In Alberta, a person who owns a mobile home and rents the mobile home site it sits on is covered by the Mobile Home Sites Tenancies Act (MHSTA), not the Residential Tenancies Act. In a mobile home park, a landlord needs a listed reason and 6 tenancy months' notice to end a monthly tenancy, and site rent can rise only once every 365 days, with 180 days' written notice.
This FAQ is for Alberta mobile home owners who rent a lot, and for park owners and managers. If you rent an apartment, house or suite instead, start with the Alberta tenant guide or the Alberta landlord guide.
Does the Residential Tenancies Act apply to a mobile home site in Alberta?
No. The MHSTA applies only to tenancies of mobile home sites (s.4(1)): land rented for a mobile home used as a residence, where the owner of the home is not the owner of the land (s.1(1)(h)). A "mobile home park" is a parcel with at least 3 sites rented or held out for rent (s.1(1)(g)). Alberta's government notes that renting the mobile home itself to someone is usually covered by the Residential Tenancies Act instead.
A written site agreement must state, in larger print, that the tenancy is governed by the MHSTA and that the Act prevails over the agreement (s.4(4)). Any waiver of a tenant's rights under the Act is void (s.4(3)).
How much notice does a landlord need to end a mobile home site tenancy in Alberta?
In an Alberta mobile home park, a landlord must give 6 consecutive tenancy months' notice to end a monthly tenancy, and the tenant must give 2 (MHSTA s.8(1)). The periods are shorter for a single site outside a park.
| Situation | Landlord's notice | Tenant's notice | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly tenancy in a park | 6 tenancy months | 2 tenancy months | s.8(1) |
| Notice given early in a park tenancy | Ends no earlier than the last day of the 12th tenancy month | Ends no earlier than the last day of the 4th tenancy month | s.8(2), (3) |
| Monthly tenancy, site not in a park | 3 tenancy months | 1 tenancy month | s.9(2) |
| Yearly tenancy | 180 days before the end of the tenancy year | 60 days before the end of the tenancy year | s.10 |
| Park closing, condo conversion or sale to a co-op | At least 365 days | Not applicable | s.13(1) |
A landlord's notice to end a periodic tenancy has no effect without a prescribed reason (s.7(1)). The regulation lists: the landlord or a relative will occupy the site; a sale of the site is firm and the buyer, who or whose relative will live there, asks in writing; utility work that cannot reasonably be done with the site occupied; in a park, the site is eliminated or its boundaries substantially altered by a park or road reconfiguration; and, outside a park, the land will no longer be a mobile home site (AR 54/96 s.2(2)). The notice must be in writing, signed, give the reasons, identify the site and state the end date (s.11). A landlord may not end a tenancy because the tenant complained or applied under the Act (s.7(3)).
How often can mobile home site rent go up in Alberta?
Alberta site rent can go up only once 365 days have passed since the tenancy began or since the last increase (MHSTA s.16(3)), and only after at least 180 days' written notice, or longer if the agreement says so (s.16(1), (2)). There is no dollar cap. Rent cannot be raised during a fixed term of one year or more (AR 54/96 s.2.2(1)).
Fees beyond rent must be disclosed in writing before the agreement is signed (s.24(1)). Raising a fee or adding a new one needs written notice of 180 days in a park, or 90 days for a site outside a park (s.24(3)). In a park, an increase or other change imposed in the first 12 months to push a tenant out is void (s.17(2)).
Can I sell my mobile home and pass the site to the buyer?
Yes. In an Alberta mobile home park, a tenant has the right to assign or sublet the site and to sell the home along with it (s.27(2)). The agreement may require the landlord's consent, but the landlord cannot withhold it arbitrarily or unreasonably (s.27(4), (5)), and a landlord who does not answer within 15 days is deemed to consent (s.27(7)). The landlord cannot charge a commission or fee beyond reasonable expenses actually incurred, unless the tenant later signs a separate written agency agreement when deciding to sell (s.27(8)).
What other rules protect mobile home site tenants?
- Security deposit: no more than one month's rent, held in trust within 2 banking days and returned within 10 days of move-out (ss.48, 49, 51). See Alberta security deposits.
- Inspections: at move-in and move-out, within one week before or after possession changes (s.21).
- Entry: 24 hours' written notice, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., not on a holiday (s.26(4)).
- Park rules: new or changed rules must be reasonable, applied fairly to all tenants and given with reasonable written notice (s.23(2), (3)).
- Breaches: 14 days' notice for a substantial breach (s.32(1)). A notice for unpaid rent is ineffective if the tenant pays all arrears before the end date; for other breaches, the tenant can object in writing before that date (s.32(3)). Significant damage or assault allows 48 hours' notice (s.33).
Frequently asked questions
Can a mobile home park landlord evict me to redevelop the park?
Yes, but only with at least 365 days' notice when the whole park is being turned to another use (MHSTA s.13(1)(a)). A landlord who gives less is liable to a fine of up to $10,000 (s.63(1.1)).
Can the park charge a fee to move my home in or out?
Only its reasonable expenses actually incurred, unless you sign a separate written agreement after the tenancy starts (s.29). You may bring a home in or remove it as you see fit, as long as you do not unduly disturb the park, break its traffic rules or create a danger (s.28).
Where do mobile home site disputes go?
Most landlord and tenant remedies under the MHSTA can go to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service instead of court (s.59.3). See RTDRS explained and the current RTDRS fees.
Does a fixed-term site lease need notice to end?
Alberta's government says a fixed-term site agreement ends on its end date without notice unless the parties agree otherwise. Unless they agree on a different time, the tenancy ends at 12 noon on the last day (s.22(1)).
Put every notice in writing
Site notices and rent increases follow the Mobile Home Sites Tenancies Act, not the Residential Tenancies Act forms. If one is disputed, most claims can go to the RTDRS instead of court.
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