Frequently Asked Questions

The Municipal Housing Department has an INTERNAL TRANSFER policy that applies only to those who receive Rent-Geared-to-Income subsidy within City of Brantford owned buildings. Internal transfers do not apply to Market Rent or Rent Supplement tenants.

What is an Internal Transfer?

An INTERNAL TRANSFER is when a tenant either:

  • is requested to move by their Property Manger because they are “over-housed” or b) the tenant requests to move to another unit
  • or building in the Municipal Housing portfolio (list attached) for one of the reasons listed below.

NOTE: The Housing Services Act lists specific Occupancy Standards that specifies what size unit the household is eligible for, depending on the number of persons in the household.

Can I apply for an Internal Transfer?

Internal Transfers will only be considered for tenants who are:

  • Victims of family violence (as defined in the regulations)
  • Over housed tenants (who have too many bedrooms for family size)
  • Approved for special medical priority. Unit does not meet the physical needs of tenant
  • Under housed (have too few bedrooms for family size) e) Urgent Priority (severe circumstances requiring a transfer)

You must meet these basic criteria for a transfer:

  • you have lived in your present unit for 12 months, and
  • you are up-to-date with your rent payments (and have been for at least 6 consecutive months) prior to being transferred, and
  • you do not have a history of damage to your unit or disturbing neighbours and
  • you continue to meet Rent-Geared-to-Income eligibility criteria
How long do I have to wait for an Internal Transfer? 
The length of time you will wait depends on the number of lists you are willing to accept a transfer to and the turnover of those lists selected.  You will be notified when a vacancy becomes available in an appropriated sized unit you are eligible for at one of the lists you have chosen.
How many choices do I get? 
If you have applied for an INTERNAL TRANSFER for any of the reasons listed, you are entitled to three offers from the locations that you have chosen to transfer to.
Could I lose my subsidy? 

If you applied for a transfer and you are not overhoused, you will not lose your rent subsidy for refusing an offer of a transfer.  You will, however, be removed from the transfer list.

If you are over-housed:

  • For the first 12 months of being over-housed you may refuse offers without loss of subsidy. (You can be selective)
  • After 12 months of being over-housed. You will be added to ALL lists on both the Internal and the Centralized wait lists. If you refuse two (2) offers (in total) from both the internal transfer list and the centralized waiting list you will lose your subsidy.

In the above case, you will be notified of the “Market” rent for your current unit and will be given 90 days notice of this new rent increase taking effect. 
What if I want to transfer to a building outside of Municipal Housing? 

Any current Rent-Geared-to-Income tenant can apply at any time to the centralized waiting list. The Brant Access To Housing applications are at the reception desk or on the City of Brantford website www.brantford.ca.

If you are a Market Rent tenant or a Rent Supplement tenant you must apply to the regular Brant Access to Housing wait list.

You cannot be in arrears to any housing provider for rent or have damages owing.

NOTE: Call the housing office at 519-759-3330 if you have any questions about Internal Transfers.