LANDLORD GUIDE ยท MINNESOTA
Reviewed November 13, 2026
For an existing private residential tenancy. Fixed-term changes, assisted housing, mobile-home spaces and required local forms need a separate review. This guide explains selected rules; it is not a coverage determination or legal advice for a particular property.
One full rental period plus one day
Minnesota Attorney General guidance calls for advance written notice of one full rental period plus one day before a rent increase in a periodic tenancy. The landlord's required notice cannot be shorter than the notice the lease requires from the tenant. A monthly lease promising a longer period needs that longer review.
Do not equate a full rental period with any 30 days. Identify the period's actual start and end. A fixed lease generally fixes the rent unless a lawful clause permits an adjustment; the monthly planner does not decide that question.
Saint Paul
Saint Paul's Rent Stabilization Ordinance generally limits increases for covered residential units to 3% in a 12-month period. A request above 3% uses the city's exception process: increases between 3% and 8% can involve self-certification, while higher requests require staff review. An exception is not automatic simply because costs rose.
Construction after December 31, 2004 is exempt under the city's amended rules effective June 13, 2025. Verify the actual construction and coverage records rather than assuming an exemption from the building's advertised age. Other exemptions and the reasonable-return process have specific conditions.
The city describes a tenant appeal opportunity before an approved increase is implemented. Keep the application, certification or determination, tenant notices and appeal dates. Do not use the state form as a substitute for the city procedure.
[2] Saint Paul - rent stabilization program [3] Saint Paul - renter review and appeal rights
Record the amount and the complete monthly obligation
Use the current lease and rent ledger to identify base rent and required recurring costs. Explain a new utility or service obligation separately rather than saying all other terms remain unchanged. For assisted or income-restricted housing, confirm the program's applicable rent process before using this ordinary monthly form.
An old letter from a different municipality is not a reliable template for the amount. Local stabilization can add a separate approval or coverage analysis.
Example: ordinary notice and local permission
A landlord plans a $60 increase on $1,500 rent, or 4%. For a covered Saint Paul unit, that exceeds the ordinary 3% allowance and needs the appropriate city exception process. Giving a full period plus a day does not itself approve the amount.
For a monthly period beginning on the first, give notice before the full preceding period begins, not halfway through it. Then confirm the lease and any city timing or appeal requirements before choosing the first higher payment.
Keep a usable audit trail
Retain the agreement, occupancy and rent history, notice calculation, local coverage or exception documents, signed final notice and delivery proof. Make the ledger and payment portal match the final approved amount and date. If the tenant disputes either, review it before treating the proposed difference as overdue. The letter continues the tenancy; termination and possession require separate procedures.
The local sections are selected examples, not an exhaustive municipal directory. Verify city boundaries and unit coverage. A longer notice period does not authorize an otherwise prohibited increase.
Official sources and updates
Dated caps apply only to the periods stated. Check the official sources before preparing a later increase.