How much does tenant placement cost in Calgary?

Typically half to one month's rent as a single fee, with no ongoing percentage. Compare that against the cost of a bad tenant, arrears, damage and a dispute hearing routinely exceed a year of management fees.

Can I place a tenant myself?

Yes, and many Alberta landlords do. The parts most often got wrong are screening depth, the security deposit rules, and the move-in inspection report, skipping the inspection forfeits the right to deduct from the deposit for damage entirely.

Do I have to sign a long agreement for tenant placement?

No. Tenant placement is a one-off engagement that ends when the tenant moves in and the paperwork is handed over. Ongoing management is a separate decision you can make later, or never.

For landlords

Tenant placement only

Find the tenant, screen them properly, paper the tenancy, then hand you the keys. No ongoing management, no long agreement.

Short answer

Tenant placement is a one-off service: the agent markets the property, runs showings, screens applicants, and prepares the tenancy agreement and move-in inspection, then hands the property back to the owner, who manages it themselves. It is typically charged as a single fee of roughly half to one month's rent, with no ongoing percentage. Full property management continues after move-in, collecting rent and handling maintenance for a recurring fee.

Get a tenant placed

Tell me the address and when it's available. One fee, no ongoing commitment.

Who this is for

Plenty of Calgary landlords are perfectly capable of managing their own property and genuinely do not want a manager. What they want is to stop losing evenings to showings, and to stop guessing about applicants.

Tenant selection is where nearly all of a landlord's risk lives. Everything else, a leaking tap or a late payment, is recoverable. The wrong tenant is months of arrears, a damaged unit and a hearing. That decision is worth paying for even when the rest of the job is not.

What you get

Rent priced against CMHC zone data and live comparable listings.
Listing, photography and syndication.
Showings handled, including the ones on Saturday.
Screening: credit, background, rental history, eviction records, income verification.
A written recommendation on the applicants, with the reasoning, so the decision stays yours.
Tenancy agreement prepared, deposit handled to the letter of the Act, move-in inspection report completed.

The move-in inspection is not paperwork. Skip it and you lose the right to deduct from the security deposit for damage at all, no matter what the unit looks like at the end. It is the cheapest insurance in residential tenancy.

Then it's yours

After move-in you collect the rent, take the maintenance calls and manage the tenancy. No ongoing fee, no percentage, nothing to cancel.

If you later decide you would rather not do it, full management is there. Plenty of people go that way after a year, and plenty never do. Both are fine outcomes.

Property management services are provided through Ko Realty Ltd.. Rent and security deposits are held in the brokerage trust account as required by the Real Estate Act and the Residential Tenancies Act.

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.

Last updated 2026-08-19 · Written by Mohammad Emon, REALTOR® (SRES®) & Licensed Property Manager, KO Realty · RECA licence LIC-00666633

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