Q: We signed a lease to rent a single-family home in Minneapolis. The rental contract includes a section about us doing some maintenance work. However, it includes nothing about getting a discount on our rent for performing this service. Our landlord lives in California, but there is a property manager who has been left in charge. He sent us a curt message stating that we are required to pull weeds in the alley during the spring, summer and fall, and that we neglected to do so last summer so he was required to do the weeding. The weeding of the alley was never addressed until now.
We were a little put off because we work in the yard, and no one complained about the status of the alley before. All I want is confirmation from a credible source that we are correct. Can the owner or property manager make us do work that was never agreed upon without giving us compensation for it?
A: Under Minnesota law, the owner or property manager may require tenants to perform specific repairs or maintenance around the property, but only if there is an agreement in writing and the agreement is supported by adequate consideration.
There is an organization called HOMELine that provides legal services to tenants throughout Minnesota. HOMELine has published a book, How to Be the Smartest Renter on Your Block, that answers your question. It states, A landlord can require a tenant to take care of maintenance (snow-shoveling and lawn-mowing are the most common chores), but the landlord must pay the tenant to do this work. (p. 48) This payment must be adequate or fair, and the agreement to perform the maintenance must be in writing. You can obtain this book from HOMELines website at https://homelinemn.org.
You have a written agreement to perform some maintenance because it is in the lease that you signed. However, if there is no mention of payment, reduced rent or some other type of consideration for the work performed, the agreement to perform the work is not binding. If the landlord fails to write down the amount of the discount or consideration for performing maintenance, then the tenant can stop performing the work or sue the landlord for past-due wages after the tenant moves out.
Whos minding the sink?
Q: I have a tenant who overflowed a bathroom sink a few months ago. He plugged the sink, then turned on the faucet to get water for his cat and walked away to take a telephone call. The sink does not have an overflow drain, which might have prevented the overflow. The water caused $1,500 damage to the apartment below, which he has agreed to pay.
Recently there was another overflow situation caused by the same tenant but involving much less water. The tenant is now demanding that I replace his sink with one that has an overflow drain. I have not had this problem with other tenants, and I feel it is his responsibility to stay near the sink when he is running water. I also believe he should remove the plug from the sink when getting water for his cat.
The tenant is hard of hearing, so Im guessing his hearing problem contributed to the first overflow problem, because he may not have been able to hear the water splashing onto the floor. I dont appreciate demands being made when the existing fixture is in good condition. This is just one of several situations with this tenant. How should I respond to his request?
A: Under Minnesota law, the landlord or owner promises to keep the premises and all common areas in reasonable repair during the term of the lease, except when the disrepair has been caused by the willful, malicious or irresponsible conduct of the tenant or a person under the direction or control of the tenant. Its great that your tenant was able to cover the cost of the water-overflow damages, since it was his fault.
Follow this link:
Must tenant do chores without compensation?
- Top 10 Lawn Mowing Services Near Me | Free Reviews & Grades Nearby - Angi - August 28th, 2022 [August 28th, 2022]
- 2022 Lawn Mowing Prices | Cost of Lawn Service - Fixr.com - August 28th, 2022 [August 28th, 2022]
- Want to help the planet? Rethink your lawn - WBUR News - August 28th, 2022 [August 28th, 2022]
- 5 Rewarding Ways To Help Seniors In Your Community - The List - August 28th, 2022 [August 28th, 2022]
- Teen of the Week: Parkersburg South's Bentley Kinzer is a man of many talents - Parkersburg News - August 28th, 2022 [August 28th, 2022]
- How Jet City Coalition aims to help seniors and low-income residents in communities near O'Hare - Chicago Daily Herald - December 16th, 2021 [December 16th, 2021]
- Online On-demand Home Services Market to grow by USD 4730.31 Bn | Alfred Club Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. Among Key Vendors | Technavio - PRNewswire - December 16th, 2021 [December 16th, 2021]
- Robin Autopilot and Weed Man Form Partnership to Strengthen Both Companies' Positions in the Rapidly Growing Robotic Mowing Market - PRNewswire - December 31st, 2020 [December 31st, 2020]
- One Option You Shouldnt Overlook When Setting Up a Security Camera - The New York Times - December 31st, 2020 [December 31st, 2020]
- In Loving Memory: Obituaries Of The Week December 27, 2020 - Smokey Barn News - December 31st, 2020 [December 31st, 2020]
- Never a dull moment: Best of the 2020 Sheriff's Log - Teton Valley News - December 31st, 2020 [December 31st, 2020]
- Landscaping Services Market Witness Highest Growth In Near Future| Leading Key Players Asplundh Tree Expert, BrightView Landscapes, The Davey Tree... - December 31st, 2020 [December 31st, 2020]
- Robert Gehrke: Friends are rallying to help Dave The Flower Guy, they shouldn't have to - Salt Lake Tribune - October 23rd, 2020 [October 23rd, 2020]
- 700 Thousand Products Debut at the 128th Canton Fair, Embracing Technological Breakthrough - PRNewswire - October 23rd, 2020 [October 23rd, 2020]
- Space Jam 2 Plot Leak Takes LeBron on a Looney Trip Into the WB Vaults - The Dad - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Greek Runner Helps Disabled Woman Achieve Dream of Climbing Mount Olympus - The Dad - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Couple Rushed to Aid of Wounded Kansas Police Officer, Drove Him to Hospital - Officer - October 20th, 2020 [October 20th, 2020]
- Harold Varner III lets head cover do talking on Twitter - Las Vegas Review-Journal - October 10th, 2020 [October 10th, 2020]
- Lockdown has shone a light on how much we rely on others - Sydney Morning Herald - September 11th, 2020 [September 11th, 2020]
- The ins and outs of turf grass | Columns | news-bulletin.com - Valencia County News Bulletin - September 11th, 2020 [September 11th, 2020]
- Tie a gospel message 'round the old oak tree - Kentucky Today - August 30th, 2020 [August 30th, 2020]
- 'Rent a Daddy': Man offers to 'rent out' his parenting services, netizens are impressed with the idea - Times Now - August 30th, 2020 [August 30th, 2020]
- Enjoying the important things together - Swnews4u - August 20th, 2020 [August 20th, 2020]
- What you need to know about Clean Air Action Day! - WZZM13.com - June 27th, 2020 [June 27th, 2020]
- Health & wellness: Take care to avoid common summer health hazards - Dayton Daily News - June 27th, 2020 [June 27th, 2020]
- In The Green: Tips To Keep Your Lawn Healthy In The Heat - DiscoverMooseJaw.com - June 27th, 2020 [June 27th, 2020]
- Guest columnist John Root: A week to celebrate the beauty of pollinators - Amherst Bulletin - June 27th, 2020 [June 27th, 2020]
- The 10 Best Lawn Care Services in Secaucus, NJ (with Free ... - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- Plowz and Mowz offers free lawn service to healthcare workers - WBNG-TV - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- Unperspective: Are You Still Pushing A Hand Mower? - IT Jungle - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- [Letter] Best public policies are thought-through and consistent - LebTown - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- Syracuse-Based Company is Offering Free Lawn Services to Healthcare Workers - WICZ - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- The Signs of the Big Bend Are a Sign of the Times - Texas Monthly - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- This Week in Lincolnville: Learning to adapt - PenBayPilot.com - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- 10 stories that will make you proud to be a Saint - St Kilda FC - May 24th, 2020 [May 24th, 2020]
- The Recorder - Demers Landscaping celebrates 50 years in business - The Recorder - May 14th, 2020 [May 14th, 2020]
- 'Spare a thought for your neighbour', communities are told - Spalding Today - April 11th, 2020 [April 11th, 2020]
- Local News: Wartrace mowing contract awarded to high bidder (4/3/20) - Shelbyville Times-Gazette - April 8th, 2020 [April 8th, 2020]
- The industry's latest on coronavirus - Lawn & Landscape - April 8th, 2020 [April 8th, 2020]
- Home improvement ideas that can increase the value of your home - Wales247 - February 28th, 2020 [February 28th, 2020]
- Connecting with others through service - Catholic Star Herald - February 28th, 2020 [February 28th, 2020]
- Five tips on how to get more lawn care customers - Total Landscape Care - February 28th, 2020 [February 28th, 2020]
- Now's the time to prep for healthy summer lawns - Salina Post - February 28th, 2020 [February 28th, 2020]
- Outlook on the World's $14.5B+ Lawn Mower Market to 2026 - Yahoo Finance - February 22nd, 2020 [February 22nd, 2020]
- "The current [insect] extinction crisis is deeply worrisome," say experts - Boing Boing - February 22nd, 2020 [February 22nd, 2020]
- Fates of humans and insects intertwined, warn scientists - The Guardian - February 22nd, 2020 [February 22nd, 2020]
- Her View: More resolutions to make our world a better place - Moscow-Pullman Daily News - January 12th, 2020 [January 12th, 2020]
- 'The House that Built Me': Branson hospital celebrates 70 years - KY3 - January 12th, 2020 [January 12th, 2020]
- 4 Things to Know About the Importance of Roof Cleaning - Patch.com - January 12th, 2020 [January 12th, 2020]
- A Plea For Civility In Walden - And Response (2) - The Chattanoogan - January 12th, 2020 [January 12th, 2020]
- Investor buys stake in landscaping company | 2019-12-26 - grbj.com - December 28th, 2019 [December 28th, 2019]
- The mystery of the man in the Mill Creek shed is solved - The Daily Herald - December 28th, 2019 [December 28th, 2019]
- Technology innovations that shaped 2019 - ETCIO.com - December 28th, 2019 [December 28th, 2019]
- How To Make Sure Your Plants Survive The Winter - KHTS Radio - December 5th, 2019 [December 5th, 2019]
- These 5 Austin Companies Raised Nearly $70 Million Total in November - Built In Austin - December 5th, 2019 [December 5th, 2019]
- Global Garden and Lawn Tractors Market Outlook and Forecast 2019-2024: Increasing Marketing and Promotional Activities / Growing Number of Golf... - December 5th, 2019 [December 5th, 2019]
- The New Paradoxes of the Cloud Computing World - Forbes - December 5th, 2019 [December 5th, 2019]
- Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass for Console: Halo: Reach, Tom Clancys The Division, and Many More - Blogdottv - December 5th, 2019 [December 5th, 2019]
- Brian Sims has dedicated his life to achieving equality and he wont stop until it happens - Metro Weekly - November 25th, 2019 [November 25th, 2019]
- Yellowstone Bison Engineer an Endless Spring to Suit Their Grazing Needs - Smithsonian.com - November 25th, 2019 [November 25th, 2019]
- Top 10 Lawn Mowing Services Near Me | Free Reviews ... - October 27th, 2019 [October 27th, 2019]
- Westminster Lawn Mowing | Hilltop Lawn Service - April 22nd, 2019 [April 22nd, 2019]
- Residential Lawn Maintenance Service | The Grounds Guys - April 15th, 2019 [April 15th, 2019]
- The Lawn Barber - Lawn Care & Landscaping Services In ... - March 16th, 2019 [March 16th, 2019]
- Minneapolis Lawn Mowing Service | The Lawnsmith - March 16th, 2019 [March 16th, 2019]
- Lawn Mowing Services Perth | Luke's Landscaping - March 7th, 2019 [March 7th, 2019]
- James Lawn Services - Lawn Care Maintenance, Mowing, Snow ... - March 7th, 2019 [March 7th, 2019]
- Lawn Care and Lawn Mowing services in Fredericksburg, VA - January 29th, 2019 [January 29th, 2019]
- LaneScapes Lawn Care | Mowing Landscaping & Plowing ... - January 29th, 2019 [January 29th, 2019]
- Lawn Mowing - Jim's Mowing NZ - November 16th, 2018 [November 16th, 2018]
- Home - Sergio's Gardening & Mowing Services - November 16th, 2018 [November 16th, 2018]
- Landscaping Holland MI | Lawn Care | Lawn Service - November 16th, 2018 [November 16th, 2018]
- Lubbock Lawns - Lawn Care l Lawn Mowing l Weed Control l Yard ... - November 16th, 2018 [November 16th, 2018]
- Lawn Mowing Details and Policies - Precision Cut Lawn Service - November 14th, 2018 [November 14th, 2018]
- Lawn Mowing Service Rogers Ar | Residential & Commercial ... - November 14th, 2018 [November 14th, 2018]
- 5 Of The Best Radio Headphones For Lawn Mowing - November 14th, 2018 [November 14th, 2018]
- Professional Lawn Care Services | Davey Tree - November 14th, 2018 [November 14th, 2018]
- Bexar Mowing - Home - San Antonio, TX - November 14th, 2018 [November 14th, 2018]
- Lawn Service Maryland | Sunrise Ventures d/b Marty Mows ... - November 14th, 2018 [November 14th, 2018]
- Starting Your Lawn Care or Landscaping Business ... - November 14th, 2018 [November 14th, 2018]