Detroit — Ch. 22 Art. V Rental Agencies § 22-5-3
Execution of agreements
Operative Text
A rental agency shall execute, upon payment of a fee in advance, an agreement in triplicate; one copy to be retained by the agency, one to be delivered to the applicant, and one copy to be forwarded to the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department Business License Center. The agreement shall state the type of housing desired, the area requested, and the rent the applicant is able to pay. The agreement shall contain the provisions of this article relating to refunds verbatim, in larger type than the general provisions of the agreement.
Under Detroit Ch. 22 Art. V § 22-5-3, when a rental agency collects a fee from an applicant, it must immediately prepare a written agreement in three copies — one for the agency's files, one for the applicant, and one sent to the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department Business License Center. The agreement must document the type of housing sought, the preferred area, and the rent the applicant can afford. Critically, the refund provisions of Article V must appear in the agreement word-for-word and in a larger typeface than the rest of the agreement's text.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Rental agencies operating under Detroit Ch. 22 Art. V § 22-5-3 generally prepare a tripartite written agreement at the moment a fee is collected — before any housing search begins. Compliant operators ensure the agreement captures the applicant's housing type, desired area, and affordable rent range, and that the Article V refund language is reproduced verbatim in a noticeably larger font than the surrounding text. One copy is kept on file, one is handed to the applicant, and the third is forwarded promptly to the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department Business License Center.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Detroit Ch. 22 Art. V § 22-5-3 gives applicants the right to receive a written copy of their agreement with a rental agency at the time they pay any fee. That copy must include the Article V refund provisions printed verbatim and in larger type, so applicants can clearly see what refund rights apply to them. If an agency fails to provide a proper agreement or omits the required refund language, applicants may consider raising that non-compliance with the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department Business License Center or consulting a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options.
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 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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