Preventive law (also known as “preventative law”) is an approach to law that empowers people about their legal rights and responsibilities, while minimizing the risks of litigation.In the cyberpunk science fiction film, The Matrix, there’s an iconic scene where the main character, Neo, meets … [Read more...]
About Judy Feng
Shedding light on economic evictions
There is developing case law in Alberta that says landlords cannot raise rent to indirectly evict a tenant, known as an "economic eviction".Economic evictions happen when a landlord tries to evict a tenant by raising the rent. It is common knowledge that Alberta’s Residential Tenancies Act … [Read more...]
Artificial Intelligence in Public Legal Education: An experiment from the bottom up
The Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta (CPLEA) undertook a trial of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to explore ways to improve both internal workflows and its public legal education and information resources.The 2022–2023 Bridging the Gaps Legal Needs Assessment from the Alberta Law … [Read more...]
Tenant Move-Outs: Cleaning and security deposit deductions
A common issue when moving out of a rental unit is what charges, including cleaning charges, a landlord can deduct from the tenant’s security deposit.A tenant's lease ends in one week, and the landlord has already notified them to move out. Everything in the rental looks clean, but should the … [Read more...]
Having Problems with Another Tenant?
Living close to others can lead to conflicts over noise, garbage and more. The following tips can help you deal with problems with another tenant.Is another tenant in your building driving you crazy? Maybe they're making too much noise, leaving garbage in the hallway, or throwing cigarette … [Read more...]
A first look at Alberta’s new life lease legislation
Recent media reports exposed gaps in consumer protection for life leases in Alberta, leading to May 2024 amendments to the Consumer Protection Act in an attempt to address these concerns.Within the past year, you may have heard about Alberta seniors trying to get their life savings back after … [Read more...]
What is an offence under Alberta’s renting laws?
Service Alberta can receive and investigate complaints about and issue fines for renting offences described in the Residential Tenancies Act.EDITOR’S NOTE This article was first published in LawNow on September 8, 2014. It was reviewed and updated in 2024.How familiar are you with offences … [Read more...]
Can You Buy a Home Without a Lawyer in Alberta?
While it may be tempting to DIY the homebuying process and save on legal fees, there are many benefits to hiring a lawyer, including having a faster and lower stress experience.It is springtime and the start of homebuying season is here. If you are thinking of buying a home, you may be … [Read more...]
Electronic signatures and digital leases
More and more people are signing documents electronically, including digital leases, but are these documents legally binding the same way paper copies and ink signatures are?What happens when you electronically sign a document like a digital residential lease? Is it legally binding like a … [Read more...]
All About Rental Fees (Part 2): Parking fees, late payment of rent fees, and lease break fees
Part 2 of this 2-part article looks at whether rental fees like parking fees, late payment of rent fees, and lease break fees are legal under Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act.Over the past year, CPLEA has been hearing about confusion over fees that landlords are charging tenants. The first … [Read more...]
