Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Farmington Hills

Find the right Tenant attorney in Farmington Hills, MI

Tenant Law in Michigan

Relations between tenants and landlords in Farmington Hills, Michigan can occasionally be touchy. The fact is that it's not easy to be a landlord or a tenant, particularly because landlords and tenants often don't understand the legal rights and responsibilities that apply to them.

Landlords and tenants have to navigate a web of legal rights and commitments. It's essential that the parties to a landlord/tenant relationship know what obligations they have to one another.

Landlord's Rights in Farmington Hills, MI

Landlords are, of course, entitled to collect rent from their tenants. If a tenant fails to pay the agreed-upon rent, the landlord is typically able to evict the tenant without too much trouble, though the process can sometimes get fairly complicated.

Landlords also have a right to be free from damage to the rented unit. Tenants are expected not to damage their dwellings, intentionally or negligently. Landlords can deduct the cost of repairs from the tenant's security deposit. In general, tenants are not liable for damage resulting from ordinary wear and tear.

Tenant's Rights in Farmington Hills, MI

At the most basic level, tenants have a basic right to what they're paying for: a habitable living environment. Therefore, landlords in Farmington Hills, Michigan must ensure that the units they rent to tenants meet some basic standards for human habitation. These requirements vary from state to state, but are often fairly easy to meet. There are no legal requirements that rented units be pretty, particularly spacious, or luxurious. They simply have to be fit for human beings to live in them. To be considered "habitable," rented units must have water, electricity, some form of heating (if the local climate necessitates it), and adequate protection from the elements (proper insulation, no roof leaks, windows that close, etc.).

Furthermore, tenants have rights to common areas that are free of physical obstructions, as well as serious health and safety hazards. Common areas are the places in apartment buildings and other residential complexes which every tenant can access, and include hallways, stairwells, and fire escapes. In Farmington Hills, Michigan, these areas must be kept in a safe condition, at the landlord's expense.

Under federal and Michigan law, tenants are also entitled to protection against discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, marital status, or gender. Such discrimination can lead to grave civil penalties against the landlord. Landlords also cannot discriminate against tenants based on physical disability, and have to make reasonable accommodations for physically disabled tenants. For instance, they have to allow disabled tenants to make minor physical alterations to the unit (at the tenant's expense) to make it more accessible. Now, they don't need to allow the tenants to have the building remodeled. We're just talking about things like installing handrails in the bathroom, and similar things. The landlord can, however, require tenants to restore the apartment to its original condition, at the tenant's expense, once the tenant leaves.

Lastly, the laws of most states safeguard tenants from unfair eviction. In general, as long as a tenant is paying rent on time, and is not damaging the unit, they cannot be evicted before the term of the lease expires, unless there is a very good reason to do so (such as excessive noise caused by the tenant, or illegal activities in the apartment).

Can a Farmington Hills, Michigan Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, chances are that you want to prevent conflict. But if you do end up in a seemingly irresolvable conflict with the other party, a Farmington Hills, Michigan attorney can help you protect your rights.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Farmington Hills

Farmington Hills is located in southeastern Michigan. It is hte largest city in Michigan's Oakland County. Per the 2010 census, the population is around 79.740 people. Farmington Hills is known as an upscale area, and is also located very near the affluent area of Ann Arbor.

The top employers include Botsford Hospital, the school district, Bosch, Quicken Loans, Gale, TD Auto Finance, Aditya Birla Minacs, TRW Automotive Electronics, ACO Hardware, and Nissan Technical Center North America.

Farmington Hills is also home to some attorneys who residents often turn to for thier legal needs. Ann Arbor is also home to many law firms that practice in almost all areas of law, that train their attorneys to always litigate and act in the best interest of their clients.

Some famous residents include Steve Ballmer, Keith Benson, Elizabeth Berkley, Cam Fowler, Al Jean, Bill Joy, Drew Stanton, Fred Toucher, and Fred M. Warner.

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Nicholas M.
Nicholas M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Golden, CO

Carl M.
Carl M.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Seattle, WA

David A.
David A.

Real Estate, Housing & Property Law

Walnut Creek, CA