My Utilities Are Included in My Rent. Can I Still Choose My Energy Retailer?
Short answer: if your landlord holds the utility account, you cannot choose the energy
retailer — the account holder does. You can switch retailers only where the utility bill comes
to you, in your name. The quick test: do you get a utility bill separate from your rent?
We get asked this every week, so here is the honest version rather than the one that ends with
everybody filling in a sign-up form.
The three situations
| Your situation | Can you choose a retailer? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Utility bill arrives in your name, separate from rent | Yes | You have full choice. Compare your current energy rate and fees against ours |
| Energy included in rent, whole building on a master meter | No — your landlord’s account | Ask your landlord. Their cost is what your rent is priced against |
| You pay your landlord or a sub-metering company for energy | No — Alberta’s tenancy rules say sub-metered tenants cannot choose their provider | You have a right to know the formula used to calculate your share; it should be in your sub-meter agreement |
Master meter or sub-meter?
A master meter measures a whole building’s electricity and natural gas, and the
utility bills whoever holds the account. A sub-meter measures a single rental unit,
and the landlord or a sub-metering company bills the tenant for that unit’s usage. Alberta’s tenancy
guidance is direct about the consequence: tenants on a sub-meter cannot choose their energy
provider. Only master-metered customers can, which includes tenants renting a self-contained unit or
a house who are billed directly by the utility.
One thing worth knowing if you are sub-metered: you have a right to know the formula used to
calculate how much you pay, and it should be written into your sub-meter contract. You may also be
asked for a deposit, and the amount and how long it is held should be in that contract too.
If you are moving somewhere the utilities are yours
Sign up as soon as you have a move-in date. A new enrolment or a retailer switch in Alberta takes
effect on a meter read and can take anywhere from 10 to 90 calendar days. Move in without arranging
a retailer and you default to the Rate
of Last Resort, at 12.01 to 12.06¢/kWh through December 31, 2026 — roughly double a
competitive variable rate. There is no cost to enrolling early, and no exit fee if your plans
change.
If you are the landlord
If you carry the utility accounts across one or several rental properties, you are the customer
who can actually choose, and energy is one of the few line items in a rental operation that is
genuinely competitive. We are a Fort McMurray company and we handle multi-site accounts directly
— call or text (780) 665-4771 and you reach our own team. Our business energy pages cover how it works.
Related reading
Am I locked into an
energy contract? ·
The Rate of Last Resort explained
·
The best time to switch
energy provider ·
How to compare Alberta
electricity rates honestly
Not sure? Send us the bill
If a bill comes to you at all, send a photo through Bill Check and we will tell you what you are actually
paying and whether you have a choice of retailer — whether or not you switch.
Sources
- Alberta.ca — Starting a tenancy (master meters, sub-meters, and who may choose an energy provider) — retrieved September 14, 2026.
- Utilities Consumer Advocate — Tips for landlords — retrieved September 14, 2026.
- Utilities Consumer Advocate — How to switch energy retailers (10 to 90 day switch window) — retrieved September 14, 2026.
Get Energy is a competitive retailer offering electricity and natural gas services for
residential, small business, and farm consumers across Alberta. Get Energy is a tradename of Utility
Network & Partners Inc.
Prices move week to week. Our Alberta Energy Market Report tracks wholesale power prices, the natural gas reference price and retail rate movement every Monday.