Q: About 10 years ago, my boyfriend and I were looking for a home. He purchased the home we found together and put his name on the deed, but did not include my name. I paid "rent" by paying half of the bills and half of the mortgage payment for the past nine years and 10 months.

Three weeks ago we broke up and he told me to leave our home. I was wondering when do I have to leave, and do I have any rights to the home since my name isn't on the deed?

A: In Minnesota, even though there is no written lease, you're still considered a tenant, so your ex-boyfriend would need to give you a written 30-day notice to terminate your month-to-month lease. For example, if you break up in the middle of the current month and he gives you notice right away, you don't need to move out until the end of the next month, since it needs to be a full month's notice.

Based on your question, it seems as if you didn't have a written or verbal agreement as to the length of time your lease would run, which makes your oral lease a tenancy at will, and that means the notice to terminate it must be at least as long as the time between your rental payments, which is one month.

Regarding whether or not you have any legal rights to ownership of the home you found with your ex-boyfriend, it's difficult for me to say based on this information. Since your name isn't on the deed, typically it would be difficult to prove you had part ownership in the home unless there is any other written proof or verbal agreements claiming otherwise.

If so, you should consult with an attorney experienced in this area of law to find out if you have a case.

You can contact the Minnesota State Bar Association for a referral to an attorney practicing in real estate law at https://www.mnbar.org/member-directory/find-a-lawyer or call their office at 612-333-1183 or 1-800-882-6722.

Kelly Klein is a Minneapolis attorney. Participation in this column does not create an attorney/client relationship with Klein. Do not rely on advice in this column for legal opinions. Consult an attorney regarding your particular issues. E-mail renting questions to kklein@kleinpa.com. Information provided by readers is not confidential.