Rental unit prospective tenant right to view establishment
Summary
SF3565 creates a new tenant-protection rule in Minnesota law requiring landlords to inform prospective tenants that they may view a rental dwelling before signing a lease. If the prospective tenant asks, the landlord must allow an in-person visit; if an in-person visit is not possible, the landlord must provide a remote or electronic viewing option before the unit is leased. The bill is proposed as a new section in Minnesota Statutes chapter 504B, which governs landlord-tenant relationships.
The bill also makes any lease term or agreement that waives this right void as against public policy. It establishes a private enforcement remedy for violations, allowing the tenant to recover treble actual and consequential damages or $1,000, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorney fees. This creates a meaningful statutory obligation for landlords and a financial penalty for noncompliance.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would add a new landlord duty under Minnesota’s housing statutes requiring notice and access for prospective tenants to inspect a unit before renting. It would affect landlords, property managers, and tenants by creating an enforceable right to view the dwelling, including remotely when necessary, and by prohibiting waiver of that right in rental agreements. The bill would also expand potential civil liability through damages and attorney-fee awards for violations.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be a tenant-rights and consumer-protection proposal with no recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials. The framing suggests a generally pro-tenant policy aimed at improving transparency and reducing pressure on renters to lease units sight unseen. Because there are no transcripts or vote results, there is no documented opposition or support beyond the bill’s introduction and referral.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the new compliance burden on landlords and the scope of the remedy. Landlords may object to being required to provide in-person or electronic access before leasing, especially in situations involving occupied units, scheduling constraints, or security and privacy concerns. The bill’s treble-damages remedy, minimum statutory award, and attorney-fee provision may also be viewed as strong enforcement tools that could increase litigation risk. On the other hand, tenant advocates would likely support the bill as a basic right to inspect housing before committing to a lease.
Written lease requirements modified, disclosure of additional landlord contact information required, landlords prohibited from listing the name of a minor child of a tenant in a lease or eviction complaint, right to view rental unit established, and penalties against landlords established.