Seller and Buyer information
Truth-in-Sale of Housing Reports,Certificates, and Repair/Replace checklists are available on Property Information.
Certificate of Approval
An evaluation is required before you show the property, and within 3 days of putting the house on the market (by listing, advertising, putting up a sign, etc).Once the Truth-in-Sale of Housing report has been filed with the City it will be available on Property Information.
- If there are no required repairs, the Certificate of Approval is issued and will be online. The Truth-in-Sale of Housing report and the Certificate of Approval needs to be in the sellers name.
- If the seller completes the repairs (it is not required for the seller to do so) the Certificate of Approval will be available online.
Acknowledgment of Responsibility for Required Repairs
Unless a Certificate of Approval is presented at closing the buyer is responsible for the required repairs and needs to sign the acknowledgement of responsibility form at closing. The buyer, buyer's agent, and closer are jointly required to file the acknowledgement of responsibility form within 1 day after the closing date.
- The buyer must complete all required repairs listed on the disclosure report within 90 days after closing. The repairs are summaried as a checklist online. Once all the repairs have been completed, a Certificate of Completion is issued online. This can not be used to close, or re-sell. It only means that the buyer has completed the required repairs.
- A notification letter is sent to the buyer from the City summarizes the repairs, and the requirements for getting the work done.
- If a current Certificate of Approval is presented at closing, the acknowledgment of responsibility is not needed.
Permits
Some required repairs may require a permit.
- If a permit is needed, that is indicated on the notification letter/online checklist.
- Homeowners can pull (get) permits for the single-family house that they are living in (owner-occupied single-family dwelling).
- A homeowner should not pull a permit for repair work done by someone else. Whoever pulls the permit is responsible for completing the work correctly. If you hire someone to do work that requires a permit, it should be a licensed contractor. The contractor should pull their own permit. If you pull a permit for a contractor, that makes you responsible for their work.
- A homeowner can pull a permit for most types of work. There are some exceptions. For example, a homeowner cannot pull a permit for gas or vent work on a furnace or boiler.
- Homeowners cannot pull permits for duplexes, even if they live on the property.
Safety Checks
Some required repairs require safety checks such as water heaters, electrical, or heating. If a safety check is required, it is indicated on the notifications letter.
- The evaluator and/or the Minneapolis Truth-in-Housing section determine the need for safety checks.
- Licensed contractors in the related trade must do safety checks on the forms provided by the City. (For example, a licensed electrician must do a safety check for the electrical system.)
Truth-In-Housing Re-Inspection
A re-inspection of the required repairs is required to make sure they were done properly. The buyer has 90 days from the date of closing to:
- See that all required permits are pulled.
- Complete all the required repairs.
- Have any required safety checks completed and sent to the Truth-In-Housing office.
- Schedule a re-inspection .
- For items requiring a permit, call the inspector listed on page 2 of your permit.
- For non-permit items, call the evaluator who did the initial evaluation for the re-inspection. The evaluator will charge a fee for this service.
- In some cases, buyers may qualify for an extension of the 90 day due-date. Extension request form.
Re-Selling the property
The buyer must complete all repair/replace items and obtain a new Truth-in-Sale of Housing report before placing the property up for sale.
- Reports are good for two years and/or for one sale, and only for the person named as the seller on the report.
Last updated Aug. 7, 2012