LANDLORD/TENANT LAW: 

NOTICE OF FORWARDING ADDRESS

House Bill 4394

Sponsor:  Rep. Glenn Steil, Jr.

Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Complete to 5-11-07

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4394 AS INTRODUCED 3-1-07

Under the Landlord-Tenant Law's provisions on security deposits, landlords are required to send tenants who have moved out an itemized list of damages that all or part of a security deposit can be used to cover within 30 days of the tenant's moving out.  The tenant then has seven days to respond by mail.  To facilitate this exchange, the act requires a tenant to provide a landlord with a forwarding address, in writing, within four days after moving out ("termination of his or her occupancy").  Failure to do so relieves the landlord of the statutory obligation to provide the tenant with an itemized list of damages to the property but does not prejudice a tenant's subsequent claim for the security deposit.

House Bill 4394 would amend the act (MCL 554.611) to:

o                   Specify that the tenant use registered mail return receipt requested or certified mail return receipt requested when providing the forwarding address. 

o                   Lengthen the time period allowed the tenant to provide a forwarding address to the landlord from four to ten days. 

o                   Delete the provision that says failure to provide a forwarding address does not prejudice a tenant's subsequent claim for the security deposit. 

MCL 554.611

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact on the State of Michigan or its local units of government.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Susan Stutzky

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Richard Child

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.