Stearns County, MN Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)

Ordinance No. 272, 'An Ordinance Regulating Rental Dwelling Units in Stearns County,' adopted November 5, 2002, puts the County Environmental Services Director in the role of Compliance Official under Section 7.0. That section authorizes inspections 'on a complaint basis for rental dwelling units, or otherwise when reason exists to believe that a violation of this Ordinance has been or is being committed,' and requires inspections to happen 'during daylight hours' with the Compliance Official presenting 'evidence of official capacity to the occupant or owner in charge.' If an owner, occupant or other person in charge refuses entry, Section 7.1 lets the Compliance Official seek a court order compelling access rather than forcing entry.

Once an inspection finds a unit that is 'damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe, vermin or rodent-infested,' Section 7.2 allows the Compliance Official to post it as unfit for human habitation and order it vacated; Section 7.3 makes it unlawful to reoccupy until the Compliance Official issues written approval, and unlawful to deface or remove the placard. Section 7.6, titled Malicious Complaints, protects landlords from bad-faith reports: the Department may charge back to the complainant the costs of investigating a complaint on a rental dwelling unit once it is determined the complaint is invalid, meaning a tenant filing an unfounded complaint can be billed for the County's investigation.

Violations of the ordinance, including obstructing a lawful inspection, carry a misdemeanor penalty under Section 10.1 of up to $1,000 and 90 days in jail, each day a separate offense, and Section 10.2 lets the County Attorney pursue civil action to force compliance.