Rent Abatement

A rent abatement action is a lawsuit that a tenant can bring to get his or her rent lowered. Before bringing a rent abatement action, the tenant should try to work with the landlord to have problems fixed. In court, a tenant must prove that a serious problem exists that affects the safety, health, or fitness of the dwelling as a place to live. Minnesota law is unclear on how much the tenant has a right to recover, but he or she may recover the difference in value between the unit if the landlord had made repairs and the present value or the extent to which the tenant's enjoyment of the unit is decreased by the problem. A rent rebatement action may be brought in conciliation court if the tenant's claim is for less than $7500.