Each Detroit guide answers one question — eviction, deposit, repairs, rent, entry, habitability — with the local office and the Michigan chapter. We do not invent a local deadline.
State act, City buildings department, district court
Michigan law is the tenancy baseline. Detroit BSEED and 311 take condition complaints. Possession is a court process — a City inspector is not a judge.
What if I got a notice in Detroit?
Read it for a court name, a case number, or an appearance date. A landlord notice is usually a step. Court papers mean a case has been filed in 36th District Court — landlord-tenant. Date it, photograph every page, and call legal aid the same day if a court is named. Do not guess the deadline from a national chart.
What if the unit is not livable?
Write the problem, date it, and keep photos. Open a request with Detroit BSEED or dial 311. An inspector’s dated notice is often worth more later than unanswered texts. Rent withholding and repair-and-deduct are Michigan questions — ask legal aid before you skip a payment.
What if the deposit did not come back?
The clock, the cap, and the itemization rules live mainly in Michigan law. BSEED/311 for conditions. 36th District Court for possession. Gather the lease, move-out photos, the forwarding address you gave, and any deduction list, then open the Michigan deposit page.
What if the rent went up?
A lease still in term is not the same as month-to-month. Whether Detroit adds a local cap or just-cause rule is a coverage question — BSEED/311 for conditions. 36th District Court for possession. Keep the letter. Confirm the Michigan chapter and the City office before you treat a percentage you saw online as the law.
What if they keep coming in without notice?
Entry rules in Detroit start with Michigan law and the lease. Emergencies, repairs, and showings are not always the same notice. Write the date and time. Detroit BSEED may take a complaint. This desk does not invent an hour-count.
What if heat, water, or the structure fails?
That is a habitability problem. Photograph it, write the date, and open a request with Detroit BSEED or 311. If it is dangerous tonight — a gas leak, no heat in winter, a collapsed ceiling — treat it as an emergency. Do not skip rent on a rumor.
Who hears an eviction in Detroit?
36th District Court hears many landlord-tenant cases in Detroit. Michigan law is the baseline. Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental and 311 are the City conditions doors. A notice is not a judgment.
Official Detroit offices
BSEED/311 for conditions. 36th District Court for possession. The Michigan chapter is Michigan landlord-tenant relationship act (Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 554.601 to 554.641). We name it. We do not paraphrase a number out of it.
Detroit renter questions
Can my landlord in Detroit evict me without going to court?
No. Changing locks, shutting off utilities, or dumping belongings is not how possession is completed. 36th District Court — landlord-tenant is where those cases are heard. If the paper names a court, a case number, or an appearance date, call legal aid the same day. BSEED/311 for conditions. 36th District Court for possession.
How do I get my security deposit back in Detroit?
Deposit caps, itemization, and return deadlines are usually Michigan questions — sometimes with a city overlay. Photograph the unit, return keys the way the lease requires, and keep a forwarding address. Confirm the chapter on the Michigan page. This desk does not reprint a dollar cap or a day-count.
Who inspects repairs in Detroit?
Detroit BSEED is the local conditions door, and 311 is often how you open a request. Put the repair in writing first and keep photos. Do not skip rent on a rumor — ask legal aid before you change what you pay. BSEED/311 for conditions. 36th District Court for possession.
Does Detroit have local rent rules on top of Michigan?
BSEED/311 for conditions. 36th District Court for possession.
Who hears an eviction in Detroit?
36th District Court hears many landlord-tenant cases in Detroit. Michigan law is the baseline. Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental and 311 are the City conditions doors. A notice is not a judgment.
What number should I call in Detroit?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. Local City services: 311. Court papers: LawHelp.org the same day. Detroit BSEED does not replace legal aid when a case is filed.
National answers on this desk
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org