Fix it yourself: New bills would enable Michigan renters to repair homes on landlords’ dime

State Sen. Sarah Anthony’s Tenant Empowerment Package is back on the table in Lansing—with new tools to protect Michigan renters and hold their landlords accountable.

LANSING—A broken furnace in the dead of winter. A leaky roof that’s turning into a science experiment. Mold creeping along the walls—all while your landlord dodges your calls.

For many Michigan renters, these aren’t hypothetical nightmares. They’re everyday realities. And waiting on landlords to fix problems can lead nowhere as they prioritize profits over fixes.

That’s why state Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) is bringing back her Tenant Empowerment Package, a set of four bills that would give all renters the legal right to fix their homes and apartments, with the cost of repairs ultimately being deducted from their monthly rent. 

A similar set of bills introduced last year failed to advance, largely due to a lack of bipartisan support and competing legislative priorities. But Anthony said this year’s effort to get them passed into law is informed by lessons learned from the last legislative cycle—and driven by heartbreaking stories from renters across the state who are desperate for change.

“Michiganders deserve safe, fair, and habitable housing, and this doesn’t change just because the legislation didn’t make it to the governor’s desk,” Anthony said in a statement last week. “Residents still face the same challenges, and they need real, common-sense solutions.”

What would change for renters?

The legislation, Senate Bills 19–22, would enshrine a “right to repair” into Michigan law, giving tenants more control over their living conditions while holding landlords accountable for neglect.

Under the proposed rules, all landlords, after receiving notice, would be required to begin critical repairs within a set timeframe—48 hours for life-threatening hazards; 72 hours for major appliance failures, pest problems, and mold issues; and one week for most other issues.

And if those deadlines aren’t met, Michigan tenants would then have the new legal power to step in, hire their own licensed contractor, and deduct the repair costs from their monthly rent.

“This is about addressing the failures in our current practices of maintaining basic housing standards and ensuring tenants’ right to live in safe homes,” Anthony said in a statement.

But the package doesn’t stop there. The bills would also:

• Require landlords to provide more notice before they raise the rent—with a new legal requirement that all tenants (who are in leases of at least one year or longer) be notified of rent increases at least 90 days before the end of their existing lease. 
• Modernize how security deposits are returned, allowing them to be refunded electronically through platforms like Venmo or PayPal to help reduce delays.

‘Common Sense Reforms’ 

In an interview with The ‘Gander, Anthony said her legislation is geared toward keeping renters in safe and stable housing—and holding more landlords accountable for their own property.

State data shows that more than 27% of Michiganders are renters, with more than half of them considered “cost burdened” because they spend more than 30% of their income on housing.

And according to Anthony, they also lack basic legal protections to ensure safe living conditions.

In Greater Lansing alone, more than 800 homes and apartments have been “red-tagged” due to unsafe conditions—which Anthony said reflects a failure in the state’s ability to maintain basic housing standards and tenants rights. Her bills are designed to fill those gaps, she explained.

“Oftentimes, a tenant spends months waiting on a landlord to fix a problem,” Anthony said. “It can start impacting health and safety. If a tenant is able to reach out to a contractor and figure out reimbursement, these are common sense reforms that will keep people in their homes.”

Anthony also emphasized the practical benefits of giving tenants a bigger heads up when a rent increase is coming down the pike. She also highlighted the need to modernize the security deposit return process to make it faster and more efficient for renters after they move out.

“ We all know someone who has been hit with a notice of a rent increase. And I know the cost of everything is going up, but giving tenants the ability to properly plan is significant,” Anthony said. 

What’s next?

The bills have been referred to the state Senate’s Committee on Housing and Human Services.

If approved there, they’ll head to the full Senate for another vote. After that, they’ll need to advance in the Republican-led state House before they can be signed into law by the governor.

Anthony has high hopes for the bills—namely because she views protecting renters as a bipartisan issue that’s capable of garnering support from both sides of the aisle this year.

“Republicans and Democrats just need to listen to the people,” Anthony said. “Whether they live in a rural community, suburban or urban area, there is a housing crisis in their districts. Talking to people goes a long way—not yelling or berating, but just having these honest conversations.”

In the meantime, Michiganders who want to show their support for Anthony’s legislation can click here to share their own personal housing stories—and sign on as citizen co-sponsor.

“We’re collecting names and numbers to make a stronger case to get these bills passed,” Anthony said. “I’d encourage folks to lift up their voices to their lawmakers about this issue.”

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