HF4960

Purpose

To update Minnesota law so landlords have new duties related to housing quality, pest control, energy efficiency, and heating in rental properties, and to ensure heating standards are maintained during the heating season.

Main Provisions

• Landlord duties to keep premises fit for use and to maintain common areas in reasonable repair, including required services and pest control for insects, rodents, vermin, or other pests, unless the disrepair is caused by the tenant or someone under the tenant’s direction.
• Energy efficiency obligation: landlords must take reasonable steps to make the premises and common areas reasonably energy efficient. This includes installing weatherstripping, caulking, storm windows, and storm doors when doing so would save energy costs based on current and projected Minnesota energy prices and would exceed the cost of implementing the measure, with financing costs amortized over ten years.
• Health and safety compliance: landlords must maintain the property in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local health and safety laws, including any rental licensing ordinances in effect where the premises are located.
• Heating requirement: landlords must equip or furnish heat at a minimum temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit in all habitable spaces (including kitchens and bathrooms) during the heating season (roughly October 1 through April 30, unless a utility company requires and instructs otherwise).
• Waiver prohibition: tenants and landlords may not waive or modify these covenants in the lease or license agreement.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a binding minimum heat standard of 68°F in all habitable areas during the heating season.
• Codifies a formal energy-efficiency upgrade standard tied to cost-saving calculations (net energy savings must exceed costs over a ten-year amortized period).
• Expands landlord responsibilities to ensure compliance with health and safety laws and local rental-licensing ordinances.
• Establishes that the covenants cannot be waived or altered by lease terms.

Impacts and Considerations

• Benefit to tenants: more reliable heating, improved housing quality, pest control, and enhanced energy efficiency.
• Responsibilities and potential costs for landlords: upfront and ongoing costs for heating equipment, weatherization, and compliance with health/safety and licensing laws, balanced by long-term energy savings.
• Enforcement details are not specified in this text; disputes could arise over whether the energy-efficiency measures are cost-effective and over what qualifies as “reasonable” energy savings.

Implementation Notes

• Heating season timing and the 68°F standard apply to all habitable spaces unless a utility company directs otherwise.
• Energy-efficiency upgrades must meet a cost-benefit test based on current and projected Minnesota energy costs, with costs amortized over ten years.

Relevant Terms landlord, tenant, residential premises, lease or license, fit for use, reasonable repair, common areas, pests, energy efficiency, weatherstripping, caulking, storm windows, storm doors, energy procurement cost savings, current and projected average residential energy costs in Minnesota, ten-year period, interest amortized, health and safety laws, rental licensing ordinances, minimum temperature, heat, heating season, cannot waive covenants.