Summary: Landlord Rescue is for Minnesota owners who have been managing their own rental and now have a problem tenant. You hand the property to Freedom to manage, and for a one-time $750 fee on top of our regular management fees, we take over the problem tenant. Most cases end without an eviction. If one is needed, we file it, work with the attorney and go to court on your behalf. Court and legal fees are separate.
Key takeaways
- $750 is the one-time fee for taking over management of a rental with a problem tenant, with no hourly billing.
- We start by negotiating with the tenant to get them to follow the lease or move out. Eviction is the last step.
- If that fails, we handle the eviction filing, coordinate with the eviction attorney and attend court for you.
- Court filing fees and attorney fees are paid separately, and only if the case goes to court.
- Minnesota requires a 14-day written notice before filing a nonpayment eviction, and a mistake in that notice gets the case dismissed.
- From then on we manage the property for our flat monthly fee with no markups, starting with screening a better tenant.
Who is Landlord Rescue for?
Most of the calls we get about problem tenants come from owners who have been managing their own rental for years without trouble. Then a tenant stops paying, moves in a boyfriend and two dogs that are not on the lease, or simply stops answering the phone. The owner has never filed an eviction, does not know which notice to send, and does not want to spend a morning in Housing Court.
That is what our Landlord Rescue package is for. You hand us management of the property, and we take over the tenant: the conversations, the notices and, if it comes to it, the eviction filing, the attorney and the court appearance. We have managed rentals across the Twin Cities since 2010, and we deal with Minnesota landlord-tenant law every week, so we know where self-managing owners get tripped up.
Landlord Rescue fits you if:
- Your tenant is behind on rent and you need to start an eviction.
- Your tenant is violating the lease and you want them out.
- The lease is ending and you want to non-renew right away.
- A tenant has stayed past the end of the lease or past your notice.
- You are done being the landlord and want a professional to take it from here.
What does the $750 Landlord Rescue package include?
Landlord Rescue is a one-time $750 fee for taking over management of a rental that already has a problem tenant. Our usual management fee of $125 per month still applies on top of it, because a property that comes to us mid-problem takes a lot more work in the first few months. It does not always end in eviction. Here is what it covers:
- Case review. We go through your lease, rent ledger, any notices you already sent and your communication with the tenant, then tell you plainly what your options are.
- Working it out with the tenant. We contact the tenant, make it clear a professional property manager is now involved, and negotiate. Often that is enough to get the rent paid and the lease followed, or to reach an agreement for the tenant to move out by a set date.
- The right notice. We make sure the tenant gets the notice Minnesota requires, whether that is the 14-day notice for unpaid rent or a non-renewal notice for the end of the lease.
- The eviction filing. We take care of filing the eviction action in the district court for the county where your rental is located, including Hennepin County Housing Court.
- Attorney coordination. We work directly with the eviction attorney so you are not stuck relaying documents back and forth.
- Court appearance. We attend court on your behalf, so you do not have to take a day off work.
- Advice the whole way. If the tenant offers a payment plan, asks for more time or offers to move out, we tell you what that means before you agree to anything.
If the case does go to court, court filing fees and attorney fees are separate and are paid on top of our $750 fee.
Eviction is the last step, not the first. It is not ideal for anybody: it costs the owner time and money, and it follows the tenant for years. If the tenant will pay, follow the lease or agree to leave, that is the better outcome. If they will not, eviction is the tool the law gives you, and we will use it.
We make no guarantees about the outcome. Every tenant, judge and case is different. What you get is our best effort on your situation, with your best interests in mind at every step.
How does the eviction process work in Minnesota?
This is a summary of Minnesota law, not legal advice. Every case is different, which is why we bring in an eviction attorney on every case that goes to court.
A Minnesota eviction for unpaid rent follows these steps:
- 14-day notice. Before filing for nonpayment, the landlord must deliver a written notice listing the amount owed and giving the tenant 14 days to pay or move out, under Minn. Stat. 504B.321. The notice also has to include specific statutory language and information about legal and financial resources. If the tenant pays everything owed within the 14 days, the eviction cannot be filed.
- File the eviction complaint. The complaint is filed in the district court of the county where the property sits, with the lease, the notice and an itemized statement of what is owed attached.
- Serve the summons. Someone other than the landlord must serve the tenant at least 7 days before the hearing, under Minn. Stat. 504B.332.
- Court hearing. The first appearance is set 7 to 14 days after the summons is issued. If the tenant does not show up or the court rules for the landlord, the judge orders the tenant out.
- Writ of recovery. The sheriff serves or posts the writ, which gives the tenant 24 hours to leave, under Minn. Stat. 504B.365. The judge can delay the writ for up to 7 days, and longer in hardship cases.
- Possession. If the tenant is still there, the sheriff schedules a lockout and you get the property back.
Evictions for lease violations skip the 14-day notice and go straight to filing, but the lease violation has to be documented and serious enough for a judge to act on it. Cases involving drugs, weapons or serious danger to others can get an expedited hearing.
Every step has deadlines and paperwork that have to be exactly right. That is the part we take off your plate.
How long does an eviction take in Minnesota?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction in the Twin Cities takes about 6 to 8 weeks from the 14-day notice to getting the keys back. That is 14 days for the notice, time to file and get a hearing date, 1 to 2 weeks to the hearing, and another week or more for the writ and the sheriff if the tenant still will not leave. If the tenant contests the case, asks for a trial or appeals, it takes longer.
The biggest delay we see is not the court. It is the owner waiting another month hoping the tenant catches up. Every month you wait is another month of rent you probably will not collect, and it does not change the process when you finally start it.
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Minnesota?
An eviction in Minnesota has four costs, plus the rent you lose along the way:
- Freedom Landlord Rescue: $750, one time, when we take over management.
- Court filing fee: around $400, depending on the county. The Minnesota Judicial Branch fee schedule lists the current amount for each county.
- Eviction attorney: about $950 for a typical case, billed by the attorney. Contested cases cost more.
- Writ of recovery: about $500 to $600 in legal fees, only if the tenant does not leave after the hearing. Most cases never need a writ.
You may be able to recover court costs from the tenant as part of the judgment, but collecting a judgment from a tenant who did not pay rent is another matter. The cheapest eviction is the one that starts on time with the correct notice.
After the tenant is out, unpaid rent and damages can be deducted from the security deposit, with a written itemized statement to the tenant. Anything left over can be pursued through the judgment or a collection agency.
Can I just non-renew the lease instead?
Sometimes the better move is to let the lease end. If the tenant pays but is hard on the property, bothers the neighbors or keeps breaking small rules, a non-renewal can get you the property back without arguing a lease violation in front of a judge.
- Fixed-term lease: Most leases let either side end the tenancy at the end of the term with written notice. Read your lease for the notice period it requires, because that is the deadline you have to meet.
- Month-to-month: Minnesota requires written notice at least one full rental period before the end of the tenancy, under Minn. Stat. 504B.135. For rent due on the first of the month, that means delivering notice before the start of the last month.
- City rules: Some cities add their own tenant protections on top of state law. Minneapolis and St. Paul in particular have ordinances that affect notices and non-renewals, so check them before you send anything.
Non-renewal carries a real risk: the tenant may simply not leave. A tenant who stays past the end of the lease becomes a holdover tenant, and the only way to remove a holdover tenant is to file an eviction anyway. So a non-renewal can save you a court case, but it does not guarantee you will avoid one, and you lose the weeks between the lease end date and the hearing.
A non-renewal is covered by the same $750 Landlord Rescue fee. We send the proper notice, follow up with the tenant on move-out, and if the tenant refuses to leave when the lease ends, we file the eviction for holding over.
What problem tenant situations do you handle?
- Unpaid rent. The most common reason for an eviction. Many tenants can get emergency help; our list of Minnesota rent assistance programs is a good place to send them, and a paid balance is the fastest way to end the problem.
- Unauthorized occupants or pets. People or animals living there who are not on the lease.
- Property damage. Damage beyond normal wear and tear, documented with photos.
- Tenants who know the system. Some tenants know exactly how long an eviction takes and use every day of it. Our post on professional tenants explains how to spot them.
- Holding over. The lease ended or your notice ran out, and the tenant is still there.
- A tenant who stopped communicating. No rent, no reply, and you are not sure whether anyone still lives there. Do not change the locks; there is a legal process for this too.
Why not handle the eviction yourself?
You can file an eviction yourself in Minnesota. Most owners who try it once never want to do it again. Minnesota is a tenant-friendly state, and the process is built to protect the tenant, so small mistakes cost the landlord time and money:
- A 14-day notice that is missing required language or was not delivered correctly gets the case dismissed, and you start over.
- Changing the locks, removing the tenant’s belongings or shutting off utilities is an illegal lockout under Minn. Stat. 504B.375, and the tenant can sue you for it.
- Accepting partial rent at the wrong time can undo the case you already filed.
- Tenants often show up with free legal help. You should not be the least prepared person in the courtroom.
In our opinion, property management is a part-time job that is not worth learning for one rental, and evictions are the hardest part of it. We would rather you hand it to a team that does this every week. It is also worth knowing that the eviction rate on tenants we place is under 1%, because most eviction problems start with screening. We have processed well over 1,000 rental applications.
What happens after the tenant is out?
Once the tenant is out, the property usually needs work. We can handle the move-out inspection and photos, the security deposit accounting (Minnesota gives you 21 days after the tenancy ends and you receive the tenant’s forwarding address under Minn. Stat. 504B.178), the turnover repairs and the re-rent.
Since we are already managing the property, we screen the next tenant thoroughly, collect the rent, coordinate maintenance and handle the next problem before it becomes an eviction, all for a flat monthly management fee. If you are not sure what that involves, read what a property manager does. When a tenant we placed has to be evicted, there is no added management fee for the eviction work; you pay only the court and legal fees.
We serve owners across the Twin Cities metro, including Maple Grove, Plymouth, Brooklyn Park, Minneapolis, Coon Rapids, Elk River and Minnetonka. See our full service area.
Frequently asked questions
What is a landlord rescue package?
A landlord rescue package is help for an owner who manages their own rental and now has a problem tenant. At Freedom, you hand the property to us to manage, and a one-time $750 fee covers taking over the problem tenant. We negotiate with the tenant first, and if that fails, we handle the eviction or non-renewal, work with the attorney and attend court on your behalf.
How much does Landlord Rescue cost?
Landlord Rescue is a one-time $750 fee. Our usual $125 per month management fee still applies on top of it. If the case goes to court, court filing fees and attorney fees are separate.
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in Minnesota?
Plan on our $750 fee, court filing fees of around $400 depending on the county, an attorney fee of about $950 for a typical case, and about $500 to $600 in legal fees for a writ of recovery if the tenant does not leave after the hearing. Most cases never need a writ, and contested cases cost more.
How long does an eviction take in Minnesota?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction takes about 6 to 8 weeks from the 14-day notice to getting the property back. Contested cases and appeals take longer.
Do I have to give a notice before filing an eviction in Minnesota?
For unpaid rent, yes. Minnesota requires a written 14-day notice listing the amount owed before you can file, under Minn. Stat. 504B.321. If the tenant pays in full within the 14 days, you cannot file. Evictions for lease violations do not require the 14-day notice.
Do you try to work things out with the tenant first?
Yes. Eviction is the last step. We contact the tenant and negotiate, either to get them to pay and follow the lease or to agree to move out by a set date. If that does not work, we file the eviction.
Do you guarantee the outcome?
No. Every tenant, judge and case is different, so we make no guarantees. We give every Landlord Rescue case our best effort, with the owner’s best interests in mind.
Do I have to go to court?
No. With Landlord Rescue, we attend court on your behalf and work with the eviction attorney, so you do not need to take time off work.
Can I just change the locks?
No. Changing the locks, removing belongings or shutting off utilities to force a tenant out is an illegal lockout in Minnesota under Minn. Stat. 504B.375. The only legal way to remove a tenant is through the court process.
Do I have to hire Freedom to manage the property?
Yes. Landlord Rescue is for owners who hand management of the property over to us. The $750 fee covers the extra work of taking over a problem tenant, and from then on we manage the property for a flat monthly fee with no markups on maintenance.
What areas do you serve?
We serve rental owners across the Twin Cities metro, including Hennepin, Anoka, Wright, Carver and Scott counties and Minneapolis.
Have another question? Browse our rental property management FAQ.
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