The Tenant Hotline keeps track of a lot of statistics from our callers in our database, which has advised over 277,000 total new calls since beginning in 1992. One of the key stats we keep are the issues that the tenants call us about.
Here are the top 10 reasons why tenants contacted us in February 2022:
- Repairs — 362 calls
- Evictions — 293 calls
- Landlord Notice to Vacate — 183 calls
- Financial Assistance Questions — 136 calls
- Break Lease — 124 calls
- Security Deposits — 109 calls
- Lease Questions — 72 calls
- Neighbor Problems — 71 calls
- Fees — 68 calls
- Rent Increases — 64 calls
Some of these issues are seasonal. Here in early March, it makes sense to address three of these seasonal topics; Lack of Heat, CRP’s (Credit for Rent Paid) and towing disputes.
Lack of Heat: During this ‘season’ roughly November 1, 2021-Feb. 28, 2022, HOME Line’s tenant hotline has taken 221 calls from 30 different counties—in just 4 months.
The advice we give on the tenant hotline varies substantially depending on where the tenant lives. Some cities have rental code ordinances that require a landlord maintain at least 68 degrees during the winter months. Other cities only require that the heating system is capable of maintaining that temperature when it’s very cold. Still other cities have no rental codes at all, and thus no minimum temperature requirements.
This is very frustrating for tenants and a reason that HOME Line has supported proposed legislation to create a state-wide heat code for years. Lack of heat solutions for renters shouldn’t hinge on which city the tenant lives in.
A proposal to address this is in front of the Minnesota legislature again this legislative session.
One of the most common things we end up saying to tenants if they call us about lack of a heat is the importance of getting a thermometer to get independent readings in different rooms at different times of day. Depending on the temperature, tenants may have the option of pursuing a Rent Escrow or Emergency Tenant Remedies Action to try to address an under-heated rental unit.
CRP: Certificate for Rent Paid: This is the time of year when people are preparing their taxes. For many renters this will include the Certificate for Rent Paid form that their landlord is required to give them. Tenants can potentially use this to defray their taxes/qualify for a higher refund. Under state law, the landlord is to provide this completed form by Jan. 31 showing how much rent the tenant paid in the previous calendar year. If a landlord refuses to give the tenant the CRP after March 1, the tenant can work with the MN Department of Revenue to effectively sidestep the landlord’s notice.
We’ve already taken 73 calls from tenants during this CRP season.
Towing: When snow falls, parking lots need to be plowed. Doing this effectively usually requires that tenants move their cars by a certain time and failing to do so sometimes leads to landlords towing cars. Already this season, we’ve taken 51 calls from tenants dealing with towed cars wondering if they have any recourse.
Our advice is almost always this; look at the lease (and/or community handbook if there is one included as part of the lease).
The lease should state when the landlord is allowed to tow a car. Usually, the lease will have either an:
- Automatic ‘trigger’: An automatic trigger would be something like, “If there is snowfall of 2 inches or more over a 24-hour period…”
- Notice requirement: A requirement that the landlord will notify the tenant in some manner before towing cars.
The lease needs to state when the landlord can tow, and then the landlord needs to follow their own policies.
If the landlord hasn’t done this, the tenant may end up suing in Conciliation (small claims) Court for the costs associated with the towing, which can be several hundred dollars.