There’s a booming housing market currently in West Michigan. While landlord tenant rights in Michigan remain the same, a few new city ordinances might affect applicants in West Michigan. Tom Sinas, Grand Rapids personal injury attorney, shares what you should know about these ordinances before you start apartment hunting.
Changes to the Grand Rapids Rental Application Process
There are a few new rental ordinances in Grand Rapids to be aware of if you’re on the rental market as either a prospective tenant or landlord. The first ordinance pertains to the application process. Historically, as the housing market gets tighter, application fees increase. However, the basic gist of the new application ordinance bans landlords from charging applicants any more than the cost of actually conducting the screening. For example, if it costs the landlord $50 to do a background check, they can only charge $50.
Furthermore, if you apply for a rental and are turned down for any reason other than what the landlord was screening for in their background check, the landlord is required to refund the application fees.
Landlord Tenant Laws in Michigan – the Lease
The lease or rental agreement is a document that’s easy to skim over, but is really important to actually read. After all, it’s a contract that sets all the terms and conditions between the parties. While the Truth in Renting Act, which is part of the landlord tenant laws in Michigan, prohibits certain things in leases, everything else is subject to agreement between the tenant and landlord. So be sure to read the lease in its entirety.
Understanding Security Deposits
These deposits are getting more expensive as the housing market gets tighter. However, a set of provisions in the law restricts landlords from charging deposits that exceed 1.5 times the monthly rent. This keeps prospective tenants from being priced out of housing because they can’t afford the application process and high deposit.
Finally, the security deposit is the property of the tenant and, as such, tenants have the right to know where that money is being put into an escrow account. They also have the right to know if they’re not getting that money back and why.
For more information, visit sinasdramis.com.
