Legal Information: Minnesota

Minnesota Housing Laws

Updated: 
October 12, 2022

Who is protected under this housing law? What protections does this law offer?

You may be protected under this housing law if:

  1. you are the victim of:
  2. you fear immediate violence against you or another tenant or authorized occupant.1

If you are a person protected under this law, you (the tenant) may be able to end your lease before it expires if you fear immediate violence against you or another tenant or authorized occupant. Additionally, you will no longer have to pay your rent or any other charges for the rest of the lease period when you are no longer living there.2 However, you are responsible for the rent payment for the full month that you end your lease.3

1 Minn. Stat. § 504B.206(1)(a)
2 Minn. Stat. § 504B.206(1)(a)
3 Minn. Stat. § 504B.206(3)(b)

Back to top

If I get my lease terminated, how will this affect my roommates?

If you have any co-tenants and you end your lease, the lease agreement also ends for the co-tenants. You and any other tenants will have to pay rent for the full month that you end your lease. Additionally, you and the other tenants give up your right to have the security deposit returned. You and your co-tenants will no longer have any responsibility to pay rent or any other charges for the rest of the lease period. The other tenant(s) have the option of reapplying to start a new lease with the landlord.1

1 Minn. Stat. § 504B.206(3)(b)

Back to top

Once I notify my landlord that I want to end my lease, do I still have to pay my rent? Will I get my security deposit back?

When you end your lease, you will no longer have to pay your rent or any other charges for the rest of the lease period. However, you are responsible for paying full rent for the month that you end your lease. Ending your lease does not end your responsibility to pay the landlord for any unpaid rent or money owed before your lease ended. You also give up your right to have your security deposit returned.1

1 Minn. Stat. § 504B.206(3)(c)

Back to top
Legal Information

WomensLaw serves and supports all survivors, no matter their sex or gender.

© 2008–2023 WomensLaw.org is a project of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, Inc. All rights reserved. This website is funded in part through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). NNEDV is a 501©(3) non-profit organization; EIN 52-1973408.