Minnesota legal professional general sues hedge fund-owned landlord above servicing complications

Minnesota Lawyer Standard Keith Ellison declared Thursday that his workplace has filed a consumer-security lawsuit towards HavenBrook Properties, a hedge fund-owned landlord accused of failing to preserve its qualities.

The lawsuit alleges that HavenBrook and its proprietor, New York-primarily based Pretium Associates LLC, did not keep its Minnesota houses habitable, deceived tenants about servicing practices and failed to consider lead-based mostly paint security safety measures, in violation of state legislation. HavenBrook also violated the statewide pandemic eviction moratorium by sending eviction and non-renewal notices to dozens of tenants, mentioned Assistant Attorney Basic Katherine Kelly.

“It truly is shameful for landlords to take care of individuals that way, and it’s significantly shameful when most landlords are undertaking the correct issue,” Ellison mentioned. “But when some don’t, we’ve obtained to stand up and we’ve obtained to just take action.”

In a assertion, a Pretium spokesperson reported the enterprise is reviewing the legal professional general’s lawsuit.

“We are committed to providing the optimum-high-quality rental housing working experience attainable by presenting consistent, trustworthy and attentive assistance for all residents in Minnesota and throughout the country,” the assertion stated. “In actuality, in the to start with yr below new ownership, we have doubled our community upkeep staff and carry on to spend substantially to aid renovations and upkeep repairs for citizens to address pre-current conditions and increase the resident experience, and carry on to do more every working day.”

Pretium owns extra than 600 one-loved ones rental houses in the Twin Cities metro, in accordance to the Attorney General’s Business. Tenants noted difficulties which include deficiency of heat, backed-up sewer methods, mildew, doorways and home windows that didn’t shut and are living wild animals, Ellison claimed. However HavenBrook claimed to give 24/7 service for emergency repairs, some tenants waited a long time for enable, he claimed, and when servicing did transpire, the get the job done was often shoddy.

Anna Crockett reported she lived in a HavenBrook home for about 4 several years, and it took about two a long time to get troubles mounted, which includes toilet mild set up and mold — a large challenge for her son, who has bronchial asthma. She mentioned she also acquired an eviction discover in the course of the moratorium.

“These are the forms of items that HavenBrook experienced us working with,” Crockett claimed.

Pretium owns 70,000 rental attributes throughout the place, in accordance to the Attorney General’s Office. Ellison and Kelly stated they are not conscious of similar lawsuits versus HavenBrook in other states.

“Let me just say this,” Ellison explained. “I communicate with my colleagues in other states all the time, and I do plan on talking to them about this lawsuit, so we will see.”