Rental Property Rules in Southfield, MI (2026)
2 verified rental property rules for Southfield, Michigan, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rental Registration
Owners of one- and two-family and townhouse rental dwellings in the City of Southfield must register with the Building and Safety Engineering Department before renting, or they cannot legally collect rent. Missing the registration deadline triggers a steep $1,000-per-month, per-unit late fee on top of the standard registration fee.
Southfield Rental Dwelling Registration
Significant RestrictionsSouthfield City Code § 8.504
Owners of rental dwellings shall register such dwellings with the department as provided in this chapter before they are rented or offered for rent. An owner shall register the rental dwelling with the department in order to be entitled to collect rent from tenants and occupants residing or located in the rental dwelling. A sublessor/sublease is subject to all the conditions aforementioned and ...
Repairs & Habitability
Southfield ties habitability to the International Property Maintenance Code: every registered one- and two-family or townhouse rental dwelling must be maintained to that code's standards to keep its certificate of rental compliance. The department's written inspection guidelines set out the required repairs, and specific defects can trigger an interior inspection mid-certificate.
Southfield Rental Dwelling Maintenance Standard
Some RestrictionsSouthfield City Code § 8.510
The director shall prepare and maintain a list of inspection guidelines to be used in making inspections relating to the enforcement of this chapter. The inspection guidelines shall be based on this chapter and applicable code and ordinance requirements and shall set forth the requirements and conditions and scope of repairs necessary for obtaining the issuance of a certificate of rental compli...
Looking for Oakland County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Southfield city rules.
Rental Property Rules in Oakland County →