Milwaukee has a Tenant Bill of Rights that summarizes protections, but Wisconsin Act 76 (2018) sharply limits the city's ability to create stand-alone anti-harassment ordinances. Tenants rely on state landlord-tenant law and ATCP 134 unfair-trade-practice rules.
Wisconsin Act 76 broadly preempts Milwaukee from adding tenant-protection requirements beyond what state law provides. The city's Tenant Bill of Rights, distributed by the Department of Neighborhood Services, mostly restates rights under Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134, which forbids unfair trade practices including retaliatory rent increases, lockout, and utility shutoff. Tenants who experience harassment can complain to Wisconsin DATCP, sue under Wis. Stat. §100.20(5) for double damages, or seek help from Legal Action of Wisconsin. Milwaukee enforces building-code violations under Ch. 200 when conditions create habitability problems.
Retaliatory eviction, illegal lockout, or utility shutoff exposes landlords to double damages, court costs, and attorney fees, plus possible building-code citations when habitability is harmed.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee has no city ordinance restricting lawn ornaments on residential property. Chapter 80 nuisance authority and Chapter 275 property maintenance provis...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee has no city ordinance regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. Chapter 80-63 noise standards could theoretically apply to overnight blow...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee has no municipal ordinance regulating residential holiday lights. Timing, brightness, and animation are governed by HOA/condo covenants and Histori...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee requires building permits for outdoor kitchens with gas lines, electrical wiring, plumbing, or structural roofs. Permits route through DNS LMS Onli...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee has no specific smoker ordinance. Chapter 80 (Public Nuisance) and Chapter 200-50 (Health Code) provide nuisance authority for excessive smoke. Wis...
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Fire Code (Chapter 215) adopts the 2015 IFC with local amendments. IFC 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking devices and LP-gas tanks over 1 lb on c...
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