Tenants who experience health or safety problems in a rental in Alberta—such as persistent mould, pest infestations, lack of heat, or unsafe water—may need to contact Alberta Health Services (AHS) for public-health guidance and inspections. This page explains when AHS is an appropriate contact versus your landlord or municipal building inspectors, how to prepare clear documentation, and which official forms and provincial steps can help support a health-related complaint. Follow the practical steps below to gather evidence, request inspections, and protect your rights as a renter while seeking repairs or remediation. If you are unsure who to call first, this guide helps you decide and shows how to keep records that strengthen your case.
What Alberta Health Services can help with
Alberta Health Services has an Environmental Public Health branch that responds when rental conditions pose a public-health risk, such as widespread mould, vermin infestations affecting multiple units, contaminated drinking water, or sewage back-ups. Contact AHS to request advice or an inspection if the issue is clearly a health hazard rather than a routine repair. See AHS guidance and how to report a concern [1].
When to contact AHS vs. your landlord or municipality
Start by notifying your landlord in writing about the problem and give them a reasonable chance to fix it. If the landlord does not act or the issue is an immediate public-health risk, contact AHS and, if applicable, your municipal bylaw office. For help preparing and sending a clear complaint to a landlord, see How to Handle Complaints in Your Rental: A Tenant's Guide.
- Document the problem with dated photos, short videos, and a written log of when you noticed symptoms or damage.
- Send a written request for repairs to your landlord and keep a copy—email or text plus a signed letter are useful.
- Note deadlines and response times: give a reasonable period for repairs and record any missed commitments.
How to prepare before contacting AHS
Collect clear evidence and a timeline so AHS inspectors can assess the public-health risk quickly. AHS needs specific, factual information to decide whether an inspection or public-health action is warranted.
- List dates, symptoms, and what you tried (e.g., cleaning, pest sprays) with photos attached.
- Keep copies of written repair requests to your landlord and any replies.
- Have your address, unit number, and contact details ready when you call AHS or use their online reporting tool.
Official forms and legal steps (Alberta)
Below are the most relevant official resources and forms tenants commonly use in health-related rental disputes.
- Application to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS): use this application when you seek compensation, an order for repairs, or a resolution after your landlord will not fix a serious health or safety issue. Example: if repeated mould exposure makes your unit uninhabitable and the landlord refuses to remediate, you can file an RTDRS application to request remediation costs and compensation. See RTDRS info and application forms [2].
- AHS Environmental Public Health complaint/report form: use AHS reporting when the issue is a public-health hazard (e.g., contaminated water, widespread vermin). Example: if your building has sewage backup into multiple units, file an AHS complaint so inspectors can assess communal risk and order corrective measures. Find AHS reporting details and contact options [1].
- Residential Tenancies Act (Alberta): the Act outlines landlord and tenant obligations about repairs and habitability; use it to understand timeframes and responsibilities before filing disputes. Review the legislation for details about repair obligations and remedies [3].
FAQ
- What types of rental problems does Alberta Health Services handle?
- AHS handles issues that pose a public-health risk such as contaminated water, sewage hazards, significant mould affecting health, and infestations that threaten community health; routine maintenance remains a landlord responsibility.
- Will AHS force my landlord to repair the unit?
- AHS can order remediation for public-health hazards and provide written findings; enforcement may involve orders to the property owner or municipal partners, and you can use AHS findings when applying to RTDRS for tenant remedies.
- What if I need immediate help outside business hours?
- If the issue is an emergency that threatens health or safety, call local emergency services first. For non-emergency but serious health concerns, use AHS contact options and document your attempts to notify the landlord.
How-To
- Gather dated photos, short videos, a written log of events, and copies of all messages between you and the landlord.
- Contact Alberta Health Services using the Environmental Public Health reporting options and provide the evidence and address details; request an inspection if health risks exist [1].
- If AHS confirms a public-health issue but the landlord does not act, complete and submit an RTDRS Application to request repairs, remediation costs, or compensation [2].
- Keep following up in writing and preserve all inspection reports, emails, and receipts as evidence for RTDRS or other proceedings.
Help and Support / Resources
- Alberta Health Services (Environmental Public Health)
- Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS)
- Residential Tenancies Act (Alberta)
If you need to look for alternative or temporary housing during remediation, consider searching listings from a national platform like Explore Houseme for nationwide rental listings.
