Need help : Multiple lease violations by tenant

[Kashif Ali Khan]

My last tenant who left on April 1,2023 did not pay rent for two consecutive months. Plus they kept two dogs in the house while lease allowed only one. They also said the allowed dog was trained and certified ESA. However, it looks like these dogs had been peeing inside the house for a long time. I have had several rounds of cleaning done but strong smell isn't going away. If I change the carpet in entire house, I am looking at $7 to $8k expense.

I am not in MN state at the moment.

Please recommend what are my legal options to recoup some of these losses from these tenants. If you could recommmend affordable lawyer, that will be helpful as well. 

Someone had mentioned that I need to file the case within 20 days of them leaving. 

Looking foward to your response.

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Kashif Ali Khan:

1. Don't let the tenant go so long without paying rent. Minnesota says the rent is "late" the day after it's due. Then you file a 14-day Pay or Quit. If they don't pay, you file for the eviction. Most tenants will pay or leave. I recommend you keep this guide handy as a reference: https://www.doorloop.com/laws/...

2. I believe you must refund the deposit or give the tenant a list of deductions within 21 days. You can still charge them for more after that.

3. If there's more damages than the deposit would cover, then you can take the Tenant to Small Claims Court and sue them for the costs. Small Claims is inexpensive and usually easy to win if you have evidence to back up your claim. However, it's often hard to track the Tenant down to serve them a summons and it's even harder to get the money from them even if you win.

I recommend biting the bullet and replacing the flooring. Consider LVP in the main areas and carpet in the bedrooms. If you want to continue trying to clean them, get a professional carpet cleaner and have them treat it with enzymes or something designed specifically for pet odors. You can also try an ozone machine, which works pretty well on homes with dog odor.