Landlord Won't Make Repairs in Michigan: What Can I Do?
Michigan law requires your landlord to keep your rental home fit to live in and in reasonable repair. This page explains what your landlord must fix, how to ask for repairs, and what you can do if your landlord does nothing.
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Michigan law gives you a legal promise called the warranty of habitability (a promise that your home is fit to live in). Under this law, your rental home and any shared areas of the building must meet this promise.
✓ Sources checked September 29, 2026
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Your landlord must keep your rental home in reasonable repair and follow state and local health and safety rules. This duty does not apply if you caused the damage by being careless or acting on purpose.
✓ Sources checked September 29, 2026
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Your lease can change your landlord's duty to keep your home fit to live in and in reasonable repair. But it can only do this if your lease lasts 1 year or longer. A lease for less than a year cannot change these duties.
✓ Sources checked September 29, 2026
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Tell your landlord in writing about anything that needs fixing. Use a text message, email, or letter, and keep a copy for yourself. Having this in writing helps prove when you first asked if you need to go to court later.
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Take photos or videos of the problem and write down the date each time you contact your landlord about it. Save these records so you can show what happened and when if you need to go to court.
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Cities, villages, and townships with 10,000 people or more can run a rental inspection program under state law. In smaller cities, this program only covers larger rental buildings unless the city has chosen to cover small buildings too. Where this program runs, a local agency gives out a rental certificate (a paper saying the building is safe). If the agency finds a serious health or safety hazard, it can suspend the certificate and order everyone to leave until the hazard is fixed.
✓ Sources checked September 29, 2026
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You cannot just stop paying rent on your own because of a repair problem. Usually, in cities, villages, and townships with 10,000 people or more, a hazard can suspend your rental certificate (a paper saying your building passed inspection). This does not cover a private or 2-family home in a city, village, or township under 100,000 people, unless adopted by resolution. When that happens, you can pay rent into an escrow account (money held by the local government) instead of to your landlord. Your landlord first gets reasonable time to fix the problem after being told about it. This does not apply if your landlord shows that you or your household caused the hazard.
✓ Sources checked September 29, 2026
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Usually, cities, villages, and townships with 10,000 people or more let you pay rent into an escrow account (money held by the local government). This does not cover a private or 2-family home in a city, village, or township under 100,000 people, unless adopted by resolution. You do this instead of paying your landlord directly, if a hazard suspends your rental certificate (a paper saying your building passed inspection). If you skip this and just stop paying instead, your landlord can still sue you for the rent and to remove you.
✓ Sources checked September 29, 2026
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If your landlord takes you to court for unpaid rent, you can tell the judge about it. You can say your landlord broke a promise in the lease that excuses your unpaid rent. If the judge agrees, you will not be ordered to move out for that unpaid rent.
✓ Sources checked September 29, 2026
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Your landlord cannot try to make you move out mainly to punish you for reporting a housing problem to a government agency. If this happens within 90 days after you report it, the law assumes it was punishment for your report. This only applies if your report was not dismissed or denied. Your landlord must then prove otherwise in court.
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You can sue your landlord in small claims court for money losses caused by the repair problem. You get this money only if you win your case and your landlord pays. As of 2024, you can use it for amounts of $7,000 or less.
✓ Sources checked September 29, 2026
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