Rental Requirements FAQ

You need to take the following actions right away: 

1. Register your property
2. Schedule your interior/exterior inspections
3. Schedule a lead inspection (if you own a property built before 1978).

• Owners of rental property must register their property with BSEED and obtain a rental registration certificate on an annual basis.⁽²⁾ The registration certificate must be posted on the property premises or made available upon request.
• Owners of rental property must also obtain, before the property can be occupied:
  1. a Lead-Clearance Report for properties built before 1978.⁽³⁾
  2. a Certificate of Compliance issued by BSEED ⁽⁴⁾
• Owners must be current on property taxes and have no outstanding blight violations ⁽⁵⁾ for their rental property in order to obtain a Certificate of Compliance.

  Blight Manual

• A Certificate of Compliance is issued on the condition that the premises remain in safe, healthful, and fit condition for occupancy.⁽⁶⁾

⁽²⁾ Detroit City Code, Section 8-15-81(a) ; ⁽³⁾ Detroit City Code, Section 8-15-82(g) ; 
⁽⁴⁾ Detroit City Code, Section 8-15-82(d) ; ⁽⁵⁾ A blight violation is any unlawful act, or any omission or failure to act, which is designated by the 2019 Detroit City Code as a blight violation pursuant to Section 4l(2) of the Michigan Home Rule Cities Act. ; ⁽⁶⁾ MCL 125.530(2)

• Violations of the rental registry ordinance, including any failure to register rental property, are considered blight violations, or “blight tickets."⁽⁷⁾
• Properties must be properly maintained to keep a valid Certificate of Compliance. If an interim inspection reveals a violation that threatens the health or safety of the tenant, the Certificate of Compliance must be suspended immediately. (8) (7) Detroit City Code, Section 8-15-36; (8) MCL 125.530(2); (9) MCL 125.530(3)

• When rental property is sold or transferred to a new owner, the new owner must register and apply for a new rental registration certificate.⁽¹⁰⁾
• Transferring your property does not eliminate your obligation to pay any fees and fines assessed during the time you owned the property.

⁽¹⁰⁾ Detroit City Code, Section 8-15-81

• BSEED must inspect rental property at least once a year. ⁽¹¹⁾
• BSEED may perform additional inspections upon request by the occupants or public, based on a complaint or direct observation of substandard or deteriorated physical condition. ⁽¹¹⁾

⁽¹¹⁾ Detroit City Code, Section 8-15-34;