Fairmont, Minn., Mun. Code Ch. 27 (2026) § 27-7
Rental housing unit inspection
Operative Text
(a) The city has the authority to inspect any rental housing unit: prior to issuance of an initial rental housing license, prior to rental housing license renewal, or upon the filing of a complaint with the city relative to the rental housing conditions that are subject to the standards herein. The owner or tenant shall provide access to the rental housing unit upon request of the city. Refusal to reasonably grant access shall be grounds for denial or suspension of a rental registration. (b) A rental housing unit inspection will be scheduled with the owner, or local property manager, upon receipt of the rental housing license application by the city. If the owner or local property manager fail to respond and coordinate a date, an inspector may enter the building to inspect on forty-eight (48) hours' written notice to the property owner. The cost of the inspection will be paid with the rental housing application. (c) The inspection may be completed by Fairmont city staff designated to complete inspections or a contractor hired by the city to complete rental inspections. (d) The applicant for license shall assist the city in making the inspection of the premises. This includes notifying the occupants of the building of the time when the inspection will be conducted and requesting their cooperation in the inspection. The owner may be present for the inspection. (e) Properties inspected by another state or federal agency are exempt from two (2)-year inspections. (f) Upon inspection, a property found to meet the city's rental property safety inspection checklist, and is otherwise in compliance with this code, shall be issued a license. If the inspector finds deficiencies, they shall list the deficiencies, note necessary corrections, and give these findings to the building owner or local property manager and no license shall be issued until the deficiencies are corrected. Upon reinspection of the licensed premises, if the inspector finds violations of the applicable codes, the owner, or local property manager, shall be notified of the violations and ordered to correct them within a reasonable time. Failure to correct the violations as ordered may be grounds for revocation of the license. (Ord. No. 2021-03, 11-22-21; Ord. No. 2025-04, 7-28-25)
Fairmont Ch. 27 Rental Housing Standards § 27-7 establishes the city's authority to inspect rental housing units before a license is issued, before a license is renewed, or when a complaint is filed about housing conditions. Both owners and tenants are required to provide the city with reasonable access for these inspections, and refusal can result in denial or suspension of a rental registration. Properties that have already been inspected by another state or federal agency are exempt from the two-year inspection cycle, and a license is only issued once any identified deficiencies have been corrected.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Fairmont Ch. 27 § 27-7, compliant rental property operators coordinate inspection scheduling promptly after submitting a rental housing license application, notify occupants of the inspection date and time, and request their cooperation. Operators who do not respond to scheduling requests risk an inspector arriving with only 48 hours' written notice. When deficiencies are identified, compliant operators address and correct all listed items before a license is issued, and they respond promptly to any violation notices issued during reinspections to avoid license revocation.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Fairmont Ch. 27 § 27-7 gives tenants the right to file a complaint with the city regarding rental housing conditions, which can trigger an official inspection of the unit. Tenants are asked to cooperate with scheduled inspections, and the property owner is responsible for notifying occupants of the inspection date and time in advance. Tenants who believe their unit has unresolved housing condition issues may contact the city to understand the complaint process, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.