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