What Alberta law says about rent increases
- →No cap. Alberta has no rent control. Your landlord can raise the rent by any amount.
- →Written notice, and how much depends on your tenancy. Month to month needs 3 full tenancy months. Week to week needs 84 days. Other periodic terms need 90 days. Mobile home sites need 180 days. Verbal notice never counts.
- →Once every 365 days. Measured from your last increase, or from the day you moved in if the rent has never gone up.
- →Never during a fixed-term lease. If your lease has an end date, the rent is locked until that date — even if a year goes by.
Your tenancy
This decides how much notice your landlord owes you.
Notice required for a month to month tenancy: 3 full tenancy months.
Your rent details
Enter both rent amounts to see your results. Add the dates and we'll check the increase against the law.
What can you do if the increase isn't legal?
If your landlord hasn't followed the notice rules, is raising rent inside 365 days, or is raising it during a fixed term, the increase is not enforceable. You don't have to pay it.
Your options:
- 1.Write to your landlord naming the rule that wasn't followed — the tool above generates this for you. Keep a copy.
- 2.File with the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS) — $75, and it can be done online.
- 3.Take it to Provincial Court (Civil Division) if needed — this is the last resort.
Common questions
Is there a limit on how much rent can go up in Alberta?
No. Alberta ended rent control in 1995 and has not brought it back, so there is no maximum percentage or dollar cap on a rent increase. A landlord can raise rent by any amount as long as they give the right amount of written notice and have not raised the rent in the past 365 days. The protections in Alberta are about timing and paperwork, not price.
How much notice does my landlord have to give?
It depends on your tenancy. A month-to-month tenancy needs 3 full tenancy months of written notice. A week-to-week tenancy needs 12 tenancy weeks, which is 84 days. Any other periodic tenancy needs 90 days. A mobile home site tenancy needs 180 days. During a fixed-term lease, the rent cannot be increased at all until the term ends.
How do I count 3 full tenancy months?
Three whole calendar months have to pass between the month you got the notice and the month the increase starts, so the earliest effective date is the first day of the fourth month after the notice. To raise rent on November 1, notice has to be served by July 31, because August, September and October each need to pass in full. Notice given on April 1 and notice given on April 30 both give the same earliest date of August 1.
Can my landlord raise rent more than once a year?
No. At least 365 days must pass between rent increases, measured from the last increase or from the day you moved in if the rent has never gone up. This applies no matter what your lease says. A second increase inside that window is not enforceable.
Can my rent go up in the middle of a fixed-term lease?
No. If you signed a lease with a set end date, the rent is locked for the whole term, even if more than 365 days pass during it. Your landlord has to wait until the term ends. They can propose a higher rent for a new agreement after that, and the usual notice rules apply to the new tenancy.
What counts as written notice?
A letter or email that states the new rent amount and the date the increase takes effect, signed and dated by the landlord or their agent. A verbal mention does not count, and neither does a rent increase that simply appears on an invoice without proper notice.
My landlord gave notice but the increase starts mid-month. Is that valid?
A rent increase has to take effect on the first day of a rental period. For a month-to-month tenancy that is normally the first of the month. An increase that starts partway through a rental period is not properly served and is worth challenging in writing.
Can my landlord raise the rent when I renew my lease?
Yes, but the same rules still apply. At least 365 days must have passed since the last increase, and the landlord must give the written notice their tenancy type requires. Signing a renewal does not waive those requirements.
What can I do if the increase is not legal?
An increase that fails the notice or timing rules is not enforceable, and you do not have to pay the higher amount. Start by writing to your landlord and naming the specific rule that was missed, keeping a copy. If that does not resolve it, you can apply to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS) for a $75 filing fee, or take the matter to Provincial Court (Civil Division).
Does Calgary or Edmonton have its own rent control?
No. Neither city has local rent control, and municipalities in Alberta do not have the power to create it. The provincial rules on notice and timing are the same in Calgary, Edmonton and everywhere else in the province.
Know your rights
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This tool is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change and individual tenancies vary. For a dispute, contact the RTDRS or a lawyer, and verify the current rules with the Government of Alberta or CPLEA.
