Overview of Minnesota Tenant Landlord Laws

Minnesota’s landlord-tenant laws are similar to most states. In this state, the landlords and the tenants are obligated to act in good faith. Security deposits can be demanded by the landlord at the time of lease. In the state of Minnesota, the tenant is allowed to inspect the rental unit before signing the lease. The Minnesota Landlord Tenant Act provides certain laws for security deposit handling. Under the landlord tenant laws of this state there are two types of lease agreements. They are definite term leases and month-to-month leases. If the lease term is one year or more, then a lease agreement should be written.

If you are planning to rent a dwelling in the state of Minnesota, then it is a good idea that you learn about these landlord-tenant laws and how they may effect you. Under the Minnesota rental laws, the landlord is required to provide certain maintenance and repair services. The dwelling that is to be rented must comply with state and local housing and health codes. The tenant is allowed to do their own repairs as long as the landlord reduces rental payment or provides compensation payment to the tenant. In this state, an eviction case is called an Unlawful Detainer Suit. There are certain steps that must be followed in order to evict a tenant. The first step is that the landlord must provide a written notice to the tenant.

The Unlawful Detainer Suit has to be filed by the landlord in court. The case is then taken to court within 7 to 14 days after the summons is served. Only a sheriff is allowed to remove the tenant from the dwelling, not the landlord.  A Writ of Restitution must be filed by the landlord in order for the sheriff to do this. The Minnesota Attorney General Office recommends that the landlord tests the housing system’s electrical and utility systems so that they are in good working order. You can find out information you need to know about rental laws if you are a landlord or a tenant by looking online. The laws are different in each state. Many landlords will often try to work out problems with you before taking it to the court system. Many times the landlord and the tenant can reach an agreement that will benefit the both of you. If you are experiencing any problems, all you have to do is talk about the situation with your landlord to see if you can work out the differences.