A new set of bills moving through the Michigan State Senate could soon establish new protections for renters.
Senate Bills 19 and 20, introduced by State Sen. Sarah Anthony, would establish new deadlines for landlords to make repairs to their rental properties.
What would Senate Bill 19 do?
- It would require landlords to address maintenance issues considered “imminently hazardous to the life or health and safety of the tenant” within 48 hours.
- It would require landlords to address mold, bed bugs, or other pests within 72 hours.
- It would require all other repairs to be addressed within seven days.
- If repairs are not started by the deadline, it would allow tenants to withhold rent by depositing rent payments into an escrow account. That money must then be paid to the landlord no later than 24 hours after the repairs are completed.
- It would also allow tenants to make repairs themselves and deduct the costs of the repairs from their rent.
If renters plan to undertake repairs themselves, they must obtain at least three written repair estimates and send the estimates to the landlord with written notice that they plan to begin repairs unless the landlord addresses the repairs within 24 hours.
They must also send all receipts related to the repairs and note the dates of the repairs.
The bills are part of a four-bill package aimed at improving protections for tenants.
Senate Bill 21 would require landlords to provide tenants with 90 days’ notice that their rent will increase if their lease is renewed, an increase from the current 30-day notice period.
Senate Bill 22 would allow security deposits to be returned through electronic transfer.
“We’ve heard directly from renters across Michigan — families being pushed out, seniors struggling to stay housed, and tenants living in unsafe conditions through no fault of their own," Anthony said in a statement to Local 4. “That’s why this legislation matters. The Tenant Empowerment Package would give renters stronger tools to hold landlords accountable and stay safely housed. I’m proud to see these bills advancing — a clear step toward the protections renters deserve.”
Local tenants’ unions say the bills would provide a new level of protection in an all-too-common situation. Steven Rimmer, lead organizer with the Detroit Tenants Association, said maintenance issues are the most common complaints the association receives from renters.
“It’s real concerning, because a lot of these landlords are corporate landlords,” Rimmer said. “They’re getting a lot of funding, some getting it from the federal government, and these buildings are still not upkept. This seems like this can help us.”
The organization is also calling for a “right to renew” ordinance that would prohibit landlords from refusing to offer lease renewal terms to current tenants without cause.
Sheila Rasouli, an organizer with the Ann Arbor Tenants Union, said the new bill could prevent much-needed housing from falling into disrepair. One example is the Arbor One Apartments in Ypsilanti, which were condemned earlier this year after asbestos and sewage issues made the entire complex uninhabitable.
“The only way for these complexes to get to this level of neglect is through purposeful mismanagement, both by landlords and then also by managers ignoring repair requests,” Rasouli said.
The Rental Property Owners Association of Michigan collaborated with Anthony to modify the bills, aiming to make the restrictions more manageable for landlords.
Executive Director Erika Farley said there are still more changes she’d like to see before the bill goes into law, including language that’d acknowledge the sometimes limited availability of contractors.
“Making sure that these are legitimate licensed rentals with actual legal leases that have been signed and that we make sure that there is not only responsibility put on the property owner and the management company but also on the resident to make sure that they are reporting these things in a timely manner and maintaining the property to the best of their ability,” Farley said.
The bills now head to the full State Senate for consideration.
