Property owner harassment or threats

Contact 311 if your property owner has threatened or harassed you.

Contact 311

If you are afraid of retaliation

• You can make your 311 report anonymous. The property owner might be able to guess who made it, though.
• When you contact 311, tell them you are worried about retaliation. 311 agents can connect you with an inspector who protects renters.

Heat is not working

The heating equipment in your home must be able to keep a temperature of 68 degrees

During cold months, this is a life safety issue. If your heat is not working properly:

• Notify the property owner immediately.
• If they don’t respond, contact 311.
• If 311 is not open, call 911. An inspector will follow up with you quickly.

Contact 311

Dangerous conditions

You have the right to safe housing in Minneapolis. Call 911 for urgent concerns, such as:

• Fires
• Crime
• Medical emergencies in progress 

If there are unsafe conditions, ask the property owner in writing to fix it. If they do not respond quickly, contact 311 to report it to an inspector.

Unsafe conditions include:

• Locks that don’t work
• Windows painted shut
• Missing or broken smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors

Contact 311

Property owner does not respond to repair request

Property owners must makes sure homes they rent are safe and in good repair. If you need a non-emergency repair:

• Contact the owner or property manager in writing. Keep written records of your request.
• They should respond to you and fix the issue within 14 days.

If you request a repair but do not hear back from your property owner

If you do not hear back from your property owner, you can:

• Contact 311
• Get legal resources

Property owner discrimination

If you think you have been discriminated against in Minneapolis, the City can help.

See Civil Rights Complaint Investigations

Pests

Property owners must keep the property in good repair. This includes pest management.

If your home has a pest issue:

• Contact the property owner in writing.
• If they do not respond, you can report the issue to 311. An inspector will contact you.

Unless the property owner can prove that you caused the pests, they must pay to get rid of:

• Bedbugs
• Cockroaches
• Other pests

You will need to follow the instructions of the exterminator.

If you have questions or concerns, you can:

• Contact 311
• Contact HOME Line, Legal Aid or the Volunteer Lawyers Network

For more about rental property owners' duties, see Property maintenance.

Building is being sold

If your building is being sold and you have a lease

The new owner must honor the terms of the lease.

• Contact HOME Line about your lease
• See other legal resources for help

If the property you live in is considered affordable

The property owner must:

• Notify the City
• Post a notice in a common area of the building

You may be able to get help relocating. For more information:

• See Advance notice of sale
• Contact 311
  

City is taking action against building owner

If the City is taking action against the owner of your building

Contact 311

If the City put a placard on your door

Look at the placard for contact information about this issue.

Waiting for an inspection

Here's what you need to know about rental inspections:

Who needs to be there

Someone must be there to let the inspector in. You do not need to stay for the inspection.

What gets inspected

The inspector will check the outside and inside of the property to make sure that it is safe and in good repair.

If you have questions or concerns

• Contact the inspector by phone or email
• Ask the inspector during the inspection

Next steps

• The inspector will send a list of any needed repairs to the property owner with a deadline to complete them.
• The inspector may need to return to make sure that the repairs are done.

More help

Our video explains the inspection process.

See Rental license inspection video