Whether you’re a landlord in Ann Arbor with some rowdy Michigan students on your hands, or you’re renting a place in Detroit and can’t get your heat fixed, knowing your rights and responsibilities under Michigan’s landlord and tenant laws can keep you out of a leasing mess. Here is a brief summary of lease and rental agreement law in Michigan.
Rental Agreements Laws
State laws govern certain aspects of lease and rental agreements between landlords and tenants, such as the maximum security deposit allowed and anti-discrimination provisions (beyond federal protections). In Michigan, lease and rental agreement laws limit deposits to 1 month's rent and require landlords to supply tenants with a checklist of damages at the end of the lease period. Also, Michigan law prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of height or weight.
Lease and Rental Agreement Laws in Michigan
The basics of Michigan lease and rental agreement laws, with references to relevant case law, are listed in the following table.
| Code Section | 37.2102; 37.2502; 37.2503; 554.601, et seq. |
| Terms of Leases | Holdover converts to year-to-year tenancy (Faraci v. Fassvio, 212 Mich. 216) |
| Deposits | Limit 1 ? months rent; interest on deposit not required; landlord must supply tenant with checklist of all damages upon termination of lease |
| Discrimination | No discrimination on basis of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, marital status. Housing programs for elderly exempted; children may be restricted to certain areas of complex (Dept. of Civil Rights v. Beznos Co., 421 Mich. 110)) |
| Uniform Residential Landlord & Tenant Act Adopted? | No |
Michigan has not adopted the Uniform Residential Landlord & Tenant Act (URLTA), therefore your responsibilities as a landlord or your rights as a tenant will generally depend on how your particular lease or rental agreement is worded. Be sure to always review your lease carefully before signing it. As a general rule, tenants are required to keep their part of the premises as clean and safe as possible, dispose of garbage and other waste responsibly, and may not deliberately or negligently remove, damage, or destroy any part of the premises. Most leases also prohibit tenants from interfering with their neighbors’ peaceful enjoyment of the premises. On the other end, landlords must comply with local building and housing codes, make repairs in a timely fashion, and keep the premises in a habitable condition.
Michigan Lease and Rental Agreement Laws: Related Resources
If you still have questions about your lease, you can visit FindLaw’s Tenant Lease Agreement FAQs or Rental and Lease Agreements section to learn more. If you would like legal assistance, you can -- contact a Michigan landlord-tenant attorney.
