Ann Arbor Landlord-Tenant Rules

Just-cause eviction: Ann Arbor's Right to Renew Ordinance applies to leases of 8 months or longer entered, renewed or renegotiated after March 17, 2024 (except housing with conflicting government income, age or rent rules). Starting 180 days into the lease (or into the final 12 months of a longer lease), the landlord must tell the tenant whether it will offer a new lease, and cannot make the offer earlier. The offer must list the parties, address, rent and fees, term and any changed terms. The tenant has at least 30 days to respond; the landlord then has 30 days to provide the lease, the tenant 10 days to sign and the landlord 10 days to countersign. A landlord can decline to renew only for good cause: the tenant did not accept in time or return the signed lease, the owner or immediate family will move in, the owner will not rent the unit for the next term, or a ground in MCL 600.5714. A landlord who fails to make a good-faith renewal offer without good cause owes relocation assistance equal to two months' rent. Landlords cannot show the unit to prospective tenants or lease it to someone else until 210 days into the current lease.; Fees: Rental application fees are capped at $50, must be disclosed in any listing, and require written screening criteria to be given first. The fee must be fully refunded if the applicant is not offered a unit. All pre-tenancy fees (such as wait list, holding, option, preparation and move-in fees) are banned. Starting August 1, 2026, any fee a tenant must pay or cannot reasonably avoid has to be included in the base rent; optional fees (such as pet, parking or lock-out fees) are allowed only for an actual cost and must be listed on the first page of the lease or in a single 'Optional Tenancy Fees' addendum; listings must show the total price of rent plus optional fees and whether utilities are included; and parking fees cannot be charged to a tenant who does not use parking. Fraternities, sororities, student co-ops, short-term rentals and some government-restricted housing are exempt.; Required notices/registration: No one may lease or offer a dwelling or rooming unit for rent unless a City Certificate of Compliance is in effect; this includes advertising or listing it. Owners register and apply for a Certified Rental License through the City's STREAM portal. Rental Housing Services inspects every rental unit in the city every 30 months; a unit with no violations at first inspection gets one extra year on its certificate. Owners who do not live or have an office within 25 miles of Ann Arbor must name a local agent. If violations remain after two re-inspections, the property can be posted as non-compliant, and tenants may then pay their rent into escrow until it complies.