Detroit Property Maintenance Code makes landlords responsible for rodent and insect abatement in rental units and common areas, while tenants must keep individual units sanitary to prevent infestations.
Detroit adopts Chapter 9 of the property maintenance code, which assigns landlord responsibility for extermination of rodents, cockroaches, and bedbugs in multifamily buildings and common areas, and in single-family rentals when infestation is not caused by tenant conduct. BSEED inspectors investigate complaints, often coordinating with the Health Department on rat-baiting programs in alley networks. Owners must seal openings larger than a half inch, remove harborage, and use Michigan-licensed pesticide applicators for chemical treatments. Bedbug response is typically split between unit-level treatment and building-wide inspections. Tenants must report infestations promptly and grant access for treatment.
Pest-related code violations begin around $250 per unit; failure to abate can lead to BSEED tickets, blight referral, and rental certificate suspension.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Detroit, MI
Detroit's zoning and property maintenance codes do not restrict the number, size, or style of residential lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays. Re...
Detroit, MI
Detroit has no specific ordinance regulating residential inflatable holiday displays (giant snowmen, pumpkins, Santas). Restrictions, if any, come from priva...
Detroit, MI
Detroit has no citywide ordinance restricting the time of year, brightness, or duration of residential holiday lights. Restrictions arise mainly from Local H...
Detroit, MI
A built-in outdoor kitchen in Detroit requires separate trade permits from BSEED for any gas line, electrical, or plumbing work, plus a building permit if it...
Detroit, MI
Detroit has no ordinance specifically regulating residential offset smokers or pellet grills. The City's nuisance and air-quality provisions (Detroit Code Ch...
Detroit, MI
Detroit follows the International Fire Code (IFC) as adopted by Michigan. IFC Section 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame and charcoal cooking on combustible balcon...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Wayne County.
See how other cities in Wayne County handle pest control.
See how Detroit's pest control rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.