Alberta Landlord Forms and Required Wording
Which forms are only samples, which statement your lease must carry, and what makes a notice invalid.
Last updated: October 2026
Short answer
Alberta has no mandatory lease form, but a written lease must carry one statement in print larger than the rest of the agreement. Rent increase and end-of-tenancy notices have no required form either, though the Act sets what each must say, and disputes go to RTDRS or the Court of Justice.
Is there an official lease form in Alberta?
No. A written agreement is not required, because the Residential Tenancies Act covers written, oral and implied agreements. The Act lets the Minister set out forms that "may be used", and the RTA Handbook says landlords and tenants are free to use whatever form suits them. Private landlord associations sell lease forms, but none of them is mandatory.
If you do use a written lease, one thing is not optional. The agreement must contain this statement in print larger than the other print:
The tenancy created by this agreement is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act and if there is a conflict between this agreement and the Act, the Act prevails.
Tenants cannot waive their rights under the Act, so any lease term that conflicts with it will not hold up.
What you must give the tenant after signing
Two documents follow a written lease. First, within 21 days after the tenant returns the written agreement, you must serve a copy signed by you. If you do not, the tenant may withhold rent until it is served, and all the withheld rent then becomes due. Second, within 7 days after the tenant takes possession, you must serve a notice of landlord that names you and gives a postal address and a physical location in Canada.
Changes to the lease later need the tenant's agreement. Any change to an existing agreement should be in writing and signed by both of you, except where the law allows the change, such as a rent increase with proper notice.
Rent increase notice: no form, but strict content
Alberta does not prescribe a rent increase form. The notice must be in writing, state the effective date, and be dated and signed by you. It must be served on each tenant, and posting it in the common areas does not count. It applies to periodic tenancies, with at least 3 tenancy months of notice for a monthly tenancy and 12 tenancy weeks for a weekly one. The lease can set a longer period, and then the longer one applies.
A notice that does not comply is void, and a tenant who paid under a bad notice can recover the extra in an action in debt. No increase is allowed until 365 days have passed since the start of the tenancy or the last increase. The detail is in the Alberta rent increase guide, so it is not repeated here.
End-of-tenancy notices: Forms 1, 2 and 3
The Residential Tenancies Ministerial Regulation includes sample notice forms. The Handbook says they are not mandatory. Form 1 is the Landlord's notice to tenant to terminate a periodic tenancy. Form 2 is listed for the tenant's notice, and Form 3 for the 14 day notice for unpaid rent. A notice in your own words works if it contains what the law requires.
| Notice | What it must contain |
|---|---|
| Landlord's no-fault notice to end a periodic tenancy (sample Form 1) | In writing, the address of the premises, your signature, the reason and the termination date. The reason must be one the Regulation allows, or the notice has no effect |
| 14 day notice for unpaid rent (sample Form 3) | Everything a notice needs, plus a statement that the tenancy will not end if the tenant pays the rent due, including overdue rent, on or before the termination date |
| 24 hour notice for significant damage or an assault or threat | In writing, with the time and date the tenancy ends. You then have 10 days after that to apply to RTDRS or court, or the notice is ineffective |
The ending steps and notice lengths are in the Alberta notice to end tenancy guide.
How to serve, and what makes a notice invalid
Keep proof of every notice you serve. A rent increase must go to each tenant, not to the common areas. For a deposit refund, the Act lists delivery by personal service, regular or registered mail, or another manner agreed in writing. For other notices, read the Act's service rules before you rely on mail alone.
A notice is likely to fail if:
- it has no prescribed reason, for a no-fault notice to end a periodic tenancy;
- it leaves out the signature, the address, the reason or the termination date;
- a rent increase notice is too short, or comes within 365 days of the start or the last increase;
- an unpaid rent notice omits the statement about paying on or before the termination date;
- you do not apply within 10 days after a 24 hour notice ends and the tenant has not left.
Other written notices to get right
A notice of entry must be written, signed and served at least 24 hours before entry, and give the reason, date and time. Each entry needs its own notice, and entry with notice is allowed only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. See the Alberta entry notice guide. If a tenant defaults on a conditional order, a Notice of Default is needed before you enforce it.
If a notice is challenged, the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service or the Court of Justice decides. How to write a lease agreement gives the general steps. This guide explains the rules in general terms; for a specific case, ask the tribunal or a licensed legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a mandatory lease form in Alberta?
No. A written agreement is not required, and no government lease form is mandatory. If the agreement is written, it must carry the required statement in print larger than the rest of the agreement.
What statement must a written Alberta lease include?
The statement that the tenancy is governed by the Residential Tenancies Act and that the Act prevails if there is a conflict with the agreement. It must be in print larger than the other print.
Do I have to give the tenant a copy of the lease?
Yes. For a written agreement, serve a copy signed by you within 21 days after the tenant returns it. Until then the tenant may withhold rent.
Is there an official rent increase form in Alberta?
No. The notice must be written, state the effective date, and be dated and signed by the landlord, then served on each tenant.
Is Form 1 required to end a tenancy?
Form 1 is a sample form in the Regulation for a landlord's notice to terminate a periodic tenancy. Sample forms are not mandatory, but the notice must contain what the law requires.
What must an unpaid rent notice say?
It must include a statement that the tenancy will not end if the tenant pays the rent due, including overdue rent, on or before the termination date. The notice gives at least 14 days.
What makes a landlord's notice invalid?
For a no-fault notice to end a periodic tenancy, a missing prescribed reason makes it of no effect. A rent increase notice that does not comply is void.
How do I deliver a notice?
A rent increase must be served on each tenant, not posted in common areas. For a deposit refund the Act allows personal service, regular or registered mail, or another manner agreed in writing.
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