are not counted as rent, which is another reason to get the arrangement written down.

What about parking, laundry and other extras?

Near a downtown hospital, parking can turn a good-value home into an expensive one. Even outside city centres, ask whether a spot comes with the home or is shared, street-only or extra.

Other extras worth confirming:

• Parking: included, paid monthly, or a street permit you arrange yourself?
• Laundry: in the home, shared, or coin-operated?
• Storage: space for a bike, skis or winter gear?
• Keys and access: any key or fob deposit, and what a replacement costs.
• Guests: any charge or limit if family visits during your assignment.

Distance matters here too. A home closer to your hospital may cost a little more but save you parking at work, transit fares or fuel.

What will it cost to bring a pet?

If you travel with a pet, ask before you fall for a home. Pet rules are set by the host, and charges can include a pet deposit, a one-time fee or a monthly amount.

Where BC tenancy law applies, a pet damage deposit can be charged on top of the security deposit, but it cannot be more than half of the first month's rent, regardless of how many pets you have. Where Ontario tenancy law applies, pet deposits are not allowed. Remember that a temporary furnished stay may fall outside those rules, so the host's written terms are what you will be held to.

Ask the host:

• Are pets allowed, and are there limits on size, type or number?
• Is there a pet deposit or fee, and is it refundable?
• What extra cleaning will be charged at move-out?

What if your assignment ends early?

Assignments change. Contracts get cut, extended or moved, and your housing needs to handle that. Before you book, ask exactly what happens if you need to leave before your end date.

In Alberta, a fixed-term lease generally cannot be ended before its end date unless there is a breach or a specific provision of the law allows it. If lost rent is more than the deposit, the landlord can pursue the balance through legal means. Other provinces have their own rules, and stays outside tenancy law depend entirely on your agreement.

Questions to ask:

• How much notice do you need to give to leave early?
• Do you owe rent for the remaining time, or only until the home is rebooked?
• Is any part of your deposit or prepaid rent refunded?
• Can you extend if your assignment is extended, and at what price?

If your agency is involved in your housing, share the answers with them so everyone knows the terms.

How to get the full cost in writing before you book

The simplest way to avoid surprise charges is one clear message to the host before any money changes hands. On Travel Nurse Houses, you message hosts directly, so you can ask your questions and keep the answers in one place.

A short message could ask the host to confirm:

1. The monthly rent and what it includes
2. The deposit amount, what it covers and when it is returned
3. Any cleaning, pet, parking or key charges
4. Which utilities and internet are included
5. The notice and refund terms if you leave early

Then add up the total for your full assignment and compare homes on that number. You can search homes near your hospital by the hospital you are assigned to and see each home's distance. If you have questions about using the site, the help centre is a good place to start.

A few questions sent before you book can save you a lot of stress on assignment. Write down every fee, compare homes on the total for your full stay, and keep the host's answers in writing. When you are ready, search homes near your hospital and message the hosts whose homes fit your dates.

Frequently asked questions

What rental fees should I ask about before booking a furnished home?

Ask about the deposit, any cleaning fee, utilities, internet, parking, pet charges and the cost of leaving early. Ask whether each one is included in the monthly price, charged once, or billed separately. Get the answers in writing before you pay anything.

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in BC?

Where BC's Residential Tenancy Act applies, a security deposit can be up to half of one month's rent. A separate pet damage deposit of up to half of the first month's rent is also allowed. A furnished stay used as travel accommodation may not be covered by the Act, so check your agreement and confirm with the Residential Tenancy Branch.

Can a landlord in Ontario charge a damage deposit?

Where Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act applies, damage, pet and cleaning deposits are not allowed. A landlord can ask for a last month's rent deposit of up to one month's rent and a refundable key deposit limited to the cost of replacement keys. Some temporary stays are exempt from the Act, so confirm with the Landlord and Tenant Board if you are unsure.

Can a landlord in Quebec ask for a security deposit?

No. Under a lease in Quebec, a landlord cannot ask for a security deposit for any amount or reason. They can only require the first month's rent in advance. The Tribunal administratif du logement can confirm how this applies to your stay.

What happens if my travel nurse assignment ends early?

It depends on your agreement and your province. A fixed-term arrangement may leave you owing rent for the remaining months, and in Alberta a landlord can pursue lost rent beyond the deposit. Ask the host about notice, refunds and rebooking before you book.

Are utilities usually included in furnished monthly rentals?

Often, but not always. Some hosts include all utilities and internet, some cap them, and some bill them separately. Ask the host to confirm each one in writing, and if they are billed separately, ask what past bills have been for the same season.