Effective Date: November 1, 2025
Jurisdiction: State of Minnesota
Scope: Applies to all landlords, property managers, agents and listing entities using the Tentunit platform for residential student-/young-professional housing in Minnesota.
1. Purpose
This Statement defines the operational, compliance, and ethical obligations that landlords must meet when listing properties on the Tentunit platform in Minnesota. Participation on the platform requires adherence to this document, the Tentunit Terms of Service, Payment Terms, Fair Housing Policy, and related platform governance standards. This Statement supplements but does not replace legal counsel.
2. Listing Accuracy, Transparency & Advertising Standards
Required Disclosures
For each listing, landlords must clearly disclose:
- Monthly rent, lease term (start/end dates or periodic notice terms), renewal terms.
- All one-time and recurring fees: application fees, move-in charges, administrative/amenity fees, parking, pet fees/deposits, utility allocation or rebill fees.
- Security deposit amount (or fee-in-lieu) and any policy for its return or non-return.
- Utilities: which utilities tenant pays, which landlord pays, if sub-metering or allocation used; and clear method of charge.
- Unit condition: photographs must reflect the actual unit as it currently exists, not a model unit mis-representing finishes or condition.
- Screening criteria: credit, income, rental history, guarantor requirement, student status, background checks.
- Move-in availability: actual date the unit is available for occupancy, and any waitlist or hold policy.
Prohibited Practices
- Advertising units that are already leased or unavailable.
- Misrepresenting unit condition, size, amenities, view, finishes, or exclusively using model-photos without disclosure.
- “Teaser” pricing or “starting at” rent without clear eligibility disclosures.
- Omitting fees or presenting misleading or hidden costs.
- Bait-and-switch tactics where a listing presents one unit or condition but swaps to another without transparent disclosure.
Compliance Note
Minnesota law requires landlords to provide the state “Landlords & Tenants” handbook or notice about its availability (Minn. Stat. § 504B.181, subd. 2(b)). Landlords must comply with statutes governing disclosures and deposit handling (e.g., §§ 504B.178, 504B.182) and cannot waive legally mandated protections.
3. Fair Housing, Equal Access & Non-Discrimination
Landlords must comply with:
- The federal Fair Housing Act
- Minnesota statutes including the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and Persons With Disabilities Civil Rights Act
- All applicable local ordinances supplementing state law
Landlords must:
- Ensure eligibility criteria (screening, policies) are applied uniformly to all applicants regardless of protected status (race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability, marital status, age, height, weight).
- Provide reasonable accommodations/modifications for persons with disabilities where required.
- Avoid discriminatory advertising language, and treat all inquiries and applications equally.
- Maintain documentation of screening criteria and decision records, and be prepared for audit by Tentunit or regulatory authorities.
4. Tenant Communication & Operational Responsiveness
To maintain platform integrity and protect student tenants, landlords must:
- Acknowledge any inquiry, lease-application message or maintenance request via Tentunit (or documented alternative) within 24 hours (no later than 48 hours).
- Provide regular updates to applicants regarding application status and to tenants regarding maintenance scheduling, inspection notices, or any lease-related change.
- Maintain a professional, respectful and nondiscriminatory tone in all communications.
- Keep listings current (availability status, pricing, photos, amenity disclosures) and remove leased units immediately.
Poor communication, repeated missed response windows, or discriminatory conduct may trigger listing suspension or de-listing by Tentunit.
5. Lease Execution, Legal Compliance & Contract Terms
All leases executed via Tentunit must comply with Minnesota statutes and the following key obligations:
- Leases must be in writing and digitally executed via Tentunit’s authorized process or equivalent.
- Lease must state landlord/agent name and address for service of process. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.634)
- Tenant must be provided with or given notice of the “Landlords & Tenants” handbook or availability thereof. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.181 subd. 2(b))
- Tenant must be given the option (within statute) of an initial inspection and a move-out inspection to reduce deposit deductions. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.182)
- Lease termination provisions and notice periods must comply with law (for month-to-month or fixed term leases) and cannot impose unenforceable or unconscionable terms.
- Landlords may not impose unlawful self-help eviction, lockouts, utility shut-offs, or take retaliatory actions against tenants for exercising lawful rights.
6. Habitability, Maintenance & Repair Obligations
Landlords shall maintain living units in a habitable condition consistent with local building, housing and health codes as applicable in Minnesota. At minimum the landlord must ensure:
- Safe, operable heating, plumbing, sanitary facilities, electrical wiring and protection from the elements.
- Secure, functioning locks on entry doors and windows, and adequate safety devices such as smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms where required by local code.
- Property exterior, structural elements, roofs, stairways, porches, windows, floor surfaces, walls and ceilings in safe condition.
- Prompt response to tenant-reported conditions materially affecting health or safety.
Landlords must maintain detailed records of repair requests, scheduling and completion status. Failure to address health/safety issues may trigger regulatory enforcement or tenant remedies.
7. Entry, Inspections & Tenant Privacy
Landlords must respect tenant privacy and comply with the legal regime governing landlord entry:
- Advance notice for non-emergency entry is required; recent statutory guidance indicates landlords must provide at least 24 hours’ notice and entry should occur between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. unless agreed otherwise or in an emergency.
- Tenants must be informed they may request and attend move-out inspection. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.182 subd.2)
- Entry for showing, maintenance or inspection must be scheduled at a mutually acceptable time when tenant requests or must strictly abide by “reasonable hours” legal standard.
- Landlord must document entry notices (Tentunit portal or other written records) and keep a log for audit.
8. Security Deposits, Fees & Escrow Administration
Deposit Handling
In Minnesota:
- There is no statewide statutory cap on security deposit amounts unless a local ordinance sets a limit.
- Landlord must hold the deposit and may be required to pay interest on amounts held longer than one year. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 subd.2)
- Landlord must provide, within 21 days after lease termination (once tenant has given forwarding address) either: (i) full deposit return with interest, or (ii) itemized written explanation of deductions plus return of remaining portion. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 subd.3)
Permissible Deductions
Landlord may withhold only for:
- Unpaid rent
- Damage beyond ordinary wear and tear
- Other unpaid charges owed under rental agreement
Landlord may not deduct for normal wear and tear.
Penalties for Misconduct
If landlord fails to comply with deposit return rules, tenant may recover twice the amount withheld, plus interest and up to $500 in punitive damages for bad-faith retention. (Minn. Stat. § 504B.178 subd.4 & subd.7)
9. Rent Collection, Late Fees & Tenant Termination
- Landlords must not use deposit funds to cover last month’s rent except under limited circumstances defined in statute (see § 504B.178 subd.8).
- Late fees must be reasonable, transparently disclosed in lease, and not constitute penalties inconsistent with state law.
- For fixed-term and periodic tenancies: lease termination and notice procedures must comply with Minnesota statutes and any applicable local ordinance.
- Landlords may not engage in retaliatory eviction or harassment of tenants who exercise lawful rights.
10. Student & Young Professional Housing / Additional Standards
Given Tentunit’s focus on students and young professionals:
- Landlords must refrain from predatory leasing practices targeting student renters (e.g., requiring exorbitant fees, requiring guaranteed income but not providing reasonable alternatives, mis-representing campus proximity or amenities).
- Leases must clearly state the path for renewal or termination at end of term and must not lock students into unfair renewal without choice.
- Landlords must provide accessible communication channels (recognizing student schedules) and ensure move-in information (orientation, parking, utilities) is clearly communicated in writing.
- Landlords must respect academic term-changes, break periods and provide realistic access to subletting, early-termination options or release options if applicable; such policies must be clearly stated and optional rather than assumed.
11. Documentation, Audit, Compliance & Platform Enforcement
Landlords are required to maintain full and accurate documentation of:
- Listing details and communications
- Screening criteria and approved/declined applicant logs
- Lease execution records
- Inventory checklists, inspection reports, repair logs and move-out documentation
- Deposit accounting, interest paid, itemized deductions
Tentunit reserves the right to audit landlords on the platform and may:
- Suspend or remove listings
- Freeze or withhold payouts or platform credits
- Terminate the landlord’s platform account permanently
- Report repeated non-compliance to regulatory agencies
- Recover costs, fees or damages caused by landlord conduct that triggers platform or legal exposure
12. Indemnification
Landlord shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Tentunit (and its affiliates, officers, directors, agents, contractors) from and against all claims, liabilities, losses, costs (including attorney fees) arising out of or related to:
- Landlord’s breach of this Statement or other Tentunit policies
- Landlord’s violation of applicable law or third-party rights
- Misrepresentation of listing, condition, availability or fees
- Tenant claims arising from landlord’s conduct or neglect
- Platform review, audit or enforcement action caused by landlord non-compliance
13. Governing Law & Reference Statutes
Major Minnesota statutes and resources referenced:
- Minn. Stat. Ch. 504B (Residential Tenancy Act) — §§ 504B.178 (security deposits), 504B.182 (inspection rights)
- Minnesota Attorney General “Landlords & Tenants” handbook (Revised July 2025)
- Legal resource guides and deposit-law summaries (HOME Line, LawHelpMN)
Federal laws and overriding obligations:
- Fair Housing Act
- Americans with Disabilities Act (where applicable)
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (for eligible tenants)