Who Is Responsible for Pest Control in an Alberta Rental? A Grande Prairie Landlord's Guide
Once Grande Prairie nights drop below freezing, mice start looking for a warm way inside, and rental homes are no exception. For an owner, the first call about droppings in a kitchen drawer or scratching in a wall usually comes with a second question close behind: who is responsible for dealing with it, the landlord or the tenant?
In Alberta the answer is clearer than many owners expect. This guide explains who is responsible for pest control in an Alberta rental, when a tenant can be asked to pay, how to enter the unit to treat a problem, what happens if an infestation is ignored, and how to prevent the common fall and winter pests before they become a dispute. It is general information, not legal advice, and every rule below comes from a public source listed at the end of the article.
The short answer: the landlord is responsible first
Section 16(c) of Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) makes it a covenant of every residential tenancy agreement that the premises will meet at least the minimum housing standards made under the Public Health Act. Section 4 of the Housing Regulation then requires every owner to maintain the housing premises in compliance with the Minimum Housing and Health Standards.
Those standards are direct on pests. Section 16(a) states that the owner shall ensure that the housing premises are free of insect and rodent infestations. The Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta (CPLEA) sums it up the same way: the landlord must make sure the rental property is free of insect and rodent infestations, and must make sure the premises comply with public health requirements at all times.
Because this obligation comes from a public health standard, a lease clause that says "tenant is responsible for all pest control" does not move the legal duty off the owner. The tenant still has real obligations, covered below, but the starting point is that the owner deals with an infestation.
What a tenant is responsible for
Tenants are not off the hook. Under RTA section 21, every tenancy agreement includes tenant covenants to maintain the premises in a reasonably clean condition (21(f)) and not to do or permit significant damage to the premises (21(e)). The Minimum Housing and Health Standards add two pest-specific duties: section 16(a)(iii) makes it the occupant's responsibility to allow access and do whatever is necessary to get the unit ready for a pesticide application, and section 17 says every tenant shall allow access for repairs or pest control treatment as the RTA requires.
In practical terms, CPLEA lists three things a tenant must do: keep the property reasonably clean, allow entry for pest control treatment, and follow the instructions of the exterminator. That last point matters most with bed bugs and cockroaches, where treatment usually fails if the tenant does not bag laundry, clear floors or leave the unit for the required time.
A real Alberta case: who paid for a long-term mouse infestation
The clearest local example is Hometime Property Services Ltd v Girumnesh, 2022 ABPC 172, summarized by Stillman LLP in 2023. A landlord sued a former tenant for just over $8,000 to exterminate and remediate a mouse infestation that a pest contractor described as long term. The new tenant had found the mice while moving in.
The court dismissed the claim. It held that responsibility for exterminating and remediating a mouse infestation sits on the landlord at first instance, under RTA section 16(c) and section 16(a) of the Minimum Housing and Health Standards. A landlord could have recourse under section 21(e) if a tenant caused an infestation, allowed someone else to create one, or wilfully failed to report one, but none of that was proven. Notably, the infestation had not been caught at three check-in inspections during the tenancy, at the move-out inspection, or at the new tenant's move-in inspection.
The lesson for owners is less about mice than about evidence. If you cannot show what the unit looked like before and during a tenancy, a court or tribunal starts from the presumption that the cost is yours.
When can a landlord charge the tenant for pest control?
Sometimes, but the owner carries the burden of proof. CPLEA explains that if a landlord believes the tenant should pay, the landlord can bill the tenant or deduct the treatment cost from the security deposit. If the tenant disputes it, the landlord will have to bring evidence, for example that the tenant did not follow the exterminator's instructions, and a judge or tenancy dispute officer decides based on that evidence.
The kinds of evidence that tend to matter are a detailed move-in inspection report with photos, written pest reports dated when the problem was raised, the pest control operator's findings on likely cause, the preparation sheet given to the tenant, and records showing whether the tenant followed it. Our guide to Alberta security deposit rules covers the inspection report and 10-day refund requirements that apply to any deduction, and our RTDRS guide for landlords explains how these disputes are heard.
Entering the rental to treat pests
Alberta's RTA names pest control specifically as a reason a landlord can enter without the tenant's consent. Section 23(3)(c) allows entry, after notice, to take necessary steps to control pests so the premises meet the standards required under Alberta law.
The notice rules in section 23(4) and (5) still apply. Written notice must be served at least 24 hours before entry, signed by the landlord or agent, state the reason for entry, and give a date and time of entry. Entry must be between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and not on a holiday, with special rules if the tenant has given written notice of a different day of religious worship. Pest work often takes more than one visit, so build each follow-up treatment into its own notice rather than relying on the first one.
When a pesticide is applied inside a dwelling, section 16(a)(ii) of the Minimum Housing and Health Standards also requires the occupant to be notified in line with Alberta's Environmental Code of Practice for Pesticides, and section 16(a)(i) requires pesticides to be applied in accordance with the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act. That is one reason most owners use a licensed pest control operator rather than spraying a tenant's home themselves.
What happens if an infestation is not fixed
A tenant who reports pests in writing and gets no response can contact Environmental Public Health through Alberta Health Services or call Health Link at 811. CPLEA notes that a health inspector can investigate and order the landlord to deal with the problem. AHS publishes these orders online, and recent ones show how routine they are: inspectors have cited section 16(a) for cockroaches in an Edmonton unit in April 2025 and for bed bugs in a Coalhurst home in August 2026.
If the landlord does not comply with a public health order, RTA section 28 lets the tenant apply to end the tenancy or serve a 14-day notice to terminate for substantial breach. The landlord can only stop that notice by objecting in writing within 7 days and showing the order has been complied with or stayed. Section 25 also prohibits terminating a tenancy or taking any retaliatory action, including a financial penalty, against a tenant because they made a complaint under the RTA or the Public Health Act.
Put simply, a slow response to a mouse or bed bug report can turn into a health order, a lost tenancy and a vacancy. Our rental safety standards guide covers the other minimum standards an inspector will look at while they are in the unit.
Mice and hantavirus: clean up safely
Mice are the pest Grande Prairie owners are most likely to deal with this season, and they bring a health risk of their own. The Government of Alberta reports 81 confirmed hantavirus cases and 15 deaths in Alberta since reporting began in 1989, including one death in 2026. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome spreads when people inhale particles from the urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents, usually deer mice, and the risk rises when contaminated areas are disturbed.
Alberta's guidance is specific. Ventilate the area for at least 30 minutes before starting, wear rubber gloves, soak droppings, nests and dead mice with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water or a household disinfectant, and let it sit five minutes before wiping up with paper towels and sealing everything in a bag. Never vacuum or sweep droppings. For significant infestations or poorly ventilated spaces such as crawlspaces, call Health Link 811 for advice.
This matters most for vacant units, garages, sheds and crawlspaces that sit closed for weeks. Give these instructions to any cleaner or contractor working in an empty rental, and add them to your Alberta landlord turnover checklist.
Bed bugs and cockroaches in multi-unit buildings
Bed bugs and cockroaches move between units, which is why the standards also make the owner responsible for keeping common rooms and areas clean and sanitary. Alberta Health Services has advised that landlords and property managers must hire a licensed pest control operator to address confirmed bed bug infestations, and Service Alberta's consumer tips for landlords use "no bed bugs" as an example of what a habitable rental means at the start of and throughout a tenancy.
In a duplex, fourplex or house with a suite, treating one unit and ignoring its neighbour often means paying twice. Ask your pest control operator whether adjoining units should be inspected at the same time, and give each tenant a separate written entry notice. If you own a condo, check whether the corporation or the unit owner handles pest treatment in common property; our guide to renting out a condo in Grande Prairie covers how bylaws and the Condominium Property Act interact with the RTA.
Alberta is rat-free, and owners help keep it that way
Alberta has had a Rat Control Program since 1950. Under the Agricultural Pests Act and the Pest and Nuisance Control Regulation, the Norway rat and any other rat of the genus Rattus are declared pests, and every person and municipality must take active measures to prevent rats from establishing on their property. Keeping pet rats is illegal in Alberta.
Rat-free does not mean rats never appear. The province confirmed 23 rats in 2023 against 435 reports that turned out to be other animals, such as muskrats, gophers and mice. If you or a tenant see what looks like a rat, safely take a photo, note the location, and report it by emailing rats@gov.ab.ca, calling 310-FARM (3276), or contacting your local agricultural fieldman. Do not try to treat a suspected rat problem quietly.
A fall pest-prevention plan for Grande Prairie rentals
Prevention is cheaper than treatment and much easier to defend in a dispute. Before winter, walk the exterior and seal gaps around pipes, utility lines, dryer vents and garage door seals, trim vegetation back from the foundation, and move firewood and debris away from the house. Confirm garbage and recycling bins have tight lids and that tenants know the collection schedule. Our winterizing guide pairs well with this exterior check.
Inside the lease, add a pest addendum that asks tenants to report signs of pests in writing within a set time, explains that the landlord will arrange treatment, sets out the tenant's duty to prepare the unit and follow the operator's instructions, and states that costs may be claimed where the tenant caused the problem. A clause like that does not override the owner's legal duty, but it documents the tenant's obligations and the reporting expectation that the Hometime court found missing.
Finally, look for pests on purpose at every inspection. Note droppings, gnaw marks, staining on mattresses and seams, and any gaps in the building envelope, and photograph them. Our guide on how to conduct a tenant walkthrough inspection covers how to document conditions so the record holds up later.
A quick checklist when a tenant reports pests
Acknowledge the report in writing the same day. Book a licensed pest control operator and ask for a written report on the pest, the extent of the problem and likely cause. Serve a proper 24-hour written entry notice for each visit. Give the tenant the operator's preparation sheet and the pesticide notification the standards require. Check adjoining units in shared buildings. Keep invoices, photos and follow-up results together, and only pursue the tenant for costs where the evidence shows they caused or worsened the problem.
Let Sutton handle the pest calls
Pest reports rarely arrive at a convenient time, and the response window is where most owners lose either money or a good tenant. Sutton Property Management manages rental properties across Grande Prairie, from marketing and tenant screening to rent collection and day-to-day tenant communication. Learn more about our Grande Prairie property management services, or contact our office to talk about your rental before winter sets in.
Sources: Residential Tenancies Act, SA 2004, c R-17.1, ss. 16, 21, 23, 25 and 28; Housing Regulation, Alta Reg 173/1999, s. 4; Government of Alberta, Minimum Housing and Health Standards (rev. June 30, 2012), ss. 16 and 17; Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta, "FAQ – Who is responsible to treat bugs in a rental property?" (November 2023); Stillman LLP, "A Mouse in My House: Understanding Minimum Housing and Health Standards for Residential Tenancies" (March 2023), discussing Hometime Property Services Ltd v Girumnesh, 2022 ABPC 172; Alberta Health Services, public health orders (Edmonton, April 29, 2025; Coalhurst, August 26, 2026) and "Don't let the bedbugs bite this holiday season" (2011); Service Alberta, "Consumer Tips – Information for Landlords" (May 2024); Government of Alberta, "Reducing the risk of hantavirus"; Government of Alberta, "Alberta's Rat Control Program" and "Rat prevention and control". This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your obligations for a specific property with Alberta Health Services, a licensed pest control operator, or a lawyer.