# Property maintenance in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge Updated 2026-10-02. The [Region of Waterloo](https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/programs-and-services/water-and-wastewater/drinking-water-supply/) supplies the municipal water in all three cities, from groundwater wells and the Grand River, and treats the wastewater. The water is hard, and the Region notes scale buildup in pipes and appliances. Who owns the pipe in the street, and which rental rules apply, changes at each city line. ## Kitchener Kitchener owns its own gas and water utility, licenses lodging houses every year and approved a renovation licence for N13 work in April 2026. Many lots can hold four units. [Property maintenance in Kitchener](https://roundhousegroup.ca/areas/kitchener/). ## Waterloo Waterloo licenses every low rise rental unit, with an electrical inspection and a gas appliance inspection on file, and heat is 21 C with no season. The universities make turnover timing the main event. [Property maintenance in Waterloo](https://roundhousegroup.ca/areas/waterloo/). ## Cambridge Cambridge's 2026 property standards by-law puts duplexes inside its October to May heat rule and writes mould and certified air quality assessments into the text. [Property maintenance in Cambridge](https://roundhousegroup.ca/areas/cambridge/). ## The same record in all three A licensed rental in Waterloo, a lodging house in Kitchener and a duplex in Cambridge each answer to a different inspector. Every job closes with photos, the trade's licence on file and one invoice, so the record fits whichever one asks. Student rentals are covered under [student housing](https://roundhousegroup.ca/student-housing/). Plumbing is done by licensed plumbers and drain work by licensed drain contractors. Gas work is done by TSSA registered contractors. We only use ECRA/ESA-Licensed Electrical Contractors. Pest control is done by licensed exterminators. To send a Waterloo Region job, [request work](https://roundhousegroup.ca/request-work/). ## Three cities, three sets of rules - Kitchener: from January 1, 2025, every lodging house, a unit where five or more people besides a resident owner rent rooms and share the kitchen, is licensed each year, with a responsible person, individual leases and fire and property standards inspections at application. Source: [City of Kitchener, Lodging houses](https://www.kitchener.ca/business-in-kitchener/licences/lodging-houses/) - Waterloo: every low rise rental unit needs a City licence under the Rental Housing Licensing By-law 2025-044, which replaced By-law 2011-047. Low rise means any rental unit not in an apartment building of 3 or more storeys and 5 or more units with a shared corridor and entrance. Source: [City of Waterloo, Rental Housing Licensing By-law](https://www.waterloo.ca/bylaws-and-enforcement/bylaw-directory/rental-housing-licensing-bylaw/) - Waterloo: an owner who heats a rented unit provides at least 21 C (sections 1.0 and 3.0 of the Adequate Heat By-law 2017-001). The by-law sets no dates. Source: [City of Waterloo, Adequate Heat By-law 2017-001](https://www.waterloo.ca/bylaws-and-enforcement/bylaw-directory/adequate-heat-bylaw/) - Cambridge: the owner of a building with more than one dwelling unit continuously supplies heat to keep all occupied areas at 21 C or more from October 1 to May 15 (section 5.50 of Property Standards By-law 26-021, in force February 24, 2026). Source: [City of Cambridge, Property Standards By-law 26-021](https://www.cambridge.ca/media/cwuj1dwg/property-standards-by-law-26-021.pdf) ## Related pages - [Property Maintenance in Kitchener](https://roundhousegroup.ca/areas/kitchener/) - [Property Maintenance in Waterloo](https://roundhousegroup.ca/areas/waterloo/) - [Property Maintenance in Cambridge](https://roundhousegroup.ca/areas/cambridge/) ## Questions ### Which Waterloo Region cities does Roundhouse serve? Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, each with its own page. The townships of Woolwich, Wilmot, Wellesley and North Dumfries are not in our service area. ### Who supplies the water in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge? The Region of Waterloo supplies and treats it, from groundwater wells and the Grand River, and treats the wastewater. Each city owns its own local mains and sewers. ### Which Waterloo Region city licenses ordinary rentals? Waterloo, for every low rise rental unit under By-law 2025-044. Kitchener licenses lodging houses, and Cambridge regulates rentals through its property standards by-law. ### Is the heat rule the same in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge? No. Waterloo sets 21 C with no season under its Adequate Heat By-law. Cambridge sets 21 C from October 1 to May 15 in any building with more than one unit. Kitchener has its own heat chapter, and we confirm its figure with the City before quoting it.