Alberta Landlord Resource Center

Every rule an Alberta landlord needs under the Residential Tenancies Act: rent increases, deposits, the 14-day notice, ending a tenancy, inspections and RTDRS.

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Alberta Landlord Guide: Every Rule in One Place

Pillar guide

ABGuide

Alberta Landlord Guide: Every Rule in One Place

Every core rule for Alberta landlords on one page: leases, the one-month deposit cap, inspection reports, rent increases, entry, repairs, notices, the RTDRS and deposit returns.

The laws that apply to Alberta rentals
Before move-in: lease, deposit and inspection
During the tenancy: rent, entry and repairs
When something goes wrong: notices and disputes
Ending a tenancy and returning the deposit
Common mistakes

+4 more chapters in the guide

12 min read · 10 chapters

Featured articles

Provincial compliance
ABGuide
Alberta Rent Increase Rules: Notice, Timing and No Cap
Alberta has no cap on rent increases, but the notice, the 365-day rule and the fixed-term limits are strict. A notice that misses them is void.
9 min readOctober 23, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABGuide
Alberta Security Deposits: The One-Month Cap, Trust Account, Interest and 10-Day Return
Alberta caps all deposits at one month's rent, requires a trust account within 2 banking days, and gives landlords 10 days to return the deposit. No inspection report means no damage deductions.
9 min readOctober 24, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABGuide
Ending a Tenancy in Alberta: Notice Periods for Landlords and Tenants
Alberta notice periods depend on the tenancy type and who is ending it. A tenant gives one tenancy month; a landlord needs three months and a prescribed reason, or 365 days for major renovations.
10 min readOctober 24, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABGuide
Alberta's 14-Day Notice for Unpaid Rent: How It Works
How Alberta's 14-day notice for unpaid rent works under RTA section 29: what it must contain, how to count and serve it, what the tenant can do, and what happens if nobody pays or leaves.
8 min readOctober 25, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABGuide
RTDRS Explained: Alberta's Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service
Alberta's RTDRS is an alternative to court for tenancy disputes. What it can and cannot decide, the 2026 fees, how to apply and serve, the phone hearing, and the deadlines after an order.
9 min readOctober 24, 2026
Lease management
ABGuide
Alberta Residential Leases: What Must Be in Writing and What Landlords Must Give Tenants
Alberta has no official lease form, but a written lease must carry one statement in larger print, and landlords owe tenants a signed copy, a notice of landlord and an inspection report on set deadlines.
10 min readOctober 25, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABGuide
Move-In and Move-Out Inspection Reports in Alberta: Mandatory Rules
Alberta requires a move-in and a move-out inspection report with prescribed statements and signatures. Without them, a landlord cannot deduct for damage from the deposit.
8 min readOctober 25, 2026
Maintenance repairs
ABGuide
Repairs and Minimum Housing Standards for Alberta Rentals
Alberta rentals must meet the Minimum Housing and Health Standards: 22 °C heat, hot water at 46 to 60 °C, working smoke alarms and no pests. Here is who repairs what and what to do when repairs are ignored.
9 min readOctober 25, 2026
City guides
ABGuide
Calgary Landlord and Tenant Guide: Provincial Rules Plus City Rules
Calgary tenancies follow Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act, plus city rules for secondary suites and short-term rentals. The suite amnesty is set to end December 31, 2026.
8 min readOctober 25, 2026
City guides
ABGuide
Edmonton Landlord and Tenant Guide: Provincial Rules Plus City Rules
Edmonton tenancies follow Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act. The City adds permit rules for secondary suites and a business licence for short-term rentals of 30 days or less.
8 min readOctober 26, 2026

All articles

Legal matters
ABFAQ
RTDRS Filing Fees and Claim Limit (Updated April 2026)
Since April 1, 2026, RTDRS charges $75, $150 or $100 depending on the claim. Here are the fees, the fee waiver, how to pay, and the $100,000 claim limit.
8 min readOctober 25, 2026
Regulations
ABGuide
Calgary Secondary Suite Registry: What Landlords and Renters Must Know
Calgary owners must register secondary and backyard suites, and an unregistered suite cannot be advertised for rent. The amnesty that waives fees ends Dec. 31, 2026.
8 min readOctober 26, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABFAQ
Minimum Heat Requirements for Alberta Rentals: The 22 °C Rule
Alberta rentals must be heatable to 22 °C under the Minimum Housing and Health Standards. Here is what the rule requires, the 16 °C cold-weather exception, space heaters, utilities and hot water.
8 min readOctober 25, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABGuide
Security Deposit Interest in Alberta: 2026 Rate and How to Calculate It
Alberta's security deposit interest rate is 0% for 2026, but deposits held in 2024 and 2025 still earned interest. Here is how the rate is set, when it is paid and how to calculate it.
8 min readOctober 26, 2026
Maintenance repairs
ABGuide
Bed Bugs, Mice and Cockroaches: Pest Control Rules for Alberta Rentals
Alberta landlords must keep rentals free of insect and rodent infestations. Tenants must allow access and prepare. Here are the notice rules, operator registration and tenant options.
8 min readOctober 26, 2026
Regulations
ABNews
Alberta Directs Edmonton to Roll Back 2024 Infill Zoning and Restore Parking Minimums
Alberta announced on October 8, 2026 that Edmonton must return high-density infill rules to pre-2024 settings and restore pre-2020 parking minimums. The City says its current bylaw stays in effect until January 2027.
5 min readOctober 24, 2026
Maintenance repairs
ABGuide
Boil-Water Advisories in Alberta Rentals: What Landlords and Tenants Need to Know
A boil water advisory in Alberta raises fast questions for landlords and tenants: who issues it, who is responsible for safe water, what to tell tenants, how to flush the building when it lifts, and whether rent can be reduced.
11 min readOctober 25, 2026
Maintenance repairs
ABArticle
Drafty or Broken Windows in an Alberta Rental: Who Has to Fix Them?
Alberta law puts weathertight, crack-free rental windows on the landlord. Here is what the minimum housing standards require, who pays when a window breaks, and what tenants can do when repairs are ignored.
12 min readOctober 28, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABArticle
How Much Notice Does an Alberta Landlord Need to Enter for Window Repairs?
Measuring or replacing windows in a tenanted Alberta unit needs 24 hours' written, signed notice, entry between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and not on a holiday. Here is how section 23 applies, with a sample notice.
10 min readOctober 28, 2026
Maintenance repairs
ABArticle
Condensation and Mould on Rental Windows in Alberta: Who Is Responsible?
Condensation and mould on rental windows split along a simple line in Alberta: the landlord answers for the building, the tenant for how the unit is lived in. Here is what the standards and Alberta Health Services say.
10 min readOctober 28, 2026
Maintenance repairs
ABArticle
Window Safety in Alberta Rentals: Child Fall Prevention and Escape Windows
Alberta rentals must have a bedroom escape window that opens without tools, while the building code limits many low windows to a 100 mm opening. Here is how a provincial variance reconciles them and what landlords should do.
10 min readOctober 28, 2026
Landlord guides
ABArticle
Who Pays for Condo Windows in Alberta? A Guide for Condo Landlords
Under Alberta's Condominium Property Act, windows in a unit's exterior walls are common property unless the plan says otherwise. Here is who repairs them, who pays, and what a condo landlord still owes the tenant.
10 min readOctober 28, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABArticle
Can an Alberta Landlord Raise the Rent After Installing New Windows?
Alberta has no rent cap and no special increase for upgrades. New windows do not let a landlord raise rent sooner, more often or mid-term; the 365-day and notice rules apply as usual.
8 min readOctober 29, 2026
Landlord guides
ABArticle
Window Rebates for Alberta Rental Owners: What's Open (October 2026)
Checked October 22, 2026: the federal Greener Homes grant and loan are closed, and Alberta rental owners are left mainly with municipal CEIP financing. Here is what is open, with official links.
9 min readOctober 29, 2026
Tenant resources
ABFAQ
How Long Does an Alberta Landlord Have to Return a Security Deposit?
In Alberta, a landlord has 10 days after you give up possession to return your security deposit, or the balance with a statement of account. Here is how the deadline works and what to do if it passes.
7 min readOctober 26, 2026
Short term rentals
ABGuide
Short-Term Rental Licence in Edmonton: What Hosts Need
Every dwelling rented for 30 consecutive days or less in Edmonton needs its own Residential Rental Accommodation (Short-Term) business licence, an approved Operational Plan and the licence number on every ad. Here is what the City asks for, what it costs and what the fines are.
10 min readOctober 31, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABGuide
Alberta Landlord Notice to End a Monthly Tenancy: Allowed Reasons
An Alberta landlord can end a month-to-month tenancy only for a reason the law lists, with 3 tenancy months' notice (365 days for major renovations). Here is each reason, what does not qualify, and how to count the notice.
8 min readOctober 26, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABComparison
Alberta vs Ontario vs BC Tenancy Rules: Side-by-Side
Alberta sets no limit on rent increases, Ontario's 2027 guideline is 1.9% and BC's 2027 limit is 2.2%. This side-by-side compares rent, deposits, inspections, unpaid rent, tenant notice, own-use compensation and disputes in all three provinces, with the section of each Act.
9 min readOctober 31, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABFAQ
Alberta Late Rent Fees and NSF Charges: Is There a Limit?
Alberta sets no maximum for late rent fees or NSF charges. A fee must be in the tenancy agreement, and one that goes beyond the landlord's real loss can be waived by RTDRS or a court.
6 min readOctober 26, 2026
Legal matters
ABComparison
RTDRS or Court? Choosing Where to Bring an Alberta Tenancy Dispute
In Alberta, landlords and tenants can take most tenancy disputes to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS) or to court, and the first filing binds both sides. Here is how the two compare on cost, limits, remedies and appeals.
7 min readOctober 26, 2026
Lease management
ABMyth buster
Is There a Standard Lease Form in Alberta?
No. Alberta has no government standard lease like Ontario's or BC's. Any lease works if it follows the Residential Tenancies Act, carries the required statement, and the tenant gets a signed copy within 21 days.
6 min readOctober 27, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABChecklist
Alberta Move-In Inspection Checklist (Room by Room)
A room-by-room move-in inspection checklist for Alberta rentals, with the statements every report must contain under AR 211/2004 s.4 and the one-week timing in RTA s.19.
6 min readOctober 30, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABFAQ
Can a Landlord Raise Rent During a Fixed Term Lease in Alberta?
An Alberta landlord cannot raise rent during a fixed term lease of a year or more, whatever the lease says. Here is when rent can go up, at renewal and on back-to-back short terms.
7 min readOctober 30, 2026
Maintenance repairs
ABChecklist
Smoke Alarm Rules for Alberta Rentals
Alberta's Minimum Housing and Health Standards require smoke alarms between each sleeping area and the rest of the suite, working at all times. Here is where they go, who keeps them working, and a checklist for landlords and tenants.
6 min readOctober 30, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABGuide
Security Deposit Deductions in Alberta: What Landlords Can and Cannot Keep
What an Alberta landlord can and cannot take from a security deposit: the lease conditions, the wear-and-tear rule, the inspection report bar on damage deductions and the 10-day return, with a worked example.
9 min readOctober 30, 2026
Regulations
ABNews
Alberta's Infill Regulation: What A.R. 255/2026 Means for Edmonton and Calgary Landlords
EDMONTON and CALGARY, Oct. 24, 2026: Alberta's City Land Use Bylaw Direction Regulation (A.R. 255/2026) orders both cities to rewrite infill zoning. What it says about suites, parking and timing.
6 min readOctober 24, 2026
Regulations
ABNews
Calgary's Rezoning Repeal and the Final Housing Accelerator Fund Payment: What Landlords and Builders Should Know
CALGARY, Oct. 28, 2026: Calgary's Housing Accelerator Fund agreement ended on October 27, months after Council repealed citywide rezoning. What changed on residential lots, the federal conditions on the final payment, and what stays the same for landlords.
5 min readOctober 28, 2026
Regulations
ABNews
Alberta's Education Property Tax Freeze: What It Means for Landlords
Alberta, Oct. 30, 2026: Alberta will set one education property tax rate for every municipality from 2027, $2.65 per $1,000 for residential property, locked for three years. What it means for landlords.
5 min readOctober 30, 2026
Maintenance repairs
ABNews
Hiring a Roofer for an Alberta Rental: What to Check After $518,000 in Fatal-Fall Fines
EDMONTON, Nov. 4, 2026: After two companies were fined a total of $518,000 over a fatal fall through an Edmonton roof, here is what an Alberta landlord should check before hiring a roofer, and what the OHS Act says owners must do.
5 min readNovember 4, 2026
Landlord guides
ABGuide
Who Shovels the Snow at an Alberta Rental? Calgary and Edmonton Sidewalk Rules
In Calgary and Edmonton, the city bylaw puts sidewalk snow clearing on the owner or occupant, and Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act is silent, so the lease decides who shovels. Deadlines, fines and City clearing bills in both cities.
9 min readNovember 4, 2026
Provincial compliance
ABFAQ
Rental Discrimination in Alberta: Who a Landlord Cannot Refuse Under the Human Rights Act
The Alberta Human Rights Act bars landlords from refusing a tenant, or setting different terms, because of 15 protected grounds. Here is what that covers, the narrow adult-only exceptions, service dogs, and the one-year complaint deadline.
5 min readNovember 7, 2026
Tenant screening
ABGuide
What Alberta Landlords Can Ask on a Rental Application Under PIPA
PIPA limits what Alberta landlords collect from applicants. A question-by-question table from the privacy commissioner's guidance, plus retention rules.
8 min readNovember 7, 2026

News

Latest Alberta news

New rules, decisions and bylaws, and what to do about them.

NewsAlberta3 d ago
Hiring a Roofer for an Alberta Rental: What to Check After $518,000 in Fatal-Fall Fines
- Landlords
- Property managers
NewsAlbertaOct 30
Alberta's Education Property Tax Freeze: What It Means for Landlords
- Landlords
- Property managers
NewsCalgary, ABOct 28
Calgary's Rezoning Repeal and the Final Housing Accelerator Fund Payment: What Landlords and Builders Should Know
- Landlords
- Property managers

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