Changing Locks on a Tenant in Alberta

Section 24(1) of the Residential Tenancies Act says neither a tenant nor a landlord shall add to or change locks on doors giving access to residential premises without the consent of the other party. Section 24(2) then allows a landlord to add or change locks without consent if a key is made available to the tenant as soon as the addition or change is made. Read the full subsection before relying on it, because the exact conditions matter.

The government's Information for Tenants (June 2025) puts it in plain words: if the landlord adds or changes locks, a new key must be given to the tenant right away. It also says neither the landlord nor the tenant can be locked out of the residential rental premises.

The sources reviewed do not say whether you may charge a fee for a lock change or for re-keying, so do not add one without checking. No prescribed lock-change or key form was found in the regulation.

The Handbook is direct: a landlord is not allowed to change the locks to force a tenant out of the residential premises or to otherwise deny access to the tenant while the tenant still lives there. It adds that the locks cannot be changed until the tenant is physically evicted.

That covers more than a new lock. Deny access in any way, whether by a deadbolt the tenant has no key to, by blocking the door or by holding a key back, and you are in the same territory. If you want a tenant gone, even a tenant who owes rent or has breached the agreement, the lock is not your tool. The Ask page on landlord keys and the Alberta entry guide cover how access works while the tenancy continues.

A tenant may install, without consent, a security device that can only be put into effect from inside and that can be removed without damage or that stays and becomes the landlord's property (s.24(3)). If a tenant adds or changes a lock with the landlord's consent, the tenant must make a key available to the landlord as soon as it is done (s.24(4)). Read those subsections before agreeing or objecting to a tenant's device.

1. Serve the right notice. Depending on the reason, this may be a notice for substantial breach or for unpaid rent. See the Alberta guide to ending a tenancy.
2. Apply for an order. You can apply to a court or to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service for termination and possession.
3. Obtain an order for recovery of possession. Under sections 34 and 34.1, a civil enforcement agency may evict only under a court order, so do not remove anyone yourself. The RTDRS hearings and orders page describes the same enforcement route and says orders are valid for 10 years.
4. Only then deal with the locks. Once the tenant is physically evicted, the locks are yours to change.

Rushing this sequence is the usual mistake. A landlord who changes the lock on day one of a dispute has handed the tenant a claim, whatever the tenant owes. For how long the lawful route takes, see the Ask page on eviction timelines.

The Handbook says a landlord may change the locks if the tenant has abandoned the premises. Abandonment has its own process: the Act has you give at least 48 hours to vacate (s.33(2)), and a court order terminates an abandoned tenant's tenancy (s.33(4)). Whether the premises are really abandoned is a question of facts. If the tenant has simply been away for a week, treat it as an occupied unit.

Keep notes of what you saw, when you gave notice and what you did next. If belongings remain after a tenant leaves, see the Alberta guide to belongings left behind before you touch them.

The Act sets fines of not more than $5000 for offences under section 60(1). The Handbook says failing to provide a key is an offence, and that a tenant can make a written complaint to Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction. Check section 60 for the exact list of offences before you rely on any single section being named.

A tenant also has remedies against a landlord in section 37, and the RTDRS lets a tenant apply for damages resulting from a landlord's breach of the agreement or the Act. The RTDRS page says it cannot require specific performance, such as repairs or improvements, so damages are the stated outcome. The sources reviewed do not describe a dedicated illegal lockout remedy beyond section 37, section 60, damages through the RTDRS or a court, and the complaint to Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction.

Section 25 also matters. A tenant who made an application, filed a statement or made a complaint cannot be terminated by reason only of that. A lock change that follows soon after a complaint is likely to look like retaliation.

The sources reviewed do not state any fee for a lock change, do not describe municipal by-laws on lockouts, and do not set out a separate lockout remedy. If your question turns on one of these, ask Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction or the RTDRS. Also read the Alberta forms guide for the forms that do exist.

This guide explains the rules in general terms; for a specific case, ask the tribunal or a licensed legal professional.