Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Southfield

Find the right Tenant attorney in Southfield, MI

Tenant Law in Michigan

Relations between tenants and landlords in Southfield, 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 Southfield, 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.

Furthermore, landlords can bill the tenant for any damage they cause to the unit, whether it was intentional or negligent. The costs of repairs for such damage can be deducted from a tenant's security deposit, but it should be noted that tenants aren't liable for ordinary wear and tear, over which they have little control.

Tenant's Rights in Southfield, MI

Tenants, most essentially, have a right to a habitable apartment. After all, this is what they're paying for. Southfield, Michigan landlords are obligated to see that the units they rent to tenants are fit to be lived in by people. Many different defects might render an apartment uninhabitable, such as serious infestations and other problems with sanitation, lack of running water or electricity, or failure to provide adequate protection from the outside elements.

Furthermore, tenants are entitled to common areas which are reasonably safe and clean, and free of physical obstacles. Areas such as lobbies, hallways, stairwells, and fire escapes must comply with the building codes of Southfield, Michigan. Furthermore, any other unreasonable safety hazard, even if it doesn't violate a specific provision of a building code, can create liability for the landlord if it injures a tenant.

A tenant also has a right, under federal law and the laws of Michigan to be free from discrimination in housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, or gender. Landlords can also not discriminate against persons with disabilities, and must make reasonable accommodations for those disabilities.

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 Southfield, Michigan Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Tenants and landlords always want to avoid getting into any serious disputes - these disputes interfere with the tenant's living arrangement, and the landlord's business. In short, they help nobody. While a good Southfield, Michigan attorney can definately help his or her client prevail in such a dispute, they may be more essential for their ability to help prevent such disputes from escalating in the first place.

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Life in Southfield

Southfield is a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. It is known area because of its five golden skyscrapers, nicknamed the "Golden Triangle." These skyscrapers form Southfield Town Center, a 2,200,000 square foot complex with the Westin Hotel and conference center.

Due to a relatively new thirty-three story luxury residential high-rise complex, located near Southfield Town Center, Southfield saw an influx of many new residents. It is home to approximately 71,739 people per the 2010 census.

Southfield is also home to employers such as Denso, Peterson Spring, Federal-Mogul, Lear, R.L. Polk Co., and Stefanini TechTeam Global.

The legal force is also present in Southfield via the attorneys who live and practice within the area. These attorneys are competent to handle the legal needs of residents and local businesses.

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