Housing Inspections

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To skip down, click on the topic you are looking for: |State Housing Code| |Local Housing Codes| |Ann Arbor's Housing Inspection Department| |Requesting A Housing Inspection| State Housing Code The State of Michigan regulates the quality of rental housing through a variety of laws and building codes that set minimum standards for all rental property. A landlord cannot legally rent a unit unless it meets all of these minimum standards. Michigan's Housing Act, written in 1917, covers rental dwellings throughout the state. Towns with populations under 10,000 are exempt and, in cities with populations between 10,000 and 100,000, single-family and duplex rental homes are exempt. However, even small towns can use the standards under this act, if they formally adopt it. This code of standards has three main problems:1. there is no state enforcement mechanism2. it does not uniformly cover the entire state3. it is out of date. (A powerful landlord lobby in Lansing has kept the state from passing any stronger regulations.) Local Housing Codes Most mid-size and large cities and a few small townships have adopted their own building and/or maintenance codes to regulate rental housing. These local codes are meant to improve on the state code. Ann Arbor has such a code. Most cities, counties, and townships also have some department responsible for enforcing all local and/or state housing codes.  In Ann Arbor, the Housing Inspection Department does this.  In the City of Ypsilanti, the Housing Bureau is responsible. (See our list of Important Phone Numbers for contact information.) Housing Inspection offices are supposed to promote the health and safety of tenants and to preserve the area's housing stock. They are responsible for inspecting a property to make sure it complies with applicable housing codes. No matter what city or town you live in, you should contact your city or township hall to find out what codes do exist and how they can be enforced. Chances are, your landlord is in violation of something! Ann Arbor's Housing Inspection Department This section refers to the City of Ann Arbor ONLY, but other municipalities may follow similar procedures. See our list of Important Phone Numbers for inspection departments in other areas.  For a checklist of code regulations, see our Housing Code Violations Checklist. If you suspect that your home is not in compliance with the housing code, you can contact the Housing Inspection Department (994-2678 - Ann Arbor only) to find out whether or not the landlord has a Certificate of Occupancy (C.O.) and/or to make a complaint. If you make a complaint, you will be asked to give your name along with the complaint. You will be given an inspection appointment, at which time an inspector will come to your home to investigate the problem. The inspector should come within ten days, or 24 hours in an emergency. It is important for you to be home when the inspector comes so you can show them the problems and ask questions. Your landlord may also be present, but do not let that intimidate you. You should receive a copy of the inspection report citing the code violations; the landlord will receive one too.  If you do not get one within a couple of weeks, call the Housing Inspection Department to request one.  An inspection report can be helpful as evidence if you have to go to court. The Housing Inspection Department retains public records of housing inspections.  Files are arranged by address and anyone can view them to find out when a property has been inspected, whether or not it has a valid C.O., what complaints have been made in the past about conditions, and if there is a history of tickets or variances.  Sometimes these records indicate long-term repair problems that can help build a case for rent withholding. In Ann Arbor, every rental property is supposed to be inspected by a City official every two and a half years and anytime a tenant registers a complaint. Each rental unit should have a current Certificate of Occupancy, indicating that the building is in compliance with all applicable state and local housing codes at the time of inspection. Any house or apartment not in compliance is supposed to have had its C.O. suspended or revoked. The landlord should have been advised to fix the problem and/or been ticketed. City inspectors issue tickets, which carry fines. NO C.O. = NO RENT You do not have to pay rent when your home does not have a valid C.O.  A violation of any housing law is reason and a defense for withholding rent. If your home does not have a C.O., it may not be safe for you to stay there.  Also, if your landlord takes you to court, a judge may order you to leave immediately.  If your home does have a valid C.O., you do not have to pay rent if there are repair problems in your home.  If you have any questions regarding possible code violations in your home, refer to the housing code checklist or contact the Housing Inspection Department (994-2678 - Ann Arbor only).  See our list of Important Phone Numbers for other inspection departments. Requesting Inspections Ann Arbor City Residents 1. Make a list of all the things that are going wrong or need repair in your apartment. 2. If you live in Ann Arbor, visit the City's Housing Code and new ordinances online, and make a list of possible code violations which are happening in your apartment. You can also access the Ann Arbor City Housing Code by following the links from the City's Home Page.* Go to http://www.ci.ann-arbor.mi.us* Choose Departments, the first green tab along the top of the screen* Choose the Building Department from the list* Choose Housing Bureau from the menu on the left hand side of the screen* Choose Housing Code / City Code Chapter 105, the last item listed on the screen. 3. Call the City of Ann Arbor Housing Bureau at (734) 994-2678. Tell them you want to make an appointment for a housing inspection, and tell them what it is you want them to inspect. The Housing Bureau will automatically do lengthy and thorough inspections on all rental properties about once every 30 months.  However, if you are requesting an inspection, the inspector will only look at what you identify as being a potential problem. You can also fax your list of complaints to the Housing Bureau at (734) 994-8460, or visit the Housing Bureau in person at 100 N. Fifth Avenue (at the corner of Fifth and Huron Streets in downtown Ann Arbor).  Click here for a map to the building. 4. When you make the appointment for your inspection, ask for information about previous problems at your address, previous reports of violations and citations, and previous complaints about your landlord for this and other properties. If you can demonstrate that your landlord has a pattern of poor maintenance and/or neglect with respect to repair issues, this will help your case. 5. Arrange to be present at the apartment on the date and time of your Housing Inspection appointment. 6. Your landlord will be notified that a housing inspection was requested.  If your landlord asks you to help him or her cover up the problem, or to temporarily "fix" the problem in order to "pass" the upcoming inspection, tell your landlord "no" and report this to the Housing Bureau.  Make a note of this for your records, also. 7. Most requested inspections are only scheduled for 15 to 30 minutes.  At the end of the inspection, ask for a copy of the inspection report. Non-Ann Arbor City Residents If you live OUTSIDE of the Ann Arbor City Limits, follow the basic steps outlined within this page, and use the following numbers to request a Housing Inspection. Ann Arbor Township (734) 663-3418Augusta Township (734) 461-6929 or (734) 487-0518Barton Hills (Village of) (734) 663-1284Bridgewater Township (734) 428-7877Chelsea (Village of) (734) 475-1771 or (734) 475-8684Dexter Township (734) 426-3767Dexter (Village of) (734) 426-8303Freedom Township (734) 428-7877Lima Township (734) 475-2936Lodi Township (734) 665-9082Lyndon Township (734) 498-2328Manchester (Village of) (734) 428-7877Milan (City of) (734) 439-1501Northfield Township (734) 449-2880 or (734) 449-2116Pittsfield Township (734) 822-3129Salem Township (734) 349-1690Saline (City of) (734) 429-4907Saline Township (734) 429-7783Scio Township (734) 665-2123Sharon Township (517) 522-4347Superior Township (734) 482-6099Sylvan Township (734) 475-8139Webster Township (734) 426-2604York Township (734) 439-8842Ypsilanti (City of) (734) 482-1025Ypsilanti Township (734) 485-3943 HUD Housing If you live in HUD Housing, and need to request a housing inspection, call 1-222-7900, or (in Ypsilanti) (734) 485-4393.  You may also contact your HUD caseworker for assistance. To return to the Michigan Tenants Counseling Program web site, click here. Information, Not Legal Advice. We are providing this information as a public service. We try to make it accurate as of the date noted in the materials. Sometimes the laws change. We cannot promise that this information is always up-to-date and correct. We do not intend this information to be legal advice. By providing this information, we are not acting as your lawyer. If you need legal advice, you should contact a lawyer through your local legal aid organization. Always talk to a competent lawyer, if you can, before taking legal action. E-mail. Viewing this web site, or sending an e-mail message to the Michigan Tenants Counseling Program or other legal organization through this web site, does not create an attorney-client relationship between the Michigan Tenants Counseling Program or other organization and you. 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