Dearborn Heights, MI Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- City Code §§ 7-450 to 7-530
- Water heating minimum
- 120°F at every required fixture
- Winter heat minimum
- 60-68°F, Oct. 1 to May 1
- Owner repair deadline
- 15 days after notice
- Maximum civil fine
- $150.00 per Sec. 7-488
Summary
In the City of Dearborn Heights, every dwelling unit must have a private bathroom with a flush toilet, tub or shower, and lavatory, plus water heated to at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit, under City Code Article IX. Violations are civil infractions capped at a $150 fine.
The purpose of this article is to help protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens by attempting to prevent blight, avoid the creation and maintenance of a nuisance, and insure minimum maintenance of dwellings through recognition of how the conditions set forth in this article can affect the general well-being and property values of residents. ... Any person responsible for a violation of any provision of this article shall be responsible for a civil infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00). ... Every dwelling unit shall contain a ... room which affords privacy to a person within such room and which is equipped with a flush water closet, a stall shower or bathtub, a lavatory basin and either a mechanical exhaust fan in good working condition or an operable window meeting the requirements of section 7-524. ... capable of heating water to such a temperature as to permit an adequate amount of water to be drawn at every required kitchen sink, lavatory basin, bathtub or shower at a temperature of not less than one hundred twenty (120) degrees Fahrenheit.
Full Breakdown
City Code Sec. 7-450 states Article IX's purpose is to protect health, safety, and welfare by preventing blight, avoiding nuisances, and ensuring minimum maintenance of dwellings, recognizing how substandard conditions affect residents' well-being and property values. Division 4's basic equipment rules, enforced through Sec. 7-501's compliance clause, require every dwelling unit to contain a kitchen with a properly installed sink, working refrigerator, and cooking range under Sec. 7-502, and a private bathroom equipped with a flush water closet, stall shower or bathtub, lavatory basin, and either a working exhaust fan or a code-compliant window under Sec.
7-503. Sec. 7-508 requires supplied water-heating facilities capable of delivering water at every required sink, lavatory, and tub or shower at a temperature of at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit, even when the dwelling's separate space-heating system is not running. Division 5 layers on a minimum heating standard at Sec. 7-527, requiring landlords to maintain at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, 65 degrees in the early morning, and 68 degrees from mid-morning through late evening whenever the outside temperature falls below 55 degrees, from October 1 through May 1 each year.
The director of building and engineering enforces the article and can order corrective repairs, assessing the cost against the property if an owner ignores a notice of violation for more than 15 days under Sec. 7-487.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 7-488 caps the civil infraction fine for any violation of Article IX's minimum housing standards, including the kitchen, bathroom, water-heating, and heating requirements, at not more than $150.00, separate from the city's authority to make corrective repairs itself and assess the cost against the property under Sec. 7-487.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
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