Q: I am currently dealing with a toxic roommate situation and would like some advice.
I moved into a house with two other people living there. I was initially told by the homeowner, who lives in the home, that the other roommate worked a schedule opposite mine, was quiet and went home on weekends so we would basically have no interaction with each other. However, a week later the homeowner told me that that person moved out and he would be looking for another tenant to replace them.
Things went downhill from there. The new roommate is very young, and both the owner and him live a party lifestyle. I have woken up to guests and parties at 1 a.m. on weekdays. There are people here every weekend and this is not what I agreed to.
I told the owner that I would be moving out since we have a month-to-month lease agreement. Since that time he has become very aggressive and threatening. He invades my personal space when I am in common areas, moves my things and I am even afraid he has been poisoning my food.
Last night, he threatened a friend who was visiting me and called me names using profanity. He even began walking around with a bat and left it sitting on the counter while I cleaned in the kitchen with him standing near the weapon. I do not have anywhere else to go and I am afraid that he will put his hands on me.
My question is, if the police are called, what will happen? Should I file a report about his current behavior? I just want it to be peaceful until I leave at the end of the month.
A: Landlords have a duty in Minnesota to keep the rental unit fit for the use intended, in reasonable repair and compliant with safety and health codes. Your rental home is no longer a safe place to live and it's also not fit for the use intended since your safety is at risk.
It's good that you gave your 30-day written notice to terminate your month-to-month lease. However, since you no longer feel safe there, it would be wise to find another place to stay, such as a friend's house or a shelter, until you can move your personal belongings into your new place.
If you feel threatened by your landlord in your rental home, then you do need to call the police. Try to document what has been going on, and any further threatening activity that occurs. The police will file a report and hopefully, that will be enough for your landlord to stop threatening you and comply with the police order.
Once the police file a report, then it becomes public knowledge so that any potential future renters at the home can look up the report and be spared the harassing behavior you've experienced. You can also go to court and get a legal order from the court for the landlord to stop the harassment.
Since you're leaving soon, I'm not sure if a court order is appropriate here. Your safety is a concern and your No. 1 priority, so if you feel threatened you should take action to protect yourself by leaving and/or contacting the police.
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.
