Havio

The Havio blog

Plain advice on repairs, rent, and running a rental, for landlords, tenants, and the vendors who fix things.

Illustration of a smoke alarm on a green stitched patch, ringed by small battery, house, calendar, and flame icons
For landlords

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules for Minnesota rentals

Who installs, tests, and replaces smoke and CO alarms in a Minnesota rental, what the statutes say, and a fall walk-through for landlords.

· 4 min read

A small brick house and front yard covered in fresh snow on a cold winter morning
For landlords

What to do in the first hour when a tenant's heat goes out

A calm order of operations for a cold night, from safety checks to the repair call, with the Minnesota rules that apply.

· 4 min read

A woman sitting on a gray couch at home, typing a message on her phone
For tenants

How to report a repair so it gets fixed faster

What to put in a repair request, what counts as an emergency, and what Minnesota law lets you do if a repair never happens.

· 4 min read

A hammer, tape measure, work gloves, and a framing square laid out on a wooden surface
For vendors

How to write an invoice a small landlord can approve the same day

What to put on a rental repair invoice so the landlord can approve it from their phone, plus the W-9, 1099, and license questions to expect.

· 4 min read