Alberta Landlord Guide

As a landlord in Alberta, the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) is the legal framework that governs your relationship with tenants. Understanding it is not optional -- non-compliance can result in financial penalties, failed eviction applications, and lost disputes at the RTDRS.

Your core obligations include:

• Providing a unit that meets minimum health, safety, and housing standards
• Maintaining the property in good repair throughout the tenancy
• Following proper procedures for deposits, inspections, rent increases, and terminations
• Respecting the tenant's right to quiet enjoyment and privacy
• Complying with the Alberta Human Rights Act in all tenant interactions

The RTA applies to virtually all residential tenancies, including apartments, houses, townhomes, basement suites, and mobile homes on rented land. It does not apply to hotels, short-term accommodations, or certain institutional housing.

Security deposit rules are among the most commonly misunderstood aspects of the RTA. Here is what you need to know:

• Maximum amount: You can collect up to one month's rent as a security deposit. This is the combined cap for security deposit plus any pet deposit.
• Trust account: The deposit must be held in a trust account at an Alberta financial institution. It cannot be deposited into your personal account.
• Interest: You must pay interest on the deposit at the government-set rate. For 2026, the rate is 0%. Previous rates: 0.5% (2025), 1.6% (2024).
• Return: The deposit must be returned within 10 days of the tenancy ending, provided you have the tenant's forwarding address. Deductions must be itemized in writing.
• Deductions: You can deduct for damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid rent, or unpaid utilities the tenant was responsible for. You cannot deduct for normal wear and tear.

Non-refundable fees: You can charge non-refundable fees (such as a non-refundable pet fee) separately from the security deposit. These are not subject to the one-month cap. However, be clear in the lease about what is refundable and what is not.

The most common landlord mistake with deposits is deducting for normal wear and tear. Paint fading, carpet wearing thin, and minor scuff marks are not deductible. If a tenant disputes your deductions, the RTDRS will rule against you if the deductions are not justified.

Alberta has no rent control, which means you can increase rent by any amount. However, you must follow the proper procedure:

• Minimum interval: At least 365 days between rent increases.
• Written notice: The increase must be delivered in writing. Email is acceptable if the tenant has consented to electronic communication.
• Notice period: For month-to-month tenancies, you must give at least 3 months' notice. For week-to-week, 12 weeks.
• Fixed-term leases: You cannot increase rent during the fixed term. The new rate can only apply upon renewal or conversion to periodic tenancy.

While there is no legal cap on the increase, market forces apply. In Calgary's current market (vacancy ~5.7%), large increases may cause good tenants to leave. Tenant turnover is expensive -- vacancy costs, cleaning, repairs, marketing, and screening add up quickly. Most experienced landlords find that moderate, predictable increases retain tenants and protect long-term income better than aggressive hikes.

If a tenant believes the increase is retaliatory (e.g., immediately after filing a maintenance complaint), they can challenge it at the RTDRS. Ensure your increases are market-justified and documented.

Eviction in Alberta must follow the legal process outlined in the RTA. Self-help evictions -- changing locks, shutting off utilities, removing tenant belongings -- are illegal and will result in orders against you at the RTDRS.

Grounds and notice periods:

• Substantial breach (non-payment, damage, illegal activity): 14 clear days' notice. The tenant has 14 days to remedy the breach. If they do not, you can apply to the RTDRS for a termination order.
• Ending a periodic tenancy: 3 months' written notice for month-to-month; 12 weeks for week-to-week.
• Unauthorized occupants: 14 days' notice.
• Fixed-term lease: The tenancy ends automatically on the end date. No notice is required, but if the tenant does not leave, you must still go through the RTDRS for an eviction order.

If a tenant disputes the notice, the matter will be heard at the RTDRS. Keep detailed records of all breaches, communication, and evidence. The filing fee for the RTDRS is $75 for claims up to $7,500 and $150 for claims exceeding $7,500.

Even when you win an eviction order, you cannot physically remove a tenant yourself. If the tenant refuses to leave after an order, the order must be filed with the Court of King's Bench and enforced by a civil enforcement agency.

Inspections are critical for protecting your investment and avoiding deposit disputes:

• Move-in inspection: Must be completed within one week before the tenancy starts or on move-in day. Document the condition of the entire unit. Both you and the tenant should sign the report.
• Move-out inspection: Must be completed within one week after the tenancy ends. Compare the condition to the move-in report. Both parties should be present.

Best practices for inspections:

• Use a standardized checklist (the Alberta government provides a template)
• Take date-stamped photos and video of every room, appliance, and fixture
• Note even minor pre-existing damage on the move-in report
• Keep copies of all reports for your records

If you fail to conduct a move-in inspection, it becomes very difficult to prove damage at the RTDRS. The Tenancy Dispute Officer will have no baseline to compare against, and you will likely lose the deposit dispute.

You are legally required to maintain the rental property in a condition that meets health, safety, and housing standards. This includes:

• Structural elements (roof, foundation, walls, windows)
• Plumbing, heating, and electrical systems
• Appliances provided with the unit
• Common areas (hallways, lobby, laundry, parking)
• Compliance with fire codes, building codes, and health regulations

Respond to maintenance requests promptly and in writing. A documented trail protects you if a tenant claims you ignored a repair request. For urgent issues (no heat in winter, water leak, gas smell), response should be immediate.

The tenant is responsible for keeping the unit reasonably clean and for reporting damage or maintenance issues promptly. They are also responsible for damage they (or their guests or pets) cause that goes beyond normal wear and tear.

Consider building a relationship with reliable contractors (plumber, electrician, handyman, HVAC technician) before you need them. Emergency repairs at premium rates eat into your margins. Preventive maintenance -- annual furnace servicing, seasonal inspections, regular dryer vent cleaning -- is always cheaper than emergency fixes.

Standard homeowner's insurance does not cover rental properties. You need a landlord-specific policy (sometimes called a rental property insurance policy). Key coverages to consider:

• Property damage: Covers the building and any landlord-owned contents (appliances, fixtures) against fire, water damage, vandalism, and other perils.
• Liability: Covers you if a tenant or visitor is injured on the property and sues. Minimum $2 million in coverage is recommended.
• Loss of rental income: Covers lost rent if the property becomes uninhabitable due to a covered event (fire, flood, etc.).
• Landlord legal expense insurance: Some policies include coverage for legal costs related to tenant disputes.

You should also require your tenants to carry tenant insurance. While you cannot legally mandate it under the RTA, you can make it a condition of the lease. Tenant insurance protects the tenant's belongings and provides them with liability coverage, which indirectly protects you as well.

Effective tenant screening is essential, but it must comply with the Alberta Human Rights Act. You can legally ask for and consider:

• Name and contact information
• Number of occupants
• Employment information and proof of income
• Rental references from previous landlords
• Credit report (with the applicant's written consent)
• Rent-to-income ratio

You cannot ask questions or make decisions based on protected grounds, including race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, age, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status, or sexual orientation.

For example, you cannot ask if an applicant has children, whether they receive government assistance, what their religion is, or where they were born. Asking these questions -- even casually -- can result in a human rights complaint.

For a streamlined, compliant screening process, consider using tools like SQRFT Passport, which provides verified credit reports, identity verification, and reference checks in a standardized format that reduces your risk of inadvertently violating human rights requirements.