No later than July 1, 2025, an organization representing landlords shall work with organizations representing tenants and other relevant groups and agencies to determine the steps necessary to, on each apportioned utility bill rendered under leases entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2026, enable a tenant to understand how the tenant's utility bill was calculated and to verify that the calculation is accurate.
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Subd. 12.Disconnection of utility service prohibited.
(a) Disconnection of a tenant's utility service by a landlord for the failure to pay utility service charges is prohibited. Nothing in this subdivision prohibits a public utility, a municipal utility, or a cooperative electric association from disconnecting service to a landlord's building as otherwise provided by law.
(b) If a landlord asserts a tenant owes rent and utilities, sums paid by the tenant to the landlord must first be applied to unpaid rent.
(c) Except as provided in paragraph (d), a landlord may bring a claim for breach of lease under section 504B.285, subdivision 4, for the failure of a tenant to pay for utilities billed separately from rent as provided under this section.
(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (c):
(1) a landlord may not bring a claim for breach unless the landlord has offered the tenant a payment plan under section 216B.023, subdivision 7, and the tenant has failed to make two consecutive payments on the plan; and
(2) an eviction action may not be filed and any eviction already filed must be stayed:
(i) for the failure to pay natural gas or electric utility service charges during the cold weather period;
(ii) for the failure to pay electric utility charges during a heat emergency; and