Commonsense Repairs for Renters
Duluthians get sh*t done.
We’re coming together for safe, dignified homes.
Renter or homeowner, when Duluthians see something that needs fixing, we want the tools to address it. But right now, it can be hard for renters to get the repairs we need.
That’s why Duluthians are campaigning together to pass a local policy, Duluth Right to Repair, that makes it easier for renters to get simple repairs addressed quickly and efficiently.
Duluth Right to Repair
Duluth Right to Repair gives renters a tool to get quality, timely fixes for common repairs such as bathroom fans, leaks, cabinet doors, and appliances.
We don’t want to get stuck badgering our landlords about these common repairs, and it doesn’t always make sense to get Life Safety involved to expedite repairs that aren’t emergencies. We just want to get it fixed and move on!
Duluth Right to Repair gets timely fixes for things like
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bathroom fans
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doors & cabinets
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leaks
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appliances
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small window repairs
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electrical fixtures
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holes in walls & ceilings
How would Duluth Right to Repair work?
Once the policy gets passed and goes into effect, here’s how the process could look.
1) Give your landlord notice
Before initiating any repairs covered by the policy, provide written notice to your landlord that you need the repair and you intend to deduct the cost from your rent if the repair is not scheduled or corrected within 14 days.
2) Get the repair
If your landlord has not scheduled the repair within 14 days of you providing written notice, you may contract for repairs. All repairs must be done in a workmanlike manner and from someone licensed to do the required work.
3) Deduct or get reimbursed
Save your receipts. Give them to your landlord before subtracting the amount you paid for the repairs from your rent. Your landlord may also directly reimburse you for the cost of repairs.
Eligible repairs and cost limit
The cost of the repair may not exceed one half month’s rent or $500, whichever is greater.
Retaliation prohibited
Landlords may not retaliate against you as a penalty for using your Right to Repair.
Duluth Tenants is leading the grassroots organizing effort to win Duluth Right to Repair.
Since 2023, Duluth Tenants members have talked to thousands of neighbors, and repairs emerged as a top issue. In Spring 2025 alone, over 2000 Duluthians have expressed support for Duluth Right to Repair.
A renter-led organization, Duluth Tenants is over 100 members strong, with renters and homeowners from neighborhoods all over Duluth. Members include Duluthians from all walks of life: students, grandparents, health care workers, service workers, retired folks, and more.
Duluth Tenants formed in 2023 and launched publicly in October 2024 with over 150 Duluthians on the steps of City Hall.
What is Duluth Tenants?
Real Duluth renters share why repairs matter
“I’m not sure how to fully convey the toll that this experience had on my mental health. I know that I’m not the only renter in Duluth who has struggled to get the repairs they need. Every tenant in Duluth deserves safe and stable housing and to be treated with dignity and respect by their landlord without having to take legal action.
— Natalie, District 4
“This whole experience has made me feel frustrated, unheard, and honestly, trapped. Too many of us are living in unsafe conditions, and landlords face little to no consequences for neglecting their responsibilities. Renters deserve safe, habitable homes—no one should be stuck choosing between their health and having a place to live.”
— District 3 resident
“It would be liberating if it were easier for renters to get repairs. If tenants had more power to get repairs done, it would force landlords to reckon with issues before they fester and become worse. Maybe landlords will take things more seriously before they get so bad.
— Sam, District 2
“It was really hard to talk to a person [about the repair I needed]. The only time I managed to talk to a person was when a maintenance person came for another issue. It felt like I was just screaming into the void. It felt like well, even if this avenue is useless, it’s the only one I have. It felt like I was trapped in that apartment.”
— John, District 4
“I want City Council to take action to make it easier for renters to get repairs resolved effectively in a timely manner - especially before they get so bad and become a health hazard like mine did. Renters need more autonomy when it comes to taking care of repairs in their own living spaces, we can’t keep waiting until it’s convenient for rental companies to address these serious issues.”
— District 3 resident
“This whole experience made me feel exhausted and cheated. I had to claw my way through to get the bare minimum of what was promised in my lease. I feel like my property management company is a wild animal that needs to be lured out.
I just wanted to be treated like a person that deserves to live in a house that actually functions.”
— Julia, District 2
Real photos of needed repairs from Duluth renters
FAQs
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All of us deserve safe, dignified homes. But right now, too many Duluth renters aren’t getting the repairs we need.
Duluth’s housing is old. Half of it was built before 1940 – two and a half times the statewide average. With our current housing shortage, we can’t afford to lose a single unit.
We love this city, and we want to stay here. We need to work together to protect, repair, and maintain all of Duluth’s housing so all of us have safe, dignified places to call home, whether we rent or own.
We need tools to tackle small problems before they can become big ones. This is home maintenance 101. A small leak can become a hole in the ceiling – and then mold. We need to be able to nip these problems in the bud before they become safety hazards.
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Within a cost limit, this policy enables renters to get common repairs – such as doors, doorknobs, showerheads, fans, faucets, holes and other quality-of-life repairs – if the repairs are not completed by the landlord in a designated time period.
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The renter-led group, Duluth Tenants, has knocked over 3000 doors across Duluth. In conversations with Duluthians, the reality is, existing systems aren’t always a good fit to get common repairs done. A slow draining tub isn’t an emergency, and no renter should have to go to court to make sure a small hole in their ceiling gets fixed! We just want a tool to get common repairs over and done with.
