HEIGHTS – Mayor Mo Baydoun has announced a renewed focus by the city to ensure owners of rental properties remain in compliance with all registration, inspection and blight control ordinances.
“For too long, there was just a lack of control on the residential property rentals in our city” Baydoun said. “This administration will not let that continue. We’re going to make sure all rental homes will be registered, inspected regularly, and maintained like they should be. We’re not tolerating neglect of our rental properties in any way, shape or form.”
Ordinance Department staff are canvassing the city to locate and document all residential rental properties to ensure they are in compliance with the established ordinances, which include:
• All residential rental properties must be registered with the city – new rental owners are required to fill out a rental registration form and schedule a property inspection.
• A city inspection of the property is required every three years.
• Between inspections, property owners are required to fill out a new tenant form if their tenants change.
• If the owner does not live within 30 miles of Dearborn Heights, they are required to designate a nearby individual on the registration form who will actively monitor the property on their behalf.
Rental inspections, which are required every three years, cost $250 per property. Rental registration is $50, and needs to be paid only once – provided there is no ownership name change or there is no change in ownership. If an owner has the property in their personal name and changes it to a company name or limited liability company, the property needs to be re-registered under the company name. In this case, new inspections are not required. The property will remain under the existing inspection timeframe.
Baydoun listed o the required registration/inspection documentation owners and prospective owners must present for processing:
• Completed rental registration form.
• Completed rental inspection form.
• Drivers license number of the property owner.
• Licensing and Regulatory Affairs documentation (if the property is in a company name).
• Property management agreement (if the owner is using a property management company).
The residential inspection and rental registration / change of tenant forms are available on the Building Department page of the city’s website: www.dearbornheightsmi.gov.
Baydoun also emphasized the importance of properly maintaining the rental property to keep it free of blight. Ordinance officers are placing a particular emphasis on the elimination of blight in the community, and negligence in the maintenance of any property, including rental properties – be it a structural issue or the upkeep of lawns and grounds – will result in a notice to correct the situation within three days before a ticket is issued.
Owners who wish to ensure their properties are in compliance can contact Ordinance Officer Kev Abbott at 313-791-3484 and he will provide a no-cost assessment.
“I hope property owners will focus on the upkeep of their properties and help us keep Dearborn Heights a beautiful community,” Baydoun said.