Skip to main content

Renters' Rights

Tenancy Agreement contract on clipboard with the keys sitting on top
Michigan Attorney General Logo

Renters' Rights

Welcome to the Renters' Rights Resource Page! Whether you're a tenant or a landlord, you've found your go-to spot for accessing vital resources to help you understand and protect your rights.

Here, you will find essential guidance and legal insights to help you navigate the sometimes-complex rental landscape.

From tips to finding your perfect place to dodging those tricky rental scams, this page has you covered.

Find Rental Housing

Man looking online for available rental units

Online Search Tools

The following online search tools can assist you with finding rental housing:

MSHDA Search Tools

  • Affordable Rental Housing Directory (ARHD): Provides a search tool of all the MSHDA, HUD, Low Income Housing Tax Credit, and Rural Development financed developments in Michigan. Additionally, some local Public Housing Agencies have included their rental housing information in this search.
  • Michigan Housing Locator: Provides a search tool for both subsidized and market rental housing in Michigan.

Additional Search Tools

Tenant Resources

Landlords

New home keychain with keys attached

Michigan Requirements

Michigan law requires residential landlords to properly manage tenants' security deposits. As a landlord you must deposit all security deposits collected from tenants into a regulated financial institution (e.g., bank, credit union, etc.).

You have two options for the deposited funds:

  1. Keep the funds in the account and use them only for the purposes authorized by law (Landlord Tenant Relations Act, MCL 554.601 et seq); or
  2. If you intend to use the money for other purposes, you must secure a Landlord Tenant Security Deposit Bond and comply with the Security Deposits Annual Certification requirements with the Department of Attorney General.

Landlord Resources

Rental Scams

Keys on the table in new apartment

Rental Red Flags

When you're looking for a new place to live, there are a variety of factors to consider - size, cost, location and more. Scammers hope all of that distracts you from recognizing a fraudulent listing.

Fraudulent rental listings typically happen in two ways:

  • Hijacked Ads - Some scammers may copy a listing from a legitimate real estate listing and place it on a different website. It all looks legitimate, but in reality the bad actor is promoting a property they're not affiliated with.
  • Phantom Rentals - Other scammers may make up a listing altogether in an effort to cheat an unsuspecting renter out of money. These will often offer rent that is far lower than other listings in the area.

Learn How to Spot and Dodge Rental Listing Scams