Off-Campus
Understanding Housing Advertisement Terminology
Newspaper ads and notice board postings often use abbreviations to describe the accommodation and its features. These are some of the most common abbreviations:
- Appl/appliances: stove, refrigerator (fridge) and dishwasher
- Apt: apartment
- Bdrm or br: bedroom(s), usually preceded by a number. Bedrooms are separate from the kitchen and living room.
- Bsmt: basement, below the main floor of the building; usually a self-contained suite in the bottom part of a house
- cable: extra channels for your television; sometimes included in cost of rent
- drapes: curtains
- f: prefer female occupant only
- f&s: fridge and stove only, no other appliances
- hydro: electricity
- hot plate: heating elements for cooking but no oven
- gas: natural gas (heating)
- gdn lvl: Garden level generally means a basement suite which may be partially above ground
- incl util: Price includes cost of utilities (heat, hot water)
- m: prefer male occupant only
- n/d: non-drinker (of alcohol)
- n/p: no pets
- n/s: no smoking
- prkg: parking
- pvt ent: private entrance
- r&b or rb: room and board (cooked meals provided)
- refs: references required
- ste or suite: set of rooms
- w/d: washer and dryer
- w/w: wall-to-wall carpeting