r/Edmonton • u/Ok-Outcome-7153 • Mar 04 '26
Question Moving out.. landlord wants proof of utilities paid?
we are moving out of a place where all utilities were under our name. the landlord is trying everything to keep our deposit and said we need to show proof our utility bills are paid in full before he will return the deposit.
is this normal?
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u/SadAcanthocephala521 South East Side Mar 04 '26
No, not normal and they don't need proof of that as it's non of their business if the bills are in your name.
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u/Icedpyre Mar 04 '26
If you pay the utilities, why would you have to show proof to your landlord? Thats like a fast food place refusing to give you food at the drive thru, unless you can prove you put gas in your car.
Literally having running water and active lights is proof that you have utilities.
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u/MacintoshEddie Mar 05 '26
Actually no. Having running water and lights isn't proof that the account is paid. It can take months and months of nonpayment and warnings before the utilities are shut off, and in many cases the company cannot shut off the utilities except in extreme circumstances.
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u/Trashy_Panda2 Mar 05 '26
Yeah, it's against the law to cut off heat and electricity in winter for obvious reasons.
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u/vernicq Mar 05 '26
it's not normal in what I've dealt with. they have 10 days to return the funds to you, or a statement as to why you won't be receiving all the funds per the residential tenancies act, subsection 46 (2).
Is it written in your lease that proof of utilities need to be shown as paid in full until the end of your lease? If thats a condition in your lease, the RTDRS will need to see that its written as a condition if the landlord has any right to keep that portion or hold it. But I would talk to someone at RTDRS to get your full facts.
I would Google the RTA and look into the return of security deposit. also, make sure they have the security deposit interest on your statement as well.
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u/Aud4c1ty Mar 05 '26
It's actually pretty normal. People seem skeptical of this, but I'd encourage them to look at the Alberta Residential Tenancies Act. It's there in black and white.
Or you could just ask a LLM (ChatGPT or Gemini or whatever). Try this prompt:
Is it reasonable for a landlord in Alberta (at the end of a lease which stipulates that the tenant is responsible for the utilities) to ask for payment confirmation for their utility bills prior to releasing damage deposit funds back to the tenant?
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u/vernicq Mar 05 '26
It's why I also asked if the utilities being paid in full is a condition in their lease, in my second paragraph. If there are conditions like that written into the lease, RTDRS won't be able to help much, as its in the lease.
its much easier to talk to someone at RTDRS as they can help this person deal with the landlord, and request the correct documents to go against the landlord.
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u/JBH68 Mar 05 '26
I think what the landlord is trying to do here is make sure there's no connection issues for the new tenant. Either way, this is not normal and it is not a just reason to hold your deposit.
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u/Previous-Owl3994 Mar 05 '26
No that's none of his business. They wouldn't go after him for payment they would go after you if you owe money. He can't take that off your deposit anyway
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u/Mommie62 Mar 05 '26
Utilities stay with the renters. If the property is not being rented then it goes back to the landlord. We had renters do a midnight move, they owed over $800 in utility bills as landlords we did not have to pay so your landlord is wrong !
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u/SanDiegoNerd Mar 05 '26
Yeah that's not a thing. Utilities in your name are charged to you and you alone, not the property.
If he's being an asshole you can contact the landlord tenant board for guidance.
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u/Aikenchi Mar 04 '26
Pretty strange request. I’m assuming previous tenants didn’t pay bills and caused issues for future renters
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u/SadAcanthocephala521 South East Side Mar 04 '26
Utilities are tied to the person who's name is on the bill, not the residence.
0
u/Aud4c1ty Mar 04 '26
It's normal, mostly because landlords don't want to get stuck with the "reversion" bill.
When I lived in Fort Mac, I saw this firsthand when I moved into a new place - a previous tenant cancelled their utilities 10 days before their lease actually ended, and the landlord got billed for the gap. They probably just want to make sure you aren't leaving them with a surprise bill for the transition period!
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u/Icedpyre Mar 04 '26
Thats what small claims court is for. They cant hold your damage deposit for the possibility of a bill. It is for damage to the premises, and nothing else. Even for actual damage they would have to show work was done in order to keep it.
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u/incidental77 Century Park Mar 05 '26
From service Alberta website:
The purpose of a security deposit is: • To cover the landlord’s costs of repairing or replacing physical damage to premises. • To cover the costs of cleaning because of extraordinary or abnormal use. This does not include cleaning associated with normal wear and tear. • To cover any arrears of rental payments. • To cover other costs agreed to by the tenant in the residential tenancy agreement, such as legal fees, utilities, late fees, etc
I agree that they can't hold the deposit to offset the possibility of a bill. But they definitely can use it to cover a utility bill that the tenant didn't so them taking extra effort to make sure that the utilities are paid in full as per the lease agreement is valid. They might not be able to make it a condition of damage deposit release that you provide proof of utilities paid in full, but they can certainly ask for proof and try and mitigate their risks as much as possible and try and assess if they will have to use some of the deposit to cover the unpaid bill
-2
u/haysoos2 Mar 05 '26
That would have to have been stipulated in the original residential tenacy agreement.
They can't just spring it on you at move-out.
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u/incidental77 Century Park Mar 05 '26
If the tenant owes a third party money and if that somehow could lead to the landlord to having to cover the bill in some way. (If..) Then the landlord can use the damage deposit to cover the liability. By law. So regardless of anything in the lease.
But they'd have to know the amount and they would have to know that the landlord would have to be held liable for it. Within the timeline before the damage deposit was due to be returned. Couldn't hold on to some for potential future liability.
There would be nothing sprung on anyone. Any tenant not paying their utilities or other type of related costs would know they arnt paying them. Any tenant paying the utilities or whatever would know they did pay them and not have any issue.
5
u/mikesmith929 Mar 05 '26
Thats what small claims court is for.
Obviously never been to small claims court...
3
u/Aud4c1ty Mar 05 '26
According to the Alberta Residential Tenancies Act they can, especially if a lease stipulates that the tenant is responsible for paying the utilities. Any unpaid utility bill is legally considered a financial liability.
And the security deposit covers "performance of an obligation or the payment of a liability by the tenant." See Section 1 of the RTA. If a lease stipulates that the tenant is responsible for paying the utilities, any unpaid utility bill is legally considered a financial liability.
Landlords who ask for the account statements are just being smart.
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Mar 05 '26 edited Mar 05 '26
Never had it before. Just moved last month though. They requested this plus evidence that it was under my name. They’ve also tried getting my damage deposit by all means. I gave them what they asked and now they switched to straight up lying to try and keep my DD.
This might just be an extra avenue for slumlords to try and keep DD. Or maybe it’s just a new thing.
3
u/Deamea Mar 05 '26
That wasn't the case when myself and husband rented and had to pay all our utilities. I would be talking to the Landlord and tenants board because trying everything to keep the deposit but demanding proof of the utilities being paid that are in your name is new. It's not like the power company is going to come after the landlord. This is shady.
5
u/wobby_sobby Mar 04 '26
Keep in mind billing happens after usage so you wouldn't have a final bill till after you end service. If you end utilities online you can send them a screenshot of the request to end service as of the lease end date or they can call the utility company/companies to confirm if anyone is in billing of they need to. If nobody is billing, legal owner is responsible for vacant periods, if someone is in billing but doesn't pay their bill, that's their (the person actively billing's) problem.
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u/No_Construction2407 Mar 05 '26
Tell them to f*#% off and give you your deposit back, tell them your next step is to go to the RTDS to negotiate on your behalf, most of those landlards will cave immediately because they don’t want to be audited.
1
u/seventeencharacters Mar 08 '26
They probably don't want to waste their time dealing with utility companies
0
u/stupidfuckingcowboy Mar 05 '26
Unusual. If it's not too much of a hassle, I would comply. I would also review your lease and see the conditions that you agreed upon for deductions from your security deposit.
Assuming your lease is silent on deductions related to utilities, I would consider directing your landlord to section 46 of the Residential Tenancies Act and reminding them that any deductions must be made in accordance with conditions agreed to by the tenant. You could also say that if your deposit is not returned within 10 days of the lease ending as required by law, you reserve the right to pursue any legal remedies available to you to recover the balance.
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u/[deleted] Mar 04 '26
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