Rental Housing Q & A

Yes! Have a thorough lease with your tenants that outlines responsibilities (yard care, snow removal, etc.). Please provide tenants with contact information to report issues and repairs that require immediate attention, and follow through by addressing them. Do an initial walk-through at the start of the lease term, then again at the end, with your tenants and document the conditions. City staff will provide you with a copy of the inspection checklist beforehand, so feel free to self-evaluate before the inspector arrives.

They sure can, but only if they have a complaint. We will advise the tenant to call their landlord or management company first to try to resolve the issue.

Given the property’s condition, an inspection can take 15 minutes up to one hour.

As long as your contract for deed (CFD) is correctly recorded with Anoka County and set up to include a reasonable principal payment (not just interest-only), the City will not require rental licensing. If it is unrecorded and/or has an interest-only or minimal principal payment structure, the property is essentially a rental and will require a license. This is because the CFD is structured so that the “buyer” has no realistic chance of ever paying off the contract and obtaining the deed.

Yes. The licensing and inspections conducted by other agencies are specific to the services your license type provides and are not necessarily the same as those the City inspects. The exact requirements apply to unlicensed facilities, such as supportive living centers or sober homes.

If your property qualifies for Relative Homesteading with the Anoka County Assessor’s Office, then no, provided you apply for and receive this status. If it does not qualify, then you must obtain a rental license.

No worries. The inspector will provide a list of all items that need correcting and work with you on a completion timeframe. Your licensing fee covers one follow-up inspection at no charge. However, if the inspector needs to return for a third (or subsequent) visit on the same issue, you may be charged a reinspection fee of $150.

The inspector will evaluate several aspects of the property to ensure it is safe and healthy. This includes checking the heating, plumbing, and electrical systems and ensuring that doors and windows are functional. Additionally, the inspector will assess the property’s exterior maintenance, which involves verifying that the yard is mowed, that junk or debris is not accumulated, and that vehicles on the property are properly licensed and operable.

The inspector will schedule a time with you during weekday hours. Limited early-evening hours may be available. We will send the scheduling notice a month in advance. If you fail to make an appointment, we will schedule one for you. Once scheduled, you must notify your tenants. Failure to show up for your inspection or notify your tenants can result in a reinspection charge. Generally, the inspector will work in apartment buildings during the winter months and in townhomes and single-family homes in the spring, summer, and fall. The Fire Marshal will continue to inspect apartment buildings as they have for several years, and we will try to coordinate both inspections at the same time for your convenience.

While the utility bill can be put in the tenant’s name, the current property owner is responsible for any outstanding balances. If you are a landlord (property owner), you are responsible for ensuring the account is current before issuing a deposit back. Utility bills are mailed quarterly. The property owner is responsible for ensuring the account has the correct billing address. If you would like to be added as a secondary customer on the account to receive copies of the utility bill, please contact our Utility Billing Department at 763-576-4343.

The inspector is Dana Verbeek, dverbeek@cityoframsey.com, who has the proper property maintenance and rental inspection certifications.

There are many good reasons! For your tenants, it ensures a suitable, functioning property that they can call home. For your neighbors, it will help keep the property up to neighborhood standards. For you, it is a documented history of the property that can safeguard you from tenants who cause damage. A regular inspection may save money by identifying malfunctioning heating and cooling systems or help you qualify for a break on your insurance rates.