Help with landlords?

**poobert** · October-16-14, 10:56 AM

I have a neighbor in EEV who is a hardworking guy but has a very shady management company who is his landlord. He had to get the plumbing and gas fixed on his own dime - it wasn't working when he moved in - and now the company is refusing to reimburse him for his efforts. Without getting into any more specifics, what recourse does this man have? Where can I direct him? Agencies? Phone numbers? I'm not a renter and when I was I had good landlords. He's a good person and I want to help him.

The sad part is we know this is happening a thousand times over in the city as we speak.

**Dan Wesson** · October-16-14, 11:23 AM

Move? Consider it a lesson learned.

Help him? Hire a Lawyer. Call Lee free!

**ndavies** · October-16-14, 11:42 AM

Have you looked at the Michigan tenants rights document. It describes the things you can do like withhold the cost of repairs from the rent paid.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/Public...ntlandlord.pdf

**compn** · October-16-14, 12:03 PM

why did he move into a place without working gas and plumbing?

kind of a big warning sign there.

**softailrider** · October-16-14, 12:19 PM

Having been a landlord in a previous life I would say unless a house had a working furnace and working bathrooms it would be just about impossible to rent to any decent tenant. Of course, you don't know what a decent tenant is until problems arise. Also, some tenants may rent anything if they actually aren't going to live in the house but instead run some enterprise out of that location, which I'm sure your friend isn't doing.

**downtownguy** · October-16-14, 02:03 PM

Suggest he call:

United Community Housing Coalition
220 Bagley Suite 224 Detroit, MI 48226 Ph: 313.963.3310

I think that's right in their wheelhouse.

**poobert** · October-16-14, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by compn

why did he move into a place without working gas and plumbing?

kind of a big warning sign there.

To those of you who provided assistance, I thank you very much. To those of you who proved unhelpful with unnecessary commentary, I suggest you find another way to fill your time.

**Novack** · October-16-14, 02:41 PM

Hmmm. Did he do the repairs to "essential services". If so he could possibly withhold rent, but best to do it through the court. He could not pay rent and then plead his case to the judge. But lets be careful and make sure 1. he notified the landlord of the issues. 2. He waited a reasonable amount of time for repairs. 3. He had to make these repairs because they were essential to being able to use the home.

Please note this is conjecture and is only offered for discussion purposes

**FormerDetroiter** · October-16-14, 02:43 PM

compn makes a good point

**Honky Tonk** · October-16-14, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

To those of you who provided assistance, I thank you very much. To those of you who proved unhelpful with unnecessary commentary, I suggest you find another way to fill your time.

I'm going to be somewhere in the middle between help and hinder. I don't know what your friend's repair tab was, but if he does succeed in collecting, more than likely, they'll raise his rent. Just something to think about.

**Kelton** · October-16-14, 04:40 PM

Check post #3 from ndavies. That is an excellent reference. I picked up a free copy of it at the Northville library. Read through the table of contents - everything your friend needs is there, including samples of letters to the landlord. Good luck to your friend.

**Zacha341** · October-16-14, 06:21 PM

Yeah once you move into such a situation the owner sorta feels you 'take' that and more lack of basic repairs. They figure they have a captive audience as you invested your own funds.

Originally Posted by compn

why did he move into a place without working gas and plumbing?

kind of a big warning sign there.

**poobert** · October-17-14, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by Kelton

Check post #3 from ndavies. That is an excellent reference. I picked up a free copy of it at the Northville library. Read through the table of contents - everything your friend needs is there, including samples of letters to the landlord. Good luck to your friend.

I printed it out yesterday and gave it to him along with the phone number of that place on Bagley.

The guy is an immigrant from the Caribbean and works all the time. I'm sure a lot of this crap is confusing for him. He sweeps his freaking porch on his one day off per week. He's the kind of people we want here. Thanks for those who tried to help. You don't know what kind rap he's getting.

**izzyindetroit** · October-17-14, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

I have a neighbor in EEV who is a hardworking guy but has a very shady management company who is his landlord. He had to get the plumbing and gas fixed on his own dime - it wasn't working when he moved in - and now the company is refusing to reimburse him for his efforts. Without getting into any more specifics, what recourse does this man have? Where can I direct him? Agencies? Phone numbers? I'm not a renter and when I was I had good landlords. He's a good person and I want to help him.

The sad part is we know this is happening a thousand times over in the city as we speak.

First off the landlord tenant book is a great reference. I would also suggest michigantenants.org. Call the City of Detroit rental department. Every rental in Detroit by local law must be inspected and certified by the city prior to renting. Otherwise the LL could face legal action. What the LL is doing is illegal. The tenant's best option is most likely to move out and file a claim with small claims to get any security deposit back.