Ann Arbor — Ch. 105 Housing Code § 8:525
Information concerning tenants rights
Operative Text
(1) The city shall provide the City Clerk with booklets explaining the rights of tenants under city and state law. The City Clerk shall make such booklets available to local landlords and their agents to pick up at the Clerk's office without charge for distribution by local landlords to tenants and prospective tenants. In the event the Clerk makes available to local landlords sufficient copies of the booklet to permit those landlords to comply with this section, no owner of rental property located in Ann Arbor or agent of such an owner shall lease or contract to lease such property without furnishing to the tenant, before the time of leasing or contracting, a copy of said booklet. In the event a housing unit is being leased to more than 1 tenant, it shall be sufficient to offer a single booklet for each housing unit. In the event the lease or contract to lease is accomplished by mail, rather than face to face, the booklet shall be furnished to the tenant by mail. A landlord shall be deemed to have furnished a tenant a copy of the booklet if the landlord mails it to him or proffers a copy of the booklet to the tenant face to face, whether or not the tenant chooses to receive the booklet. For purposes of this section, the renewal of a lease shall be considered the same as the making of a new lease; however, if a landlord has previously furnished the tenant or tenants of a unit with a copy of the booklet, the landlord is not required to furnish another copy upon lease renewal. This section shall only apply to leasing and contract to lease transactions entered into 30 calendar days after the City Clerk has published in a newspaper of general circulation in Ann Arbor a notice to landlords informing them of this section and of the availability of said booklets at the Clerk's office. The Clerk shall publish such notice promptly upon receipt of such booklets from the City of Ann Arbor. (2) This section shall apply only to residential leases. (3) The failure of an owner or owner's agent to do any act required by this section shall not be construed to affect the validity of the lease or the enforcement of any of the lease provisions.
Under Ann Arbor — Ch. 105 Housing Code § 8:525, the City is required to produce and supply booklets explaining tenant rights under city and state law, and landlords must provide a copy of that booklet to tenants or prospective tenants before a residential lease is signed or mailed. One booklet per housing unit is sufficient when multiple tenants share a unit, and a landlord satisfies the requirement by mailing the booklet or offering it in person, even if the tenant declines to accept it. Importantly, a landlord's failure to comply does not invalidate the lease or any of its terms.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Ann Arbor — Ch. 105 Housing Code § 8:525 places a clear pre-leasing obligation on residential property owners and their agents: once the City Clerk has made the tenant-rights booklets available and published the required public notice, compliant operators obtain copies from the Clerk's office at no charge and furnish one to each housing unit's tenant or prospective tenant before the lease is executed. For mail-based leasing transactions, the booklet is sent by mail; for in-person signings, it is offered face to face. Landlords who previously provided the booklet to existing tenants are not required to supply another copy at lease renewal, but should keep records showing prior delivery.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ann Arbor — Ch. 105 Housing Code § 8:525 gives residential tenants the right to receive a city-produced booklet explaining their rights under local and state law before a lease is signed, at no cost to them. If a landlord failed to provide the booklet, it is worth noting that the provision explicitly states this does not affect the validity of the lease itself, but the omission may still be relevant information when consulting a tenant-rights organization or the City of Ann Arbor about your situation. Tenants who have questions about whether this requirement was met or what the booklet covers can contact the City Clerk's office or a local tenant-rights resource for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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