Can a Landlord Charge For Cleaning In Michigan?
Are you approaching the end of your tenancy? You undeniably don't want to get into any misunderstandings with your landlord. That's why you are probably asking yourself, ?
You should know that the renter’s rights protect you when your tenancy starts up to its expiration. In case of any violation of your rights, you should know where to file a complaint against them or fight back if they threaten to evict you or neglect their repair responsibilities.
Fast and foremost, let's clear the air for you on whether your landlord can charge you for cleaning in Michigan. We will discuss when a and how DoNotPay can protect you from being overcharged or falsely paying for the end-of-tenancy cleaning costs.
Important Michigan Landlord-Tenant Law on Security Deposit
First, you must understand Michigan security laws to avoid after-tenancy overcharges. After your lease period, your landlord will either use a part of your security deposit to cover some expenses or refund it in full.
| How much security deposit should I pay? | In Michigan, you can pay a maximum of one and a half months' rent as a security deposit. Therefore, if your landlord charged more than what the state allows, it's a violation, and you should use DoNotPay to write a demand letter to them for compensation. If they fail to comply, you can sue them in a small claims court. |
| Can your landlord keep all or some of your security deposit? | Michigan laws forbid landlords from keeping your security deposit. However, a Michigan landlord can retain or deduct from your security deposit because of:
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| When to get a refund of your security deposit | Let's clear the air on how long your landlord has to return your deposit. In Michigan, landlord-tenant laws give a landlord 30 days for them to refund your security deposit. In case of any deductions, like cleaning or damage expenses, the landlord should give you a written notice with the costs incurred and their actual or estimated costs. If your landlord fails to adhere to these requirements, you can sue them for your deposit refund. |
When Can a Landlord Charge You for Cleaning in Michigan?
So, under what circumstances ? Your landlord can only charge you for cleaning if:
1. The lease or rental agreement allows them
If it was stated in your rental agreement that you'll incur cleaning costs, your landlord could charge them from your security deposit.
2. Restore the rental unit's previous state
A landlord in MI can only ask you to pay for cleaning services as you move out of your rental unit if they would like to restore it to the state in which it was when you moved in. If you leave the property in a condition not fit for the next tenant, you'll pay for the cleaning charges.
However, the landlord cannot ask you to pay for cleanliness or maintenance due to their property's normal wear and tear.
Understanding Normal Wear and Tear vs. Excess Filth/Damage
Normal wear and tear
In MI, typical wear and tear is when the deterioration of the property was because you used it for its intended purpose. The decline should also not be because of negligence, abuse, accident, carelessness, or misuse of the property by the tenant. The Michigan landlord cannot charge you for cleaning because of the naturally-occurring wear and tear conditions. Normal wear and tear include:
- Faded wall paint, curtains, flooring, or blinds
- Ordinary dirt or stains on the carpet or floor
- Stained bath fixtures
- Tire marks in the garage
- Hard water stains caused by water and many more.
Excess filth or damage
This happens when the tenant caused dirty conditions or damage. If you neglect your obligations like maintaining high standards of cleanliness, your landlord can charge you for cleaning costs. This includes:
- Permanent food, oil, grease, or pet stains
- Food remains in the refrigerator
- Discoloration from smoke or dust
- Mirrors coated with makeup and many more
How Much Can Your Landlord Charge You for Cleaning in MI
How much a landlord will charge you for cleaning your rental unit varies depending on different factors. It can be between $300 and $500, depending on the size of the unit and the extent of the required cleanliness. The costs can be deducted from your security deposit or have you pay for it if the amount exceeds the available security deposit. You should also remember that landlords in Michigan can charge you a non-refundable cleaning fee as you move into the rental unit. The landlord can carry out regular inspections to note any cleanliness concerns and discuss with the tenants. Whether you'll incur cleaning costs depends on:
- If the lease agreement mandates a tenant to maintain certain cleaning standards
- The period you lived in the rental unit
- If extra cleanliness is required
- If you paid a non-refundable cleaning fee when moving in
- The general condition of the unit when moving out compared to when moving in
- Keep in mind the normal wear and tear
What can I do to avoid cleaning charges at the end of your tenancy?
A Michigan tenant can avoid paying for cleaning costs by striving to leave the rental facility in the same way they found it. To achieve this, you should survey the property, noting every detail and taking photographs before moving in. You should share your findings with your landlord to avoid misunderstandings as you move out. That will help you ensure that you keep the rental unit clean and leave it in the same state it was in.
How can I dispute unfair or unrealistic cleaning charges in MI?
Even after keeping your rental unit clean, your landlord can see your security deposit as a source of extra income. They will use all the power endorsed to them to create additional cleaning charges to keep your deposit. Your landlord might even exaggerate the extent of cleanliness to rob you of extra money.
When this happens, your only solution is to fight back. However, when you start a dispute with your landlord, you're always not ready for the intimidation and frustrations that follow it. Always remember that you're not alone! DoNotPay can help you by facing the unforgiving landlord on your behalf.
How You Can Prevent Exploitation Using DoNotPay
Landlords will exploit tenants to satisfy their greediness. There is no need to let your landlord take all your money by forcing you to pay for unrealistic cleaning costs. To fight any form of exploitation or harassment, DoNotPay has you covered in 4 easy steps:
- Search for and open the Landlord Protection product on DoNotPay.
- Select which issue applies to you.
- Answer a simple set of questions so our chatbot can collect the necessary information to create your demand letter.
- Choose whether you want DoNotPay to send the demand letter to your landlord or roommate on your behalf. If you already tried sending a demand letter and it didn't work, we can help you start the small claims court process.
And that's it! You should hear back from your landlord directly once your demands are sent.
How Else Can DoNotPay Help Tenants?
Regardless of how much you try to maintain a good relationship with your landlord, conflicts are sometimes inevitable. Many landlords would want to misuse their powers to take advantage of their tenants. With these and other problems in your rental unit, DoNotPay can help you:
- Get back your security deposits
- Learn about your state's eviction laws and what protections apply in your case
- Resolve disputes regarding repairs with your landlord
- Resolve disputes with roommates by filling demand letters or going through small claims court
- Break your lease early
DoNotPay has many solutions to different problems affecting tenants and anyone else. With DoNotPay, you can never lack an effective and straightforward solution to a problem in your life.