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Tenants rights need to be protected. I currently live in upper Michigan. I have lived all over the country and have signed several leases, including those in Virginia. The landlords governed by laws in Michigan are be far the worst I’ve seen.

I can be fined legally $50 rash time a window is found open when the temp drops under 50F. I can be fined $100 every day my rent is late up to 10 days and then can be illegally evicted on the 11 day. While THC is legal in Michigan, I can be fined and evicted for using medical marijuana, even in gummy form. I have to give notice if someone is staying more than 5 days. I am not allowed to have 2x the occupants renting my apartment in my apartment: I live alone so I can only have 1 person visit at a time. My lease continues 20 pages like that.

I moved into this apartment in Jan, 2018. I paid a $600 deposits. My building was sold in 2019. When it was sold, the new management claimed my deposit as a “ cleaning” deposit. I had no say in the mattter. My rent has increased to $900. That is a 50% increase in 5 years but I live on social security which has gone up about $160 in that time plus all the costs of inflation. There is no obligation in my lease to let me know what increases will be before the next least is signed. Although I am not a student, my lease runs at the same time as the school year. If I don’t know if I will want to lease starting in the fall ( in the spring) my landlord can show the apartment to anyone for the next 5 months with 12 hours notice. Whether you get your cleaning lease back depends on the whims of the rental management.

We are charged a deposit and cleaning charge. However, the downstairs apartment has been leased by 5 tenants in that time and it has not been painted. We are supposed to pay for our own plumber if drains clog. We are supposed to catch our own rodents. I killed 14 mice in three years before the management finally hired an exterminator. If there is a “ needed” repair,,tenants can be evicted in 24 hours without compensation.

There should be standard renters rights and limits on rent increases. Renters should be given at least 30 days to vacate or come up with rent, not 10. Rent increase should be required notification and least 90 days in advance. Eviction for “ needed repairs” should have notice and either return of rent or compensation. Repairs should be responsibility of management, including plumbing and pest management. Schedules for painting and appliance repair, replacement should be indicated in the least. Noise standards should be made clear. When landlords or management fail their obligations their should be some way to get a federally outlined inspection that can be requested and completed within 30 to 60 days, depending on the repair and it’s urgency in providing habitable living. Fines for things like having windows open should be damage based, not set by temperature. Mold inspections annually and remediation within 30 days should be required; fire and carbon monoxide alarms should be required in every apartment. If there is only one egress from an above ground apartment, landlords should be required to provide fire lands or second emergency stairways. If there is a dispute in which tenant withholds rent because of livability conditions, the case should be mediated by an outside mediator before a court case can be filed on the behalf of either party. Thank you for your attention