Do this today
- Photograph the condition. Write the date.
- Dial 311 or file with Detroit BSEED.
- If there is no heat, no water, or a gas smell: 911 or the utility first.
What does “livable” mean in Detroit?
Heat, water, sanitation, and structural safety are the usual floor. The exact list is in Michigan landlord-tenant relationship act and often in the city housing code Detroit BSEED enforces. This desk does not reprint temperature charts or hour-counts.
What if nothing happens after I report it?
Keep the request numbers from 311 or Detroit BSEED. Take that file to legal aid. Do not skip rent on a rumor. If the condition is dangerous tonight — no heat in winter, a gas leak, a collapsed ceiling — treat it as an emergency.
The Detroit layer
BSEED/311 for conditions. 36th District Court for possession.
Michigan landlord-tenant relationship act (Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 554.601 to 554.641) is the Michigan floor. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.
Detroit questions
What if there is no heat or no water in Detroit?
Treat it as urgent. Dial 311 or file with Detroit BSEED. If it is dangerous tonight, 911 or the utility. Then write it down and call legal aid before you skip rent.
What number should I call in Detroit?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. 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