Farmington Hills, MI Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)

The city adopted its Single-Family Rental Dwellings inspection program by Ordinance No. C-7-2014, finding in § 7-340 that single-family rentals are typically maintained by a non-owning tenant or an off-site owner rather than an on-site manager, and that their deterioration has an outsized effect on neighboring owner-occupied streets. Section 7-348 sets the inspection cadence: a regular inspection at least once every three years for every registered single-family rental, an inspection as often as every 180 days for a rental that sits vacant, and an inspection at any time the department receives a credible complaint or other indication of a violation.

A certificate of compliance issued after a passing inspection under § 7-345 is valid for three years under § 7-346, and the code official can revoke it early if a later inspection turns up violations. Section 7-349 requires the department to mail the registered owner or agent notice of the inspection date and the fees due beforehand, and requires the owner or agent to give tenants written notice by mail and by posting at the entry door at least 21 days before the scheduled inspection, then accompany the inspector or arrange access. Regular inspections under § 7-350 cover the exterior of the dwelling and premises; the interior is only opened up if the property is reported or found to be unsafe, unfit for occupancy, or dangerous under the city's Property Maintenance Code, or if there are multiple or recurring violations of the inspection guidelines.