Alberta’s Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) governs most residential rentals in the province, and the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS) hears disputes between landlords and tenants without going to court. Alberta differs from Ontario and BC in one big way: there is no limit on how much rent can go up, only on how often and with how much notice. This guide covers the main rules for Alberta tenants. The same topics for other provinces are in the renting in Canada hub, with guides for BC, Ontario and Quebec.
Your tenancy agreement
Alberta has two kinds of tenancy: a fixed term, which starts and ends on set dates and ends on its end date without notice, and a periodic tenancy (usually month to month), which continues until one side gives notice. The agreement can be written, verbal or implied, but it can’t take away any right the RTA gives you: the province’s page states, “Anything in the agreement that waives any rights set out in the RTA is void.”
Rent increases
- There is no limit on how much rent can go up.
- Rent can go up once a year (365 days) since the last increase or the start of the tenancy, and not during a fixed-term lease.
- A month-to-month tenant must get 3 full tenancy months' written notice.
- The notice period is 12 full tenancy weeks for a week-to-week tenancy and 90 days for any other periodic tenancy.
Source: Alberta government.
Because Alberta sets no cap, market rents matter more at renewal: Calgary, Edmonton and provincial figures are on the Alberta rental market page within the rent and vacancy data section. Provinces that do cap increases are listed in the rent increase comparison. With no limit on the amount, the notice period is the time you have to negotiate or look elsewhere (how to negotiate rent).
Security deposits and inspection reports
In Alberta a security deposit can't be more than one month's rent at the start of the tenancy, it can't be raised later, and the landlord holds it in a trust account and returns it with interest: within 10 days of move-out if nothing is deducted, or with a statement of account (or an estimate, then a final statement within 30 days) if something is.Move-in and move-out inspection reports are mandatory in Alberta, and a landlord who doesn’t complete them can’t deduct damage or cleaning costs from the deposit. The return deadlines and what a landlord can deduct, alongside the other provinces’ rules, are on deposit rules by province.
When your landlord can enter
An Alberta landlord can enter with your consent at any time; without consent only after at least 24 hours' written notice, for repairs, inspections, pest control or showings; and without notice only in an emergency or if the unit appears abandoned.What to do if a landlord enters without notice, and how other provinces compare, is on landlord entry rules.
Repairs
The landlord is responsible for keeping the rental reasonably safe and in good repair throughout the tenancy, to the standards in Alberta’s Public Health Act and its housing regulations. A tenant can’t withhold rent because repairs haven’t been done. If a landlord ignores a repair request, the province’s page says the tenant may apply to the RTDRS or court to recover damages, have the rent reduced, be compensated for doing the landlord’s work, or end the tenancy. Alberta Environmental Public Health handles complaints about unsafe or unhealthy conditions.
Subletting and assignment
In Alberta you need the landlord's written consent to sublet or assign; the landlord can refuse only on reasonable grounds, given in writing within 14 days, no answer within 14 days counts as consent, and the landlord can't charge a fee for consenting.Subletting rules in the other provinces are on subletting rules in Canada.
Ending a tenancy
| Type of tenancy | Tenant’s notice | Landlord’s notice |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed term | None: it ends on its end date | None: it ends on its end date |
| Week to week | 1 full tenancy week | 1 full tenancy week |
| Month to month | 1 full tenancy month | 3 full tenancy months, and only for a reason the regulations allow |
| Year to year | At least 60 days before the last day of the tenancy year | At least 90 days before the last day of the tenancy year |
Notice must be in writing, give the address and the date the tenancy ends, and be signed; a landlord must also give the reason. The reasons a landlord can end a periodic tenancy include the landlord or a relative moving in, a sale where the buyer or a relative will move in, demolition, and conversion to a non-residential use; major renovations that need the unit empty, and conversion to a condominium, require a year’s notice. A late notice ends the tenancy at the end of the next complete tenancy period.
Ending a fixed-term lease early takes an agreement with the landlord or an assignment or sublet; the options are on breaking a lease early. A tenant whose safety is at risk because of domestic violence has a separate right:
In Alberta, a tenant can end a tenancy early and without financial penalty when continuing it would put the tenant's safety, a dependent child's or a protected adult's at risk because of domestic violence, using a Safer Spaces certificate.Evictions
A landlord can end a tenancy for a substantial breach by the tenant, such as not paying rent in full when due, significant damage, or disturbing or endangering others, by giving at least 14 days’ notice or applying to the RTDRS or court. A 24-hour notice is allowed only for significant damage, or an assault or threat of assault. A notice for unpaid rent must say that the tenancy won’t end if the rent owing is paid by the termination date. If you object to a 14-day notice, you give the landlord a written explanation before the 14 days are over; the landlord then needs an RTDRS or court order to end the tenancy, and until that order is issued you can stay.
Applying to the RTDRS
The RTDRS is a quasi-judicial tribunal for disputes under the RTA, with applications filed online through its eFiling service and hearings usually by telephone. From April 1, 2026, the RTDRS filing fee is tiered by the amount claimed: $75 for claims of $7,500 or less and $150 for larger claims, with fee waivers for eligible applicants. Tenants can also go to the Provincial Court instead.
Key takeaways
- Alberta has no limit on the size of a rent increase, but rent can go up only once a year, never during a fixed term, and with written notice
- A security deposit is capped at one month’s rent, kept in trust and returned with interest
- Inspection reports at move-in and move-out are mandatory and protect your deposit
- Landlords need 24 hours’ written notice to enter, except with your consent or in an emergency
- Disputes go to the RTDRS or the court
Related reading
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them on October 6, 2026. How we check facts.
- Government of Alberta: Ending a tenancy
- Government of Alberta: Starting a tenancy
- Government of Alberta: During a tenancy | Alberta.ca
- Government of Alberta: Common problems landlords and tenants