What’s New for 2023

Under Alberta’s 2023 Rent Increase guideline, there is no limit on rent increases in the province. If the landlord provides a tenant with at least 90 days proper written notice, they can increase the rent on a residential rental unit to market price. However, Alberta landlords must wait at least one year to raise rents. Rules for periodic tenancies, which have no end date for the tenancy, differ from fixed term tenancies, where a tenant agrees to rent for a specific period of time (e.g., 12 months).

Rules For Increasing Rent

The landlord must give proper written notice of the rent increase before it takes effect for periodic tenancies.

• For monthly tenancies, the landlord must give at least 3 months notice to the tenant before the rent increase can take effect.
• For weekly tenancies, the landlord must give at least 12 weeks notice to the tenant before the rent increase can take effect.
• For tenancies of any other period terms, the landlord must give at least 90 days notice to the tenant before the rent increase can take effect.

In most cases, the rent for a residential unit can be increased 12 months after:

• The last rent increase
• The start date of tenancy

Rules For Increasing Rent – Fixed Term Tenancies

According to the Residential Tenancies Act, the landlord is not required to give proper written notice of the rent increase for fixed term tenancies.

Although written notice is not required, the landlord is still limited to increasing the rent 12 months after:

• The last rent increase
• The start of the tenancy

Landlords also cannot increase the rent during a fixed term lease agreement. Changes to the tenancy can only be made at the end of the fixed term agreement.

Residential Tenancy Branch Rent Increase Forms

To be effective, a rent increase notice must:

• Be in writing
• Include the date
• Include the effective date of the increase
• Contain the landlord’s signature

Rent Increase notices may be hand delivered or sent by registered/certified mail and accepted by an adult in the house. Email rent increase notices may be used if you’re unable to serve using these other methods. In order for a rent increase to be valid, a landlord must establish that they attempted to deliver the notice, even if a tenant did not see it.

Resolving Issues About Rent Control

 Either tenants or landlords can contact the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS) and determine whether a unit is exempt from the Alberta 2023 Rent Increase guideline. To show a unit is exempt from rent control, a landlord should include an additional term in the lease stating such, and keep records that prove this is the case.

Get Your Rent Without The Stress

Set up automatic payments today with our Rent Collection tool.