What Should an Alberta Residential Tenancy Agreement Include?

Most Calgary houses, apartments, duplexes, condominium units and qualifying rooming arrangements are covered by Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act, but there are exclusions. A person sharing the landlord's living quarters as though part of the family, short hotel stays and some mixed business arrangements may fall outside the usual framework.

Identify the legal relationship before choosing a form. Do not label an arrangement a licence, roommate agreement or short-term stay to avoid rules that apply to the actual facts. Obtain Alberta legal advice for owner-shared housing, employee accommodation, mobile-home sites, supportive housing or unusual use.

A fixed term begins and ends on stated dates and ordinarily ends on the final date without notice. A periodic tenancy starts on a date and continues until lawfully ended. A hybrid arrangement begins fixed and then moves to periodic through an express term or the parties' conduct.

Write what happens at the end of the fixed term. Do not assume a vague renewal conversation overrides the agreement or that a fixed term gives a landlord unlimited early termination rights. The tenancy type controls notice, renewal, rent and possession decisions later.

Use the full legal names and service addresses of the landlord and all adult tenants. Describe the Calgary premises precisely, including the unit, parking stall, garage, storage locker, yard areas and any shared space. List the people permitted to occupy the home without turning protected family status into a screening rule.

For a condominium, attach or deliver the current rules that genuinely affect the tenancy and identify who communicates with the corporation. For a secondary suite, confirm which utilities, entrances, waste areas, laundry, mechanical systems and outdoor spaces are shared.

State the rent amount, due date, payment method and recipient. Define the tenancy month if it does not follow the calendar month. Explain what is included in rent and which separate charges may apply, such as utilities, parking or a lawful NSF fee.

Avoid ambiguous bundles and informal side deals. If utilities are shared, explain the allocation method and access to supporting bills. If a sub-meter is used, ensure the agreement discloses the arrangement and formula. A later change in the total amount payable may engage Alberta rent-increase rules.

State the deposit amount, which cannot exceed one month's rent when the tenancy starts, and the permitted treatment at the end. The deposit must be placed in an interest-bearing Alberta trust account within two banking days. It cannot simply become operating cash or be increased when rent rises.

Connect the deposit clause to the move-in and move-out inspection process. A broad clause authorizing any deduction does not replace evidence, normal-wear analysis, statements of account or the statutory return timelines.

List who pays electricity, gas, water, internet, waste, condominium move fees and other services. Define routine tasks such as lawn care, snow clearing, filter changes or reporting leaks, while preserving the landlord's statutory duties for habitability, safety and repair.

Calgary weather makes vague exterior duties costly. Specify the areas, timing, supplied equipment and fallback if the tenant cannot perform an agreed task. Confirm the arrangement does not conflict with City rules, insurance, condominium obligations or a contractor agreement.

Property rules should be specific, lawful and connected to the premises. Identify approved pets, smoking or cannabis restrictions, parking stalls, storage limits, guest expectations, alteration rules and condominium requirements. State the approval path for a proposed change.

Do not use a property rule to avoid human-rights accommodation duties or to create an automatic eviction outside Alberta law. If a rule is essential because of insurance, condominium bylaws or legal use, preserve the supporting document and explain it before signing.

Give current contact methods for routine and emergency maintenance and explain how tenants should report active water, heat, electrical, security or safety issues. Describe communication preferences without suggesting that an email clause waives statutory notice or service requirements.

The agreement can orient the parties to consent and lawful entry, but it cannot convert a key into standing permission to enter. Keep entry notices, repair requests and access outcomes in a dated operating file rather than relying on memory or informal text threads.

Before possession, complete signatures, provide each party a copy, collect money through the documented process and schedule the move-in inspection. Record keys, fobs, remotes, meter readings, parking access, appliance manuals and existing defects. Confirm tenant insurance when the agreement reasonably requires it.

Do not release keys because a transfer screenshot appears in a message. Verify cleared funds, identity, authority and the agreed possession time. Keep private identity and banking material in a secure channel rather than attaching it to a general property folder.

Treat a later change to rent, utilities, occupants, pets, parking, management or the tenancy term as a documented decision. Identify what changed, the effective date, any required notice or consent and how it affects the rest of the agreement.

Near the end of a fixed term, discuss renewal early even though notice is ordinarily not required for the term to expire. A clear written renewal avoids an unintended hybrid or periodic tenancy created through conduct after the end date.

Last source review: July 30, 2026. Tenancy rules, forms, service methods, filing fees, interest rates, privacy guidance, human-rights duties and local requirements can change. Verify the agreement, property, event and deadline with the Alberta lawyer, licensed property manager, insurer, accountant, contractor, municipality or government service responsible for the answer.