2023 Minnesota Statutes

CHAPTER 327A. HOUSING; STATUTORY WARRANTIES

327A.01 DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1.Scope.

As used in sections 327A.01 to 327A.07, the terms in this section shall have the meanings assigned to them.

Subd. 2.Building standards.

"Building standards" means the materials and installation standards of the State Building Code, adopted by the commissioner of labor and industry pursuant to sections 326B.101 to 326B.194, in effect at the time of the construction or remodeling.

Subd. 3.Dwelling.

"Dwelling" means a new building, not previously occupied, constructed for the purpose of habitation; but does not include appurtenant recreational facilities, detached garages, driveways, walkways, patios, boundary walls, retaining walls not necessary for the structural stability of the dwelling, landscaping, fences, nonpermanent construction materials, off-site improvements, and all other similar items.

Subd. 4.Initial vendee.

"Initial vendee" means a person who first contracts to purchase a dwelling from a vendor for the purpose of habitation and not for resale in the ordinary course of trade.

Subd. 5.Major construction defect.

"Major construction defect" means actual damage to the load-bearing portion of the dwelling or the home improvement, including damage due to subsidence, expansion or lateral movement of the soil, which affects the load-bearing function and which vitally affects or is imminently likely to vitally affect use of the dwelling or the home improvement for residential purposes. "Major construction defect" does not include damage due to movement of the soil caused by flood, earthquake or other natural disaster.

Subd. 6.Vendee.

"Vendee" means any purchaser of a dwelling and includes the initial vendee and any subsequent purchasers.

Subd. 7.Vendor.

"Vendor" means any person, firm, or corporation that constructs dwellings, including the construction of dwellings on land owned by vendees. Vendor does not include a subcontractor or material supplier involved in the construction of a dwelling.

Subd. 8.Warranty date.

"Warranty date" means the date from and after which the statutory warranties provided in section 327A.02 shall be effective, and is the earliest of:

(a) the date of the initial vendee's first occupancy of the dwelling; or

(b) the date on which the initial vendee takes legal or equitable title in the dwelling.

In the case of a home improvement, the warranty date is the date on which the home improvement work was completed.

Subd. 9.Home improvement.

"Home improvement" means the repairing, remodeling, altering, converting or modernizing of, or adding to a residential building. For the purpose of this definition, residential building does not include appurtenant recreational facilities, detached garages, driveways, walkways, patios, boundary walls, retaining walls not necessary for the structural stability of the building, landscaping, fences, nonpermanent construction materials, off-site improvements, and all other similar items.

Subd. 10.Home improvement contractor.

"Home improvement contractor" means a person who is engaged in the business of home improvement either full time or part time, and who holds out to the public as having knowledge or skill peculiar to the business of home improvement.

Subd. 11.Owner.

"Owner" means any person who owns a residential building on which home improvement work is performed, and includes any subsequent owner of the residential building.

Subd. 12.Inspection.

"Inspection" means a visual or invasive examination of the alleged property damage.

History:

1977 c 65 s 1; 1981 c 119 s 1-5; 1986 c 444; 2001 c 207 s 8; 1Sp2003 c 8 art 1 s 12; 2007 c 140 art 4 s 61; art 12 s 12; art 13 s 4; 2010 c 343 s 4,5

327A.02 STATUTORY WARRANTIES.

Subdivision 1.Warranties by vendors.

In every sale of a completed dwelling, and in every contract for the sale of a dwelling to be completed, the vendor shall warrant to the vendee that:

(a) during the one-year period from and after the warranty date the dwelling shall be free from defects caused by faulty workmanship and defective materials due to noncompliance with building standards;

(b) during the two-year period from and after the warranty date, the dwelling shall be free from defects caused by faulty installation of plumbing, electrical, heating, and cooling systems due to noncompliance with building standards; and

(c) during the ten-year period from and after the warranty date, the dwelling shall be free from major construction defects due to noncompliance with building standards.

Subd. 2.Warranties to survive passage of title.

The statutory warranties provided in this section shall survive the passing of legal or equitable title in the dwelling to the vendee.

Subd. 2a.Remedies unaffected by corporate dissolution.

The statutory warranties provided in this section are not affected by the dissolution of a vendor or home improvement contractor that is a corporation or limited liability company.

Subd. 3.Home improvement warranties.

(a) In a sale or in a contract for the sale of home improvement work involving major structural changes or additions to a residential building, the home improvement contractor shall warrant to the owner that:

(1) during the one-year period from and after the warranty date the home improvement shall be free from defects caused by faulty workmanship and defective materials due to noncompliance with building standards; and

(2) during the ten-year period from and after the warranty date the home improvement shall be free from major construction defects due to noncompliance with building standards.

(b) In a sale or in a contract for the sale of home improvement work involving the installation of plumbing, electrical, heating or cooling systems, the home improvement contractor shall warrant to the owner that, during the two-year period from and after the warranty date, the home improvement shall be free from defects caused by the faulty installation of the system or systems due to noncompliance with building standards.

(c) In a sale or in a contract for the sale of any home improvement work not covered by paragraph (a) or (b), the home improvement contractor shall warrant to the owner that, during the one-year period from and after the warranty date, the home improvement shall be free from defects caused by faulty workmanship or defective materials due to noncompliance with building standards.

Subd. 4.Response from vendor or home improvement contractor to notice of claim; right to inspect.

(a) The vendee or owner must allow an inspection for purposes of the preparation of an offer to repair the alleged loss or damage under subdivision 5. The inspection must be performed by the vendor or home improvement contractor within 30 days of the notification under section 327A.03, clause (a). Any damage to property caused as a result of an inspection must be promptly repaired by the inspecting party to restore the property to its preinspected condition.

(b) The applicable statute of limitations and statute of repose for an action based on breach of a warranty imposed by this section, or any other action in contract, tort, or other law for any injury to real or personal property or bodily injury or wrongful death arising out of the alleged loss or damage, is tolled from the date the written notice provided by the vendee or owner is postmarked, or if not sent through the mail, received by the vendor or home improvement contractor until the latest of the following:

(1) the date of completion of the home warranty dispute resolution process under section 327A.051; or

(2) 180 days.

(c) Upon completion of repairs as described in an offer to repair, the vendor must provide the vendee with a list of the repairs made and a notice that the vendee may have a right to pursue a warranty claim under this chapter. Provision of this statement is not an admission of liability. Compliance with this subdivision does not affect any rights of the vendee under this chapter.

Subd. 5.Right to repair; agreement.

(a) Within 15 days of completion of the inspection required by subdivision 4, the vendor or home improvement contractor must provide to the vendee or owner a written offer to repair. The offer to repair must include, at a minimum:

(1) the scope of the proposed repair work; and

(2) the proposed date on which the repair work would begin and the estimated date of completion.

(b) This subdivision does not prevent the vendee or owner from obtaining the information in paragraph (a) from another contractor or from negotiating with the vendor or home improvement contractor for a different scope of work.

(c) If the parties agree to a scope of work, the vendor or home improvement contractor must perform the repair work in accordance with the offer to repair. If the parties do not agree to a scope of work, the vendee or owner must submit the matter to the homeowner warranty dispute resolution process under section 327A.051.

(d) Upon completion of repairs described in an offer to repair, the vendor or home improvement contractor must provide the vendee or owner with a written notice that the scope of the work agreed upon has been completed.

Subd. 6.Failure to perform inspection or repair.

If the vendor or home improvement contractor fails to perform an inspection under subdivision 4 or fails to make an offer to repair or perform agreed upon repairs under subdivision 5, the vendee or owner may commence an action.

Subd. 7.Processes required before commencement of action.

Except as provided in subdivision 6, a cause of action for which the statute of limitations or statute of repose is tolled under subdivision 4, paragraph (b), must not be commenced in district court until the earlier of:

(1) the completion of the home warranty dispute resolution process under section 327A.051; or

(2) 60 days after the written offer of repair is provided to the vendee or owner.

History:

1977 c 65 s 2; 1981 c 119 s 6; 2001 c 207 s 9,10; 2006 c 202 s 5,6; 2010 c 343 s 6-9

327A.03 EXCLUSIONS.

The liability of the vendor or the home improvement contractor under sections 327A.01 to 327A.07 is limited to the specific items set forth in sections 327A.01 to 327A.07 and does not extend to the following:

(a) loss or damage not reported by the vendee or the owner to the vendor or the home improvement contractor in writing within six months after the vendee or the owner discovers or should have discovered the loss or damage; unless the vendee or owner establishes that the vendor or home improvement contractor had actual notice of the loss or damage;

(b) loss or damage caused by defects in design, installation, or materials which the vendee or the owner supplied, installed, or directed to be installed;

(c) secondary loss or damage such as personal injury or property damage;

(d) loss or damage from normal wear and tear;

(e) loss or damage from normal shrinkage caused by drying of the dwelling or the home improvement within tolerances of building standards;

(f) loss or damage from dampness and condensation due to insufficient ventilation after occupancy;

(g) loss or damage from negligence, improper maintenance or alteration of the dwelling or the home improvement by parties other than the vendor or the home improvement contractor;

(h) loss or damage from changes in grading of the ground around the dwelling or the home improvement by parties other than the vendor or the home improvement contractor;

(i) landscaping or insect loss or damage;

(j) loss or damage from failure to maintain the dwelling or the home improvement in good repair;

(k) loss or damage which the vendee or the owner, whenever feasible, has not taken timely action to minimize;

(l) loss or damage which occurs after the dwelling or the home improvement is no longer used primarily as a residence;

(m) accidental loss or damage usually described as acts of God, including, but not limited to: fire, explosion, smoke, water escape, windstorm, hail or lightning, falling trees, aircraft and vehicles, flood, and earthquake, except when the loss or damage is caused by failure to comply with building standards;

(n) loss or damage from soil movement which is compensated by legislation or covered by insurance;

(o) loss or damage due to soil conditions where construction is done upon lands owned by the vendee or the owner and obtained by the vendee or owner from a source independent of the vendor or the home improvement contractor;

(p) in the case of home improvement work, loss or damage due to defects in the existing structure and systems not caused by the home improvement.

History:

1977 c 65 s 3; 1981 c 119 s 7; 1986 c 444; 2010 c 343 s 10

327A.04 WAIVER AND MODIFICATION LIMITED.

Subdivision 1.Waiver.

Except as provided in subdivisions 2 and 3, the provisions of sections 327A.01 to 327A.08 cannot be waived or modified by contract or otherwise. Any agreement which purports to waive or modify the provisions of sections 327A.01 to 327A.08, except as provided in subdivisions 2 and 3 of this section, shall be void.

Subd. 2.Modification.

At any time after a contract for the sale of a dwelling is entered into by and between a vendor and a vendee or a contract for home improvement work is entered into by and between a home improvement contractor and an owner, any of the warranties provided for in section 327A.02 may be excluded or modified only by a written instrument, printed in boldface type of a minimum size of ten points, which is signed by the vendee or the owner and which sets forth in detail the warranty involved, the consent of the vendee or the owner, and the terms of the new agreement contained in the writing. No exclusion or modification shall be effective unless the vendor or the home improvement contractor provides substitute express warranties offering substantially the same protections to the vendee or the owner as the statutory warranties set forth in section 327A.02. Any modification or exclusion agreed to by vendee and vendor or the owner and home improvement contractor pursuant to this subdivision shall not require the approval of the commissioner of labor and industry pursuant to section 327A.07.

Subd. 3.Exception.

If a major construction defect is discovered prior to the sale of a dwelling, the warranty set forth in section 327A.02, subdivision 1, clause (c) may be waived for the defect identified in the waiver instrument, after full oral disclosure of the specific defect, by an instrument which sets forth in detail: the specific defect; the difference between the value of the dwelling without the defect and the value of the dwelling with the defect, as determined and attested to by an independent appraiser, contractor, insurance adjuster, engineer or any other similarly knowledgeable person selected by the vendee; the price reduction; the date the construction was completed; the legal description of the dwelling; the consent of the vendee to the waiver; and the signatures of the vendee, the vendor, and two witnesses.

A single waiver agreed to pursuant to this subdivision may not apply to more than one major construction defect in a dwelling.

The waiver shall not be effective unless recorded with the county recorder or registrar of titles who shall file the waiver for record.

History:

1977 c 65 s 4; 1981 c 119 s 8; 2005 c 4 s 61; 2008 c 337 s 59; 2009 c 91 s 1

327A.05 REMEDIES.

Subdivision 1.New home warranties.

Upon breach of any warranty imposed by section 327A.02, subdivision 1, the vendee shall have a cause of action against the vendor for damages arising out of the breach, or for specific performance. Damages shall be limited to:

(a) the amount necessary to remedy the defect or breach; or

(b) the difference between the value of the dwelling without the defect and the value of the dwelling with the defect.

Subd. 2.Home improvement warranty.

Upon breach of any warranty imposed by section 327A.02, subdivision 3, the owner shall have a cause of action against the home improvement contractor for damages arising out of the breach, or for specific performance. Damages shall be limited to the amount necessary to remedy the defect or breach.

History:

1977 c 65 s 5; 1981 c 119 s 9

327A.051 HOME WARRANTY DISPUTE RESOLUTION.

Subdivision 1.Panel of neutrals.

(a) The commissioner of labor and industry shall maintain a list of persons who consent to serve as qualified neutrals for purposes of this section. The commissioner shall establish application requirements and qualifications for qualified neutrals, taking into consideration the education, experience, and training of the applicant, potential conflicts of interest, and that the purpose of the process is to assist parties in determining an agreeable scope of repair or other resolution of their dispute.

(b) As a condition of being included on the panel of neutrals identified in this section, the commissioner of labor and industry may charge each qualified neutral a fee of $200 per year for the administration of the home warranty dispute resolution process.

Subd. 2.Dispute resolution process.

(a) The home warranty dispute resolution process required by this section is commenced by written application to the commissioner. A request must include the complete current address and full name of the contact person for each participating party.

(b) Within ten days of receiving a written request, the commissioner shall provide each party with a written list of three qualified neutrals randomly selected from the panel of neutrals established under subdivision 1. The commissioner shall also provide complete contact information for each qualified neutral.

(c) Within five business days after receipt of the list from the commissioner, the parties shall mutually select one of the three qualified neutrals identified by the commissioner to serve as the qualified neutral for their dispute. If the parties cannot mutually agree on a neutral, the vendor or home improvement contractor shall strike one of the neutrals from the list, the vendee or owner shall subsequently strike one of the remaining neutrals from the list, and the remaining neutral shall serve as the qualified neutral for the dispute resolution process. The parties shall notify the selected qualified neutral and the commissioner of the selection.

Subd. 3.Neutral evaluation; fee.

(a) The qualified neutral selected by the parties shall convene, and each party shall attend, an in-person conference of the parties. The qualified neutral shall select the date for the conference after consulting the parties. The conference must occur no later than 30 days after the neutral's selection, except by mutual agreement of the parties. In addition, the neutral shall collect from each party an administrative fee of $25 and shall submit those fees to the commissioner no later than ten days after the completion of the conference.

(b) At least seven days before the conference, each party must provide the qualified neutral and the other party with all information and documentation necessary to understanding the dispute, or the alleged loss or damages.

(c) After reviewing the information and documentation provided by the parties and after consulting with the parties at the conference, the neutral shall issue to the parties a nonbinding, written determination, which must include, to the extent possible, findings and recommendations on the scope and amount of repairs necessary, if any. The qualified neutral shall mail the determination to each party within ten days after the conference.

(d) The parties shall share the expense of the qualified neutral's billed time equally, unless otherwise agreed. The neutral's billed time for evaluation of documents, meeting with the parties, and issuing a written determination must not exceed six hours, unless agreed to in writing by both parties. The neutral must identify the neutral's hourly rate to the parties.

Subd. 4.Alternative process.

If both parties agree, the parties may designate an alternative dispute resolution process in lieu of participating in the home warranty dispute resolution process established by this section. If the parties agree to an alternative dispute resolution process, they shall provide written notice of the agreement and a description of the selected process to the commissioner as soon as practicable, but no later than the date the parties are required to select a neutral under subdivision 2.

Subd. 5.Effect on future proceedings.

(a) The written determination issued by the qualified neutral and all communications relating to the home warranty dispute resolution process, except those between any party and the commissioner, are deemed confidential settlement communications pursuant to Rule 408 of the Minnesota Rules of Evidence.

(b) No party may use the written offer of repair provided by a vendor or home improvement contractor, a counteroffer to repair, or a written determination issued by the qualified neutral as evidence of liability in subsequent litigation between the parties. The qualified neutral may not be called to testify regarding the dispute resolution proceedings.

(c) Any amount paid by a party for the services of a qualified neutral under this section is deemed a taxable cost of the prevailing party in a subsequent litigation involving the same subject matter.

Subd. 6.Noncompliance with timelines; effect.

Failure to strictly comply with the timelines in this section shall not be grounds for dismissal of any claim brought under section 327A.05, provided that the parties establish good faith effort in complying with this section.

History:

2010 c 343 s 11

327A.06 OTHER WARRANTIES.

The warranties provided for in section 327A.02 shall be in addition to all other warranties imposed by law or agreement. The remedies provided in section 327A.05 shall not be construed as limiting the remedies in any action not predicated upon breach of the statutory warranties imposed by section 327A.02.

History:

1977 c 65 s 6; 2009 c 91 s 2

327A.07 VARIATIONS.

The commissioner of labor and industry may approve pursuant to sections 14.05 to 14.28, variations from the provisions of sections 327A.02 and 327A.03 if the warranty program of the vendor or the home improvement contractor requesting the variation offers at least substantially the same protections to the vendee or owner as provided by the warranties set forth in section 327A.02.

History:

1977 c 65 s 7; 1981 c 119 s 10; 1982 c 424 s 130; 1995 c 233 art 2 s 56; 2008 c 337 s 60; 2009 c 91 s 3

327A.08 LIMITATIONS.

Notwithstanding any other provision of sections 327A.01 to 327A.08:

(a) the terms of the home improvement warranties required by sections 327A.01 to 327A.08 commence upon completion of the home improvement and the term shall not be required to be renewed or extended if the home improvement contractor performs additional improvements required by warranty;

(b) the home improvement warranties required by sections 327A.01 to 327A.08 shall not include products or materials installed that are already covered by implied or written warranty; and

(c) the warranties required by sections 327A.01 to 327A.08 must be set forth as written warranty instruments and must be included as part of the construction contract. The warranties and the exclusions under section 327A.03, the right to inspect and offer to repair under section 327A.02, subdivisions 4 and 5, and the home warranty dispute resolution process under section 327A.051 must be conveyed in writing to the owner. Failure to comply with this paragraph is a violation of section 326B.84.

(d) If the warranties required by sections 327A.01 to 327A.08 are not provided to the owner in writing as required by paragraph (c), they are implied statutory warranties that have the same effect as if the vendor or home improvement contractor had complied with paragraph (c).

(e) The owner's right under this section to receive the written warranty required under this section may not be waived or modified by contract or otherwise. Any agreement that purports to waive or modify the right to the written warranty required under this section is void.

(f) This section does not limit the ability of the vendor or home improvement contractor and the owner to enter into the agreements permitted under section 327A.04, subdivisions 2 and 3.

History:

1981 c 119 s 11; 1997 c 7 art 1 s 126; 2009 c 91 s 4; 2010 c 343 s 12