The City of Minneapolis thinks renters deserve safe, decent, legal
housing. Students can find themselves
without a place to live if they unknowingly rent a unit that violates
city housing codes.
Think before you rent and steer clear if:
The owner doesn't have a rental or lodging license posted.
The bedroom ceiling is less than seven feet high.
There isn't a smoke detector within 15 feet of the bedroom.
There would be three or more unrelated roommates living in one unit.
You would live in a room less than seven feet across.
The house has a third-floor attic that does not have two stairwaysleading to the ground.
The bedroom doesn't have a window or door that leads to the outside.
There would be more than four people sleeping in a bedroom, no
matterhow big the room is.
To report a code violation, call the City of Minneapolis Inspection
Division at 612-673-5858. If you are currently having a problem with
yourlandlord, call the City of Minneapolis Housing Services at
612-673-3003.
If your dwelling is in violation of the city code, your landlord will
have approximately 15 to 30 days to comply.
Tenant's Right to a Tax Credit
Minnesota law gives tenants (depending on income and amount of rent paid) a
partial refund for the property taxes they pay indirectly through their
rent. To be eligible, a tenant must be occupying a unit that is subject to
property taxes. However, if the tenant is renting from the government, a
private college or some other person or entity not required to pay taxes or
make payments in lieu of taxes, the tenant is not eligible for a refund.
To
claim the credit:
The
tenant must file a property tax refund return form (M-1RP) with the
Minnesota Department of Revenue. Include a "certificate of rent paid" (CRP),
which the landlord must supply to the renter by Jan. 31 each year. If there
is a disagreement between the tenant and the landlord over how rent was
paid, or if the landlord fails to provide a CRP form, a "Rent Paid
Affidavit" can be requested from the Minnesota Department of Revenue. Theproperty tax refund return for the previous year must be filed with the
Department of Revenue by Aug. 15.
Questions may be directed to the Minnesota Department of Revenue at
651-296-3781 or 1-800-652-9094.
For
additional information on tenant rights contact:
University Student Legal Service,
160 West Bank Skyway
Phone: 612-624-1001
Email: USLS@umn.edu
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