Rental property requirements before renting out

[Teodoro Vecchio]

Hello All! 

I, alongside my brother, have just recently purchased a duplex in Grand Rapids, MI. We are touching up one of the units currently and before we rent it out I was wondering what type of safety requirements do we need to follow to follow all local and national laws when it comes to landlording. Some obvious ones that stick out to me are smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors but how many and where and what else is required before legally renting out a unit. Thanks for the help!

[James Alderman]

You'll need to know the Fair Housing Act like the back of your hand. This includes how you are allowed to market the units, like saying "Second-story unit" instead of "No wheelchairs". You'll need to learn how to interact with potential tenants so that you don't accidentally violate the act and get sued. 

Remember your lead disclosures with tenants.

Check with your local government agency about any specific ordinances around landlording and building safety. In the absence of specifics, always use best-practices. A tenant can potentially sue you for any safety issue if they find a willing attorney.