Rights and resources for Alberta landlords during the coronavirus pandemic

As a landlord, you’re stuck in a tricky spot during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are a few of your rights:

You can negotiate a payment plan or deferral

Alongside negotiating payment plans with your tenants, you can encourage and assist your residents in applying for government support.

Residential landlords can also apply for deferrals on mortgages and utilities with their banks and providers.

You can file for possession orders ONLY for safety concerns or criminal activity

This does not apply to non-payment of rent or utilities. However, if a tenant has refused to negotiate or comply with a repayment plan, you can file for a possession order.

Unfortunately, there are no other supports available explicitly for landlords at this time.

• See also: 
  • “Help is on the way”: Trudeau’s emergency benefit now giving $2000 a month for 4 months
  • Here’s how to apply for over $1000 in support from the Alberta government

However, there are several resources you can use to work together with your tenants during the pandemic.

You can find overviews of landlord rights and legal responsibilities here, and you can brush up on your knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act here.

The Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta has several PDFs of landlord tips, safety suggestions, and rights on their website, and if renting is not your main source of income, you can find the available supports for Albertans here.