Renting in Calgary
Calgary renters have more choice in purpose-built apartments than in ground-oriented homes, and that gap is worth using. The single most valuable check before signing a basement suite is whether it is legal.
Check whether a basement suite is legal before you sign. Calgary publishes a registry of legally permitted secondary suites. An unpermitted suite may have unresolved fire-safety, egress or ceiling-height issues, and enforcement action against the owner can end your tenancy through no fault of yours. Beyond that, your rights in Calgary are the provincial ones: the security deposit cannot exceed one month's rent and must come back within 10 days of you giving up possession, a landlord needs 24 hours' written notice to enter, and rent can rise only once every 365 days with 3 full tenancy months' notice on a month-to-month tenancy. Alberta has no rent control, so there is no cap on the amount.
The Calgary rental market
Calgary is really two rental markets and treating it as one produces bad decisions. Purpose-built apartment supply and ground-oriented housing, detached homes, townhouses and secondary suites, have been moving in different directions, so a citywide average describes neither. Which segment a property sits in matters more than which quadrant it is in.
What is different about renting in Calgary
Check whether a basement suite is legal before you sign
Calgary publishes a registry of legally permitted secondary suites. An unpermitted suite may have unresolved fire-safety, egress or ceiling-height issues, and enforcement action against the owner can end your tenancy through no fault of yours. Source.
Utilities are usually yours to arrange
Electricity and natural gas in Calgary are contracted through retailers, and water is billed by the City. Confirm in writing which utilities are included before signing, it is a common and expensive misunderstanding.
Before you sign
Insist on the move-in inspection. A move-in inspection report must be completed with the tenant within one week before or one week after the tenant takes possession. A landlord who does not complete the inspection reports and give you a copy loses the right to deduct from your deposit for damage at all. It is the single most valuable ten minutes of your tenancy.
Never send money before you have seen a written tenancy agreement, and never for a property you have not viewed in person or by live video with the person you are dealing with. A below-market rent combined with a landlord who cannot meet in person is the classic advance-fee pattern, and the money is rarely recoverable.
You should never be charged a fee by a property manager to view a property, to apply, or to join a waiting list, in Alberta the landlord pays the manager. Have identification, proof of income and landlord references assembled before you view anything; in Calgary that is what gets you chosen ahead of someone who simply enquired first.
Alberta tenancy rules, the same province-wide
Tenancy law is provincial; only the civic details above change between municipalities.
- Security deposits: the one-month cap, the 10-day return deadline, and the interest owed
- Rent increases: no cap on the amount, strict rules on timing, with a calculator
- Landlord entry: the 24-hour written notice rule and its exceptions
- Ending a tenancy: notice periods by tenancy type and the grounds a landlord needs
- Unpaid rent: the 14-day notice, RTDRS and who may evict
- Repairs: the minimum housing standards and who enforces them
- Renting out a condo: the corporation's notices and deposit
General information about Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act, not legal advice. Rules change and individual situations vary. For a dispute, contact the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS) or a lawyer. Rules current as of 2026-08-11.
Hear about Calgary rentals before they are advertised
Managed homes are usually known weeks before a tenancy ends. Tell us what you need once and we will come to you when something matches. Free — renters never pay a fee here.
Questions
How much can my landlord raise the rent in Calgary?
There is no limit on the amount — Alberta has no rent control. The limits are on timing: 365 days must pass since the last increase or the start of your tenancy, and a month-to-month tenancy requires 3 full tenancy months of written notice. Rent cannot be increased during a fixed-term lease.
How long does my landlord have to return my deposit in Calgary?
10 days after you give up possession. If the landlord is deducting for damage or unpaid rent they must return the balance they do not intend to use plus an estimated statement of account within those 10 days, and provide a final statement within 30 days. This is provincial law and applies throughout Alberta.
Can my landlord enter without telling me in Calgary?
Only with your consent, or with at least 24 hours' written notice stating the reason and a time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. No notice is required only in a genuine emergency or where the landlord reasonably believes the unit has been abandoned.
Sources
- City of Calgary: Secondary suites
- City of Calgary: Short-term rental business licence
- City of Calgary: Property tax
- CMHC: Rental Market Survey data tables
- Government of Alberta: Residential Tenancies Act (Alberta), full text
- Government of Alberta: RTA Handbook for Landlords and Tenants
- Government of Alberta: Alberta.ca: Annual security deposit interest rate
Figures cited from CREB® and City of Calgary sources reflect the reporting period stated on each page. Rules, fees and programs change. Confirm current details with the issuing authority before acting.
Last updated 2026-09-28 · Written by Mohammad Emon, REALTOR® (SRES®) & Licensed Property Manager, KO Realty · RECA licence CON-00133897