Commercial Tenant Representation Agreements in Alberta

1. Use the commercial written-agreement baseline

RECA Rule 43 says a licensee establishing a commercial real-estate client relationship should enter into a written service agreement. Every written agreement must be signed, show all terms and conditions and address parties, services, responsibilities, information, remuneration, duration and termination.

Commercial should is not the residential must. The tenant mandate should be drafted for the actual commercial lease assignment rather than copied from a residential buyer form.

• Tenant
• Requirement
• Services
• Relationship
• Conflicts
• Information
• Compensation
• Exit

2. Identify the tenant and decision authority

Name the intended tenant entity, operating company, guarantor and authorized signatories. Map executives, finance, operations, facilities, franchise, lender, board and professional approvals.

The business searching for space may not be the entity that signs the lease. Record who may change criteria, approve tours, release financials, issue an offer and waive conditions.

3. Define the premises requirement

Set geography, permitted operation, area, configuration, access, parking, loading, power, ventilation, occupancy date, term, complete budget, improvements and approvals. Separate critical criteria from preferences.

A listing category, landlord statement or current use does not establish that the tenant's use, construction or occupancy will be approved. Assign municipal, legal and technical verification.

4. Specify the tenant-side services

Define live-inventory search, direct outreach, screening, tour planning, premises comparison, occupancy-cost analysis, proposal support, condition tracking, improvement coordination, lease review support and possession follow-up. State deliverables and exclusions.

Commercially's DDF dataset shows active asking supply, not completed lease transactions, net effective rents, concessions, absorption or landlord willingness to accept a particular tenant.

5. Establish the relationship and advocacy

Confirm whether the brokerage and named licensee represent the tenant or provide customer or facilitation services. Identify the agency model and the duties and limits that follow.

Customer status can include documents, statistics, communications and transaction progress, but RECA's Rules say it does not include fiduciary duties, confidential advice, discretion or advocacy. Do not describe limited assistance as independent tenant representation.

6. Define the conflict process

Address landlord clients, brokerage listings, other tenant clients, designated agency, common-law agency, referrals and transaction brokerage. Require property-level disclosure before confidential strategy or an offer is shared.

Transaction brokerage is even-handed facilitation without confidential advice or advocacy for either side. It is a consent decision, not an automatic administrative step when one brokerage touches both parties.

7. Protect the operating requirement

Control disclosure of tenant identity, use, location strategy, current lease, urgency, maximum budget, financial capacity, guarantor, construction plan and negotiation position. Use staged qualification and secure records.

Alberta PIPA and contractual confidentiality remain relevant. A landlord may need evidence to evaluate the tenant, but that does not authorize unrestricted distribution.

8. Make remuneration and costs clear

State the fee or calculation, taxes, payment events, landlord or listing-brokerage contribution, tenant shortfall, retainer, expenses, renewals, expansions, options, relocations and protected premises. Model the same lease scenarios.

Commercially does not publish, recommend or imply a standard Alberta tenant-representation fee, landlord contribution, retainer, term or protection period.

9. Control duration, amendments and exit

Review effective date, markets, uses, exclusivity, direct properties, other brokerages, protected introductions, active proposals, notice, costs, confidentiality, records and surviving obligations. Put amendments in signed writing.

This guide is educational, not legal advice or a tenant representation agreement. Submitting a requirement does not create representation, guarantee access or promise a lease outcome.