Minnesota Session Laws - 2008, Regular Session

CHAPTER 177--S.F.No. 2908

An act

relating to landlord and tenant; providing for certain notices relating to foreclosure;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 504B.151; 504B.178, subdivision 8; 504B.285, subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 504B.151, is amended to read:

504B.151 RESTRICTION ON RESIDENTIAL LEASE TERMS FOR BUILDINGS IN FINANCIAL DISTRESS new text begin ; REQUIRED NOTICE OF PENDING FORECLOSURE new text end .

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Limitation on lease and notice to tenant. new text end

new text begin (a) new text end Once a landlord has received notice of a contract for deed cancellation under section 559.21 or notice of a mortgage foreclosure sale under chapter 580 or 582, the landlord may new text begin only new text end enter into new text begin (i) new text end a periodic residential lease agreement with a term of new text begin not more than new text end two months or new text begin the time remaining in the contract cancellation period or the mortgagor's redemption period, whichever is new text end less or new text begin (ii) new text end a fixed term residential tenancy not extending beyond the cancellation period or the landlord's period of redemption until:

(1) the contract for deed has been reinstated or paid in full;

(2) the mortgage default has been cured and the mortgage reinstated;

(3) the mortgage has been satisfied;

(4) the property has been redeemed from a foreclosure sale; or

(5) a receiver has been appointed.

new text begin (b) Before entering into a lease under this section and accepting any rent or security deposit from a tenant, the landlord must notify the prospective tenant in writing that the landlord has received notice of a contract for deed cancellation or notice of a mortgage foreclosure sale as appropriate, and the date on which the contract cancellation period or the mortgagor's redemption period ends. new text end

new text begin (c) new text end This section does not apply to a manufactured home park as defined in section 327C.01, subdivision 5.

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Exception allowing a longer term lease. new text end

new text begin This section does not apply if: new text end

new text begin (1) the holder or the mortgagee agrees not to terminate the tenant's lease other than for lease violations for at least one year from the commencement of the tenancy; and new text end

new text begin (2) the lease does not require the tenant to prepay rent for any month commencing after the end of the cancellation or redemption period, so that the rent payment would be due prior to the end of the cancellation or redemption period. new text end

new text begin For the purposes of this section, a holder means a contract for deed vendor or a holder of the sheriff's certificate of sale or any assignee of the contract for deed vendor or of the holder of the sheriff's certificate of sale. new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Transfer of tenancy by operation of law. new text end

new text begin (a) A tenant who enters into a lease under subdivision 2 is: new text end

new text begin (1) deemed by operation of law to become the tenant of the holder immediately upon the holder succeeding to the interest of the landlord under the lease; and new text end

new text begin (2) bound to the holder under all the provisions of the lease for either the balance of the lease term or for one year after the start of the tenancy, whichever occurs first. new text end

new text begin (b) A tenant who becomes the tenant of the holder under this subdivision is not obligated to pay rent to the holder until the holder mails, by first class mail to the tenant at the property address, written notice that the holder has succeeded to the interest of the landlord. A letter from the holder to the tenant to that effect is prima facie evidence that the holder has succeeded to the interest of the landlord. new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Holder not bound by certain acts. new text end

new text begin A holder succeeding to an interest in a lease lawfully entered into under subdivision 2 is not: (1) liable for any act or omission of any prior landlord; (2) subject to any offset or defense which the tenant had against any prior landlord; or (3) bound by any modification of the lease entered into under subdivision 2, unless the modification is made with the holder's consent. new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 504B.178, subdivision 8, is amended to read:

Subd. 8.

Withholding rent.

No tenant may withhold payment of all or any portion of rent for the last payment period of a residential rental agreement, except an oral or written month to month residential rental agreement concerning which neither the tenant nor landlord has served a notice to quit, new text begin or for the last month of a contract for deed cancellation period under section 559.21 or a mortgage foreclosure redemption period under chapter 580 or 582, new text end on the grounds that the deposit should serve as payment for the rent. Withholding all or any portion of rent for the last payment period of the residential rental agreement creates a rebuttable presumption that the tenant withheld the last payment on the grounds that the deposit should serve as payment for the rent. Any tenant who remains in violation of this subdivision after written demand and notice of this subdivision shall be liable to the landlord for the following:

(1) a penalty in an amount equal to the portion of the deposit which the landlord is entitled to withhold under subdivision 3 other than to remedy the tenant's default in the payment of rent; and

(2) interest on the whole deposit as provided in subdivision 2, in addition to the amount of rent withheld by the tenant in violation of this subdivision.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 504B.285, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Grounds.

The person entitled to the premises may recover possession by eviction when:

(1) any person holds over real property:

(i) after a sale of the property on an execution or judgment; new text begin or new text end

(ii) deleted text begin on foreclosure of a mortgage and deleted text end new text begin after the new text end expiration of the time for redemption deleted text begin ; deleted text end new text begin on foreclosure of a mortgage, new text end or

deleted text begin (iii) deleted text end after termination of contract to convey the property, provided that if the person holding the real property after the expiration of the time for redemption or termination deleted text begin is deleted text end new text begin was new text end a tenant new text begin during the redemption or termination period new text end , the person new text begin entered into the lease of any duration after the date of the notice of mortgage foreclosure or contract for deed cancellation and prior to the expiration of the time for redemption or termination, and the person new text end has received:

(A) at least deleted text begin one month's deleted text end new text begin two months' new text end written notice to vacate no sooner than one month after the expiration of the time for redemption or termination, provided that the tenant pays the rent and abides by all terms of the lease; or

(B) at least deleted text begin one month's deleted text end new text begin two months' new text end written notice to vacate no later than the date of the expiration of the time for redemption or termination, which notice shall also state that the sender will hold the tenant harmless for breaching the lease by vacating the premises if the mortgage is redeemed or the contract is reinstated;

(2) any person holds over real property after termination of the time for which it is demised or leased to that person or to the persons under whom that person holds possession, contrary to the conditions or covenants of the lease or agreement under which that person holds, or after any rent becomes due according to the terms of such lease or agreement; or

(3) any tenant at will holds over after the termination of the tenancy by notice to quit.

Sec. 4.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin Section 1 is effective for leases entered into on or after August 1, 2008. Section 2 is effective for cancellations of contracts for deed or mortgage foreclosures commenced on or after August 1, 2008. Section 3 is effective for mortgage redemption periods expiring on or after August 1, 2008. new text end

Presented to the governor April 3, 2008

Signed by the governor April 4, 2008, 4:12 p.m.