RENTAL PROGRAM

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

• When are fees due?  February 15, 2007.  Fees are due in their entirety at time of registration and will be valid for three years.  Registration will be in January every three years.  Fees for new rentals (after the registration period) will be pro-rated.

• What are the consequences of not registering and paying fees?  Known rental properties that do not register and pay can be fined and tagged as unregistered properties.  The tag will indicate that the structure will be closed down and occupants removed pursuant to the ordinance.

• Why is the township doing this?  We are one of the last communities in this area to have a rental inspection program (Lansing, E. Lansing, Meridan, Delhi have had inspection programs in the area for many years).  Having been one of the only communities in Greater Lansing without a rental program there is the potential for sub-standard housing. We have taken this in baby steps.  The State of Michigan adopted the Property Maintenance Code by reference and the Township adopted it several years ago on its own.  We have been regulating it on a complaint basis and have seen far too many sub-standard living conditions.  This is an effort to improve and/ or maintain the quality of our rental stock. 

• A family member lives in the home, but is not paying rent.  Do I need to register?  No, at this time we are not requiring registration or inspection of dwellings occupied by family members (What constitutes a family is defined by zoning regulations).  However, we require a disclaimer affidavit filed with a notation that it is occupied by a family member. 

• Landlord/ tenant legal issues – Contact MSU Rental Housing Clinic 336-8088 or visit www.msulawclinics.org/rhc/PDF/tenantlandlord3.pdf 

• My property is not a rental, I have lived in this home for many years why am I on the rental list?  Our information has been obtained from the Assessing Department for properties without 100% homestead filed.  If you feel you should have 100% homestead you need to speak to the Assessing Department.  In the meantime, submit an affidavit that it is not a rental.  We have two different databases so for new purchases there could have been a lapse in filing and recording homestead papers. 

• Houses for sale (and is not for rent) or vacant – Need to file affidavit that it is not a rental.

• We are not requiring registrations for Adult Foster Care Homes, Group Homes, or Parsonages.

• What are the inspection fees?    Our inspection fees are included in the registration fees. Some communities charge a registration fee and separate inspection fees after the inspection.  This was strongly discouraged because we would be spending too much time working on billing and collections. It is straight forward and the same for everyone.  The fee, which will be due every 3 years, includes registration, the inspection and a follow-up inspection if any violations are found from the first inspection (basically the same as trade inspections). If after the first re-inspection violations remain, we reserve the right to charge re-inspection fees. A new rental registered after the February registration period would be pro-rated, but inspected before the next registration cycle. 

We will also charge for no-shows. This applies to all rentals regardless if they are a multi-family or a single-family dwelling.  Corrections are subject to the seriousness of the issue, weather conditions, etc.  Section 4-119 (c ) states that “reasonable” time frames as determined by the Code Official and if correction periods exceed 60 days an extension request must be filed and approved by the Building Official.