Can a Landlord Text or Email a Rent Increase Notice in Saskatchewan?
A Text Alone Is Not Valid Service
For a current tenant, a text by itself is not one of the service methods listed in Section 82. The Act allows personal service, or posting the notice on the front door and also serving it by ordinary mail or electronic form. An electronic notice must be in the same or substantially the same form as the written notice, accessible to the tenant, and retainable for later reference.
Section 54 requires written notice for periodic rent increases. The ORT portal provides approved notice forms, but Section 54 does not say that a periodic notice must use a particular approved form.
Email Is Valid, But With Conditions
Email is an electronic form of service. For a current tenant, Section 82 requires the notice to be posted on the front door as well as served electronically. The Act does not require prior written consent to electronic service. The electronic notice must be in the same or substantially the same form as the written notice, accessible to the tenant, and retainable for later reference.
When the notice is served electronically:
- The notice is deemed given on the business day following the date it is sent
- Section 54 requires written notice, but does not specify that a periodic notice must use an ORT portal form
- Keep transmission records; proof of service is required if you later submit an ORT application
How Email Compares to Other Service Methods
| Method | Deemed Receipt | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Personal delivery | Immediately | Deliver to tenant directly; signed acknowledgement or Certificate of Service |
| Posting on door + ordinary mail | Mail is deemed served on the third business day following mailing | Must do both on the same day; retain postal receipt |
| Posting + electronic form (e.g., email) | Electronic service is deemed given on the business day following sending | Post the notice on the front door and serve it electronically in a form the tenant can access and retain |
The deemed receipt date matters because it's when the statutory notice clock starts running. Ordinary mail is deemed served on the third business day after mailing. Electronic service is deemed given on the business day following sending.
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Why This Matters for Your Timeline
Saskatchewan's notice periods are 12 months for standard landlords and six months for members in good standing of a prescribed association. Ordinary mail is deemed served on the third business day after mailing, which shifts the deemed service date; the effective date does not have to align with a rental-period boundary.
If an email is sent on January 15 and the next day is a business day, the electronic service is deemed given on January 16. The notice must also be posted on the tenant's front door.
If service is disputed, Section 82.1 allows a hearing officer to find service sufficient when the notice came to the tenant's attention, even if the service method did not comply with the Act.
Best Practice for Electronic Service
If you serve the notice electronically, post a copy on the tenant's front door and keep a record of both the posting and the electronic transmission.
You can also serve the notice by posting it and sending it by ordinary mail. Keep proof of each part of the service method you use.
For the complete service rules — including deemed service calculations, Certificate of Service requirements, and proof-of-service documentation — the Saskatchewan Rent Increase Guide walks through every method step by step.
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