Is Your Landlord on the Hotseat? New Michigan Bill Targets Unfair Practices

In Michigan, almost 75% of residents own a home, while the remaining 25% rent, that's according to 2023 data from the United States Census Bureau.

While it's unlikely that renters in Michigan are going to have any luck finding a home that they can actually afford, there could be some major changes taking place that would give renters the upper hand when it comes to dealing with bad landlords.

A new proposal that's making its way through the Michigan Senate could see renters have a lot more power to deal with landlords that don't take care of their properties.

New Michigan Bills Could Give Renters More Power

Currently, there are four bills going through the Michigan Senate that would improve protections for renters.

SB 19 (Right to Repair/Withhold Rent): Mandates landlord repair deadlines (48 hrs for immediate hazards, 72 hrs for mold/pests, 7 days for other repairs). If unmet, tenants can withhold rent in escrow or "repair and deduct" (with 3 estimates, 24-hr notice, and receipts).

SB 20 (Truth in Renting Act Amendments): Prohibits rental agreements from waiving the new "repair/withhold" rights and requires disclosure of landlord's rent increase notification process upon lease renewal.

SB 21 (Increased Rent Increase Notice): Requires landlords to give 90 days' notice for rent increases upon lease renewal, up from the current 30 days.

SB 22 (Electronic Security Deposit Return): Allows security deposits to be returned via electronic transfer.

As someone who had several bad landlords that never wanted to address or fix issues, these proposed bills are long overdue.

These bills seem like a no-brainer that should have support from both Democrats and Republicans alike.

But with Michigan legislation moving at a snail's pace and only two bills having been signed into law by Governor Whitmer, time will tell if these bills will get passed and signed into law.