How to Screen a Tenant in Alberta (Step by Step)

A practical, step-by-step guide for Alberta landlords: what to ask, which checks to run with consent, what you can't ask, and how to decide fairly.

Screening helps you choose a tenant based on the same clear criteria for everyone. This guide walks through a simple process Alberta landlords can follow, from the listing to the signed lease.

1. Set your criteria before you advertise

Decide in advance what you need from every applicant — for example, who will live in the unit, move-in date, rental history and the checks you'll run. Writing it down and applying it to everyone keeps decisions consistent and easier to explain.

2. Know what you can't ask

Alberta's Human Rights Act protects tenants from discrimination in renting. Protected grounds include race, religious beliefs, colour, gender, gender identity and expression, physical or mental disability, ancestry, place of origin, marital status, source of income, family status and sexual orientation. Age is also protected, with some exceptions such as certain adult-only housing. Don't base a decision on any of these, and avoid questions that point to them.

3. Collect a written application

• Full legal name and contact details
• Current and previous addresses, with landlord references
• Who will live in the unit and the planned move-in date
• Written consent for any background or credit checks you plan to run

4. Run consent-based checks

In Canada, personal information for a screening should be collected with the applicant's knowledge and consent, and only for a clear purpose. Common checks for rentals are:

• Identity verification — confirms the applicant is who they say they are, using a government photo ID.
• Credit report — shows credit history and payment patterns. It requires the applicant's consent.
• Criminal record check — a Canadian criminal record search, with consent.

With Vcheck, you order online and the applicant receives a secure link to give consent and verify their ID on their phone. Results come back to you in one report.

5. Call references

Speak with previous landlords where possible. Ask factual questions: dates of tenancy, whether rent was paid on time, the condition of the unit at move-out, and whether they'd rent to the person again.

6. Decide consistently and keep records private

Compare each applicant against the criteria you set in step 1. Keep screening results secure, use them only for this rental decision, and don't keep them longer than you need. If you turn someone down because of something in a report, let them know so they can check it with the source — for example, credit information with Equifax Canada or TransUnion Canada.

7. Sign the lease and take the deposit correctly

Under Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act, a security deposit can't be more than one month's rent. It must be held in a trust account, and interest is owed to the tenant at the rate set by the province. Do a written move-in inspection with the tenant.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. For your situation, see Service Alberta's landlord and tenant resources or speak with a lawyer.