What is a multigenerational household? A multigenerational household is a home where three or more generations reside. These households contain at least one person who is both the grandparent and the parent of someone in the house. In Alberta, these households comprise just a small percentage … [Read more...]
Getting Your Security Deposit Back
Moving out of your rental home can be hectic, but ensuring you get your security deposit back should not be complicated. In Alberta, the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) sets clear rules to protect tenants and landlords. Here is what you need to know to recover your security deposit … [Read more...]
Having 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 butts onto your balcony. Living next to people you don’t get along with can be challenging, but that doesn't mean you have to suffer. Tenants have the … [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. How familiar are you with offences in renting? In many provinces, tenancy laws include offences. In Alberta, most offences have to do with landlords … [Read more...]
Deficiency Judgments in Mortgage Proceedings
Some homeowners may have to pay the lender the difference between what they owe on their house and how much the lender recovers during the foreclosure process. This is known as a deficiency judgment. When someone can no longer pay their mortgage, they risk losing their home through a legal … [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...]
Edmonton’s Encampment Case: What does it mean for future cases?
The Coalition for Justice and Human Rights' August 2023 constitutional challenge to the City of Edmonton’s encampment removals did not succeed, but this case wasn't the first of its kind and likely won't be the last. As housing in Canada and Alberta becomes increasingly expensive, many people … [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...]
High Ratio vs. Conventional Mortgages
How the Court deals with a home foreclosure depends on whether the mortgage is a high ratio, insured mortgage or a conventional mortgage where the borrower's down payment was at least 20% of the value of the home. If you are facing foreclosure in Alberta, it is important to know what type of … [Read more...]
