If you’re a landlord or a tenant in Alberta, you’ve likely heard of the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA). Whether renting out a single unit or managing multiple properties, the RTA serves as a guide to maintaining compliance while fostering respectful and professional relationships with tenants.
In this guide, GIL helps you confidently navigate Alberta’s landlord-tenant laws in 2025 to equip you with the knowledge needed to meet your obligations, safeguard your investments, and create positive rental experiences.
Understanding Key Responsibilities under the RTA
The RTA outlines roles and responsibilities for landlords and tenants, ensuring a fair and balanced framework for rental relationships in Alberta.
Landlord Responsibilities
Landlords have a duty to provide and maintain rental properties in a safe, clean, and habitable condition throughout the tenancy. This includes:
Ensuring habitability
Properties must comply with Alberta’s Minimum Housing and Health Standards, meaning essentials like heating, plumbing, and pest control must be in good working order and under control.
Providing written notice
Within seven days of the tenancy start, landlords must deliver a written notice of their name and contact information or post it in a common area if applicable. This ensures tenants know how to reach their landlord in case of issues.
Tenant Responsibilities
Tenants also have specific duties to uphold, contributing to maintaining a respectful and functional rental arrangement. These include:
Paying rent on time: This fundamental obligation ensures landlords can maintain the property and meet their own financial responsibilities.
Maintaining cleanliness and preventing damage: Tenants must keep the property reasonably clean and avoid causing damage beyond normal wear and tear.
When landlords and tenants understand and fulfill these duties, they contribute to a more harmonious rental experience.
Unique Rental Scenarios
Rental situations in Alberta often extend beyond standard apartments or single-family homes, with condominiums and mobile homes presenting unique legal considerations.
Condominiums
Condominium rentals introduce additional layers of responsibility for both landlords and tenants. Key points to consider include:
Following condominium bylaws
Tenants must adhere to the corporation’s bylaws, which may include rules about noise levels, parking, and the use of shared spaces. Importantly, these bylaws override the tenancy agreement and the RTA, making compliance essential.
Landlord obligations
Condominium landlords must notify the corporation of tenancy details, such as the tenant’s name, the rent amount, and an address for the landlord to be served legal documents. This notification must occur within 20 days of the start of the tenancy.
Mobile Homes
Renting mobile homes introduces another set of unique legal requirements under Alberta’s Mobile Home Sites Tenancies Act (MHSTA). However, it’s crucial to distinguish between two scenarios: renting the land a mobile home is placed on versus renting the mobile home itself.
Land rentals
The MHSTA applies when tenants rent only the parcel of land for their mobile home. This legislation establishes minimum standards of conduct for landlords and tenants, ensuring clarity in these specialized arrangements.
Full property rentals
When tenants rent the mobile home and the land, the RTA applies instead. Landlords and tenants should ensure the correct legislation is referenced to avoid legal misunderstandings.
By understanding the fundamentals of the RTA in 2025, both landlords and tenants can help ensure a prosperous relationship with minimal disputes. Looking for more help with RTA regulations? GIL can help! Our team of experts can help you navigate certain areas and provide tailored solutions. Contact us today for a free property management consultation.
