New Minnesota laws aim to bolster protections for renters

A wide range of new renter protections that took effect Jan. 1 are the most significant series of changes to landlord rules in Minnesota in years.

As a result, many renters and landlords are still trying to grasp all the new state law changes — from adding a grace period before evictions are filed to requiring 24 hours' notice before a landlord enters a unit.

"We haven't had this kind of change in landlord-tenant law in at least 15 years, maybe 20 years; some people are saying since statehood," said Cecil Smith, CEO of the Minnesota Multi Housing Association. "It's been a big lift — we've had to change leases, processes, policies. ... I think it's going to take a while before everybody understands what they are."

On Thursday, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and DFL leaders said the new state laws passed by the DFL-controlled Legislature will bolster stability and predictability for the nearly one-third of Minnesotans who rent.

"These new laws would be life-changing for [renters facing eviction]," said Flanagan, who added that she grew up in Section 8 housing in St. Louis Park and was a renter until last year. "These laws have been a long time coming."

The legislation "took the largest step toward leveling the playing field between landlords and renters in state history," added state Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten, DFL-St. Paul.

Smith said the industry is already trying to manage rising insurance and labor costs, and the new regulations will add costs, boosting rents.

"Whenever you add regulations, you add costs," he said, adding that some rules weren't common issues, such as animal declawing restrictions. "These were very consumer-focused state law changes. We just feel they lack some flexibility and understanding."

Eric Hauge, executive director of HOME Line, a Bloomington tenant advocacy group, said rents go up every year without explanation for most renters. The nonprofit's hotline fielded more than 20,000 calls last year — a record — from renters concerned about everything from evictions to inadequate heat, showing that these reforms are needed to standardize rules and better protect renters, he said.

Here are some of the new state laws:

Landlords must notify tenants of how much rent they owe before giving an eviction notice, giving a renter 14 days before filing an eviction. Evictions can also be expunged from a renter's record if they win the case or have it dismissed, or three years after the eviction. It's a racial justice issue, Oumou Verbeten said, since evictions disproportionately impact women of color.

A landlord must include all fees in the total cost of rent on the first page of the lease.

Landlords must heat a unit to at least 68 degrees when the temperature outside falls below 60 degrees between Oct. 1 and April 30, for units where the renter doesn't control the heat. Many cities like Minneapolis already had a minimum heat rule in place.

Before now, renters could seek an expedited process to petition to resolve emergency repairs, such as having no heat, but other incidents have been added, including no working refrigerator or air conditioning, if those are included in the lease.

Landlords have to offer an initial inspection of a unit. Before the lease is up, the landlord should give the tenant notice about a walk-through inspection at least five days before the move-out date so the tenant can fix issues and avoid losing a damage deposit.

A tenant can terminate their lease early if they're moving into certain types of medical facilities.

Landlords can enter a unit only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and should give at least 24 hours' notice before entering.

Landlords can't refuse to rent a unit to a pet owner who hasn't declawed or devocalized their animal, or require that.