Saint Paul, MN Rental Property Rules: Rent Increase Notice (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must notify
- Dept. of Safety and Inspections
- Trigger
- RROI approval (increase over 3%)
- Translation
- Full translation on request
- Effective date rule
- No increase until final determination
- Appeal deadline
- 45 days after determination
Summary
When a Saint Paul landlord wins city approval to raise rent above the 3% cap, § 193A.07(c)(4)-(5) requires the Department of Safety and Inspections to notify every affected tenant of that Reasonable Return on Investment (RROI) determination, in the city's limited-English-proficiency languages, before the increase can take effect.
(4)The city shall notify affected tenants of a department determination approving an RROI application in conjunction with notification to the landlord of the approval in the department determination.(5)The notice shall convey the following information in the city's limited English proficiency languages:a.That an RROI application for a rent increase was filed with the city;b.The department determination of the RROI application;c.That the tenant has a right to appeal the department determination, the timeline for appeal, and the manner of submitting an appeal;d.That a full translation of the notice will be provided, upon request, from the city;e.That no rent increase may take effect until a final determination by the city, and that a final determination will not occur until after the tenant has had an opportunity to appeal;f.Contact information for who the tenant may call for more information.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 133 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
07(c)(4) puts the notice duty on the city, not the landlord: DSI notifies affected tenants of a department determination approving an RROI application at the same time it notifies the landlord of the approval. Subsection (c)(5) lists six things the notice must convey: that an RROI application was filed; the department's determination; the tenant's right to appeal, the appeal timeline, and how to submit one; that a full translation is available on request; that no rent increase may take effect until a final determination, and that a final determination cannot occur until the tenant has had a chance to appeal; and contact information for questions.
Tenants can also file their own complaint about an increase over 3% under subsection (d), using a city-created complaint form, as long as no final determination has already been made. Any appeal, by landlord or tenant, goes to the legislative hearing officer under subsection (g) and must be filed within 45 days of the department's determination.
Violations & Fines
Failing to honor these notice and timing requirements ties back to § 193A.09's enforcement scheme: violations can draw criminal prosecution and/or administrative fines under Code § 1.05. Subsection (h) also bars retaliation, a tenant can't be evicted or have lease terms worsened for complaining, and the burden shifts to the landlord to disprove retaliation within 90 days of the complaint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to notify tenants under this rule: the landlord or the city?
What must the notice tell a tenant?
Can the rent increase take effect while a tenant is still deciding whether to appeal?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Saint Paul
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