Mould in Your Rental? What Tenants Can Do

This page is general information, not legal advice.

Your landlord is responsible

In Alberta, landlords are responsible for fixing mould in rentals. Your part is to tell them about it, promptly and in writing.

Steps to take

1. Take photos of the mould, with dates.
2. Write to your landlord. Email or a letter, describing where the mould is and when you noticed it. Keep a copy.
3. Report leaks right away too. Mould grows where there are leaks, high humidity or condensation.
4. Keep humidity down where you can: run bathroom fans, use the range hood, and wipe condensation off windows.
5. Follow up in writing if nothing happens.

If your landlord doesn’t act

You can contact Alberta Health Services. AHS health inspectors don’t need landlord permission to inspect, and they can order the problem fixed. Those orders require a qualified mould remediation company or consultant, plus written reports.

Health

Mould can cause problems such as asthma flare-ups, stuffy nose and eye irritation. If you’re worried about your health, talk to your doctor.

How we can help

We work on the property with the owner’s permission, so we can’t remove mould in your unit unless your landlord authorizes it. What we can do:

• Quote your landlord directly if you pass on our details.
• Inspect with your landlord’s agreement and give a written report of what we find.
• Do the work once the landlord books it, and provide reports and clearance results.

If the mould is small, surface-level and on a hard surface, you may be able to clean it yourself. See can I clean mould myself? Anything larger, or anything that keeps coming back, needs your landlord to deal with the cause.

Our guide on mould in rentals in Alberta covers both sides.