Southfield, MI Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Sec. 8.510 requires the director of Building and Safety Engineering to prepare and maintain a list of inspection guidelines used to enforce Chapter 103, based on the chapter and applicable code requirements, spelling out the conditions and scope of repairs needed to obtain a certificate of rental compliance. Subsection (b) sets the baseline: rental dwellings and their premises must be maintained in a manner consistent with the International Property Maintenance Code, as amended from time to time. Regular inspections under subsection (c) cover only the exterior of the dwelling and premises during the three-year certificate period; the interior is opened to inspection only if one of four conditions has been reported or spotted from outside: the structure is unsafe, unfit for occupancy, unlawful, dangerous or has unsafe equipment under the Property Maintenance Code; there is a maintenance violation letting rain, moisture or drainage into exterior walls or living space; the structure has another unsafe condition under any code adopted by the City Code; or there have been multiple or recurring violations of the inspection and maintenance guidelines.

A certificate of rental compliance issued under Sec. 8.506 is expressly conditioned on the dwelling remaining safe, habitable and fit for occupancy, and Sec. 8.506(b) lets the code official order an occupied dwelling vacated when violations found on inspection are not corrected within the notice period.