What the RTDRS considers
The RTDRS is Alberta's tribunal for many residential tenancy disputes between landlords and tenants. An adjudicator reviews the application, response, evidence, and submissions from both sides before making a decision. Evidence should help answer three questions: what happened, when it happened, and how the issue affected your tenancy.
Common evidence includes the rental agreement, inspection reports, rent records, notices, repair requests, photographs, videos, text messages, emails, witness statements, and receipts. The evidence should relate to an issue raised in the dispute rather than include every document you have.
Build an evidence file from the beginning
Create one digital folder and, if possible, one paper folder for the dispute. Use file names that include the date and a short description, such as “2026-03-04 leaking sink photo.” Keep copies of documents in their original format and back up important files.
- Record the date, time, location, people involved, and what happened.
- Document the condition of the unit with clear photos or videos that show the wider area and the specific problem.
- Save rent receipts, payment confirmations, invoices, estimates, and records of any amount you are claiming.
- Keep every notice, letter, email, text message, and repair request connected with the dispute.
Use inspection evidence
Move-in and move-out records can help show whether damage or a cleanliness issue existed before or after the tenancy. If you are preparing a condition argument, review the Guide to the Initial Rental Property Inspection for Tenants and compare the inspection report with dated photographs.
Document repair and health concerns
For a repair dispute, show when you notified the landlord, what response you received, and whether the problem continued. A dated log can describe temperature, leaks, pests, loss of services, or access attempts. Information about responsibilities may also be useful in Obligations of Landlords and Tenants: Rights and Responsibilities Explained.
Keep copies of repair requests and allow reasonable access when properly requested, unless a legal exception applies. For more practical guidance about maintenance records, see Routine Repairs in Rental Units: Tenant and Landlord Responsibilities.
Organize communications and timelines
Prepare a short timeline before filing or responding. List each important event in date order, identify the supporting document, and explain why it matters. For example, you might record the date a leak was reported, the date a contractor attended, and the dates when damage continued.
- Put notices, requests, inspections, and appointments in calendar order.
- Preserve complete message threads instead of isolated screenshots whenever possible.
- After a phone call, write a brief note stating who called, when the call occurred, and what was discussed.
- Link each important statement in your timeline to a file name or page number.
Do not edit photographs, recordings, or messages in a way that changes their meaning. If you must redact private information, keep an unredacted original and note what was removed. Avoid recording a private conversation without understanding applicable privacy rules and the circumstances of the recording.
Photographs, videos, and witnesses
Take well-lit photographs from several angles and include something that helps establish scale, such as a ruler or familiar object. Keep the original file metadata when available. A short video may show an ongoing leak, noise, lack of heat, or another condition more effectively than a single image, but it should be focused and relevant.
A witness can provide a signed statement describing what they personally saw or heard, including the date and location. A witness should not guess, repeat rumours, or state conclusions they cannot support. If a hearing includes live testimony, confirm the tribunal's instructions about attendance and contact information.
RTDRS applications, responses, and evidence
Use the official RTDRS forms and filing instructions to confirm the current application, response, service, and evidence requirements. The main tenant-facing document is the RTDRS application for dispute resolution, used when a tenant asks the tribunal to decide an issue such as a return of a security deposit, compensation, or an order related to the tenancy. For example, a tenant seeking reimbursement for an unresolved repair should describe the remedy requested and attach the lease, repair messages, dated photographs, receipts, and timeline.
If a landlord has started a case, review the RTDRS notice or application carefully and file the required response by the stated deadline. Provide the evidence requested by the tribunal's current instructions, serve the other party as directed, and keep proof of filing and service. Forms and procedures can change, so rely on the current official version rather than an old copy.
- RTDRS application for dispute resolution: use it to start a tenant claim and identify the parties, tenancy, facts, evidence, and remedy requested.
- RTDRS response or dispute materials: use the current official form or online process when answering an application made against you.
- Evidence package: organize attachments with labels, dates, and a short explanation of what each item proves.
Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act sets many of the rules affecting residential tenancies, including obligations, notices, and remedies. The RTDRS applies the legislation and its procedural requirements to the dispute before it.
Preparing your hearing package
Make a simple index so the adjudicator can find each item quickly. Number documents in the same order as your written statement or timeline. Remove duplicates, identify unclear images, and separate facts from opinions. Bring or access the documents in the format required by the RTDRS instructions.
- Put the application, response, lease, notices, inspection reports, and timeline near the beginning.
- Label photographs, videos, receipts, and message records with dates and short descriptions.
- Prepare two or three sentences explaining the key issue, the evidence supporting it, and the outcome you want.
- Check the hearing date, submission deadline, hearing method, and any instructions in the notice.
At the RTDRS hearing
Join early if the hearing is online and test your connection, microphone, and documents. Speak calmly, answer the question asked, and refer to the relevant document by its label or date. If you do not understand a question, ask for clarification. Do not interrupt the other participant, and avoid reading lengthy material that does not address the dispute.
The adjudicator may ask questions about the tenancy, notices, payments, communications, or the remedy requested. Explain what you know directly and distinguish personal knowledge from information someone else gave you. If you reach an agreement, make sure you understand the terms and whether the tribunal must record or approve it.
Key Takeaways
- Keep dated, relevant records from the first sign of a tenancy problem.
- Follow the current RTDRS filing, service, and evidence instructions.
- Present a short timeline that connects each important fact to supporting evidence.
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FAQ
- What evidence is useful at an Alberta RTDRS hearing?
- Useful evidence may include the rental agreement, inspection reports, notices, payment records, repair requests, messages, photographs, videos, receipts, timelines, and witness statements that relate directly to the dispute.
- How should I organize evidence for the RTDRS?
- Arrange documents chronologically or by issue, label each item clearly, prepare an index, and connect important facts in your timeline to the document that supports them.
- Can I submit photographs and text messages?
- Yes, photographs and text messages may help explain a dispute when they are relevant, dated or otherwise authenticated, complete enough to provide context, and submitted according to current RTDRS instructions.
- What if I miss an RTDRS evidence deadline?
- Review the notice and current RTDRS instructions immediately and contact the tribunal through its official channel to ask what options are available, because a late document may not be accepted.
How-To
- Create a folder and collect the lease, notices, payment records, communications, photographs, videos, receipts, and inspection reports.
- Write a dated timeline that identifies what happened, who was involved, and which document supports each event.
- Complete the current RTDRS application or response and state the remedy or outcome you are requesting.
- Label and index your evidence, then submit and serve it using the method and deadline in the official instructions.
- Prepare to explain your strongest evidence clearly at the hearing and answer questions directly.
Help and Support / Resources
- Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service
- Alberta RTDRS forms and filing information
- Alberta landlord and tenant responsibilities
