Alberta eviction notices: 14-day, 24-hour and urgent cases

Notice types are not interchangeable

• A landlord may use at least a 14-day notice for qualifying substantial breaches, subject to requirements.
• A 24-hour notice may apply to severe damage, assault or threats of physical assault under specific conditions.
• Unauthorized occupants: where the named tenant still lives in the home, the unauthorized person may be given at least 14 days to leave; if the tenant has moved out, the unauthorized occupant may be given at least 48 hours. These are not ordinary eviction notices against a named tenant.

A 14-day notice and objections

For an ordinary 14-day notice, a tenant who disputes the stated grounds generally must object in writing before the notice period expires. The landlord may need to apply for an RTDRS or court order if the tenant objects or stays. A 14-day substantial-breach notice must allow 14 clear days: the day it is served and the stated termination day are not counted. Different rules apply to shorter or special notices.

When the tenant remains after a 24-hour notice

For qualifying assault, threat or significant-damage grounds, Alberta states that if the tenant does not leave after a 24-hour notice, the landlord must apply to RTDRS or court within 10 days after the tenancy ends or the notice becomes void. Do not treat the notice as permission to change locks or remove someone without lawful enforcement.

Unpaid rent

A notice for unpaid rent generally needs the additional statement that paying the rent due by the specified termination date avoids termination under that notice. A rent arrears ledger and payment dates are crucial evidence.

Landlord application guide

How to respond to a 14-day notice

1. Read the grounds and termination date. A substantial-breach notice must be in writing, identify the rental premises, be signed, explain the grounds and state when the tenancy ends. Check any required rent particulars and the unpaid-rent cure statement.
2. Count 14 clear days. The service day and termination day do not count. For example, if a qualifying notice is properly served on November 1, the fourteen clear days run November 2–15, making November 16 the earliest stated termination date. Verify the actual service method and date.
3. Object in writing if you dispute the stated reasons. Explain why you disagree and deliver the objection to the landlord before the 14-day period expires. Keep a copy and delivery proof.
4. Understand the next step. If you object or remain after the notice expires, the landlord can seek an RTDRS or court order. The notice itself is not an enforcement order authorizing lock changes or removal.

What to preserve as evidence

Keep the signed notice and envelope, photos showing when or where it was delivered, rent receipts or bank records, repair requests, messages, and any written objection. A 24-hour notice must state the time as well as the date, and the separate 48-hour unauthorized-occupant route is available only in its specific circumstances. For the formal hearing process, see Alberta evidence and service.