The Landlord’s Guide to Minnesota Law

HOME Line · Michael Vraa, Esq. · Samuel Spaid, Esq.

Oct 2015 · HOME Line

About this ebook

The Landlord’s Guide to Minnesota Law addresses every landlord-tenant legal issue that is likely to arise over the course of a lease. From how to find a tenant to what to do once they leave, it is a practical and thorough legal analysis of what Minnesota landlords need to know about complying with the relevant federal, state and local laws.

At the end of each chapter you’ll find “Tips from a Tenant Attorney.” These tips offer more creative advice on how landlords can solve difficult legal situations or prevent them from ever occurring.  Also included is our exclusive line-by-line analysis of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Model Residential Lease. Instead of guessing what your lease terms mean, this guide tells you why each term exists and how it applies to your situation.

This book was written by practicing attorneys in Minnesota who work exclusively in landlord-tenant law. There are dozens of legal guides available online for landlords, but none of them focus on Minnesota statutes and regulations, and when it comes to landlord-tenant legal issues, state law is key.

Both authors are currently practicing attorneys with over 25 years of experience in tenant landlord law, advising over 39,000 renters on HOME Line’s tenant hotline. They also train a wide variety of audiences in tenant landlord law, including over 100 trainings to landlord groups throughout Minnesota.

About the author

 HOME Line provides free legal, organizing, educational, and advocacy services so tenants throughout Minnesota can solve their own rental housing issues. More than fifteen thousand callers a year receive free legal advice from our staff and volunteers by calling or emailing our free tenant hotline.

HOME Line only advises and represent tenants. Because of our experience working with tenants, we understand the common pitfalls and mistakes that landlords make and how to avoid these mistakes by following the law. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to understand all the nuances of this legal area.

In 2011, HOME Line published a book called How to be the Smartest Renter on Your Block: A Minnesota Tenant’s Guide to help renters through the process of finding and maintaining rental housing. Although we wrote that book for tenants, landlords have been our biggest purchasers.

Because of the ongoing landlord interest, HOME Line decided to publish this guide for landlords. In this book, we address the legal rights and responsibilities of landlords. Despite the fact that we only advise and represent tenants, HOME Line wants informed landlords because informed landlords follow the law and everyone benefits.