There are five homeowner-related bills working their way through the Minnesota legislature this session, though one of them (a bill that would allow homeowners to continue investigating their building contractors after filing a warranty claim) is effectively dead this session. Here’s a round-up of the other four, all very much “alive” in the political sense.
SF0170/HF0211 — This bill would guarantee that if homeowners win settlements against their new home builders for faulty building, the builder or the builder’s insurance company has to cover the homeowner’s costs and attorney fees. The bill has made it through committee and is waiting to go to the floor of both chambers.
SF0006/HF0239 — This bill outlines that homeowners with faulty/defective new homes would receive enough money to fix the defects or the amount of home value lost with the defects. The bill requires builders and/or their insurance companies to provide money for short-term housing, if warranted. This bill has made it through committee and is waiting to go to the floor of both chambers.
SF0362/HF0362 — Minnesota law, as it currently stands, requires builders to inspect damage within 30 days of receiving written notice from a homeowner that there’s a problem. This bill would eliminate the written requirement (homeowners may use phone or email to jumpstart the 30-day window.) This bill has made it through committee and is waiting to go to the floor of both chambers.
SF0264/HF0330 — Minnesota law, as it currently stands, gives homeowners six months to notify their builders about a problem. The new bill would extend that to one year. This bill has made it through committee and is waiting to go to the floor.
I’ll keep you updated as these homeowner bills move through the process…
