- United States
- Mich.
- Letter
Protect Tenant Privacy and Stop Predatory Landlord Practices
To: Sen. Peters, Sen. Slotkin, Rep. Bergman
From: A constituent in Beulah, MI
June 6
I am writing to urge immediate legislative action to protect tenants from predatory eviction tactics, landlord-led harassment, and invasive, unannounced property management entries. As everyday working families face immense economic and financial strain, some corporate and private landlords are actively exploiting minor lease technicalities to force low-income and vulnerable residents out of their homes. Specifically, we are seeing a rise in "pretextual evictions," where property managers suddenly and strictly enforce minor aesthetic or vehicle rules—such as an older, fully operable car having expired registration tags—using these minor infractions as an excuse to issue rapid eviction notices or authorize predatory towing from assigned resident spaces. Furthermore, some landlords engage in or encourage whisper networks and smear campaigns among neighbors to foster a hostile living environment, creating an illegal "constructive eviction." Additionally, housing providers are increasingly violating tenant privacy by conducting unannounced maintenance visits. Landlords frequently offer vague, verbal windows (such as "sometime next month") and attempt to use them as blanket consent to enter homes weeks later without warning. When a stated maintenance window passes, the original notice must legally expire. Just as utility and insurance frameworks must legally adapt to economic shifts, the housing industry must be held to a standard of stability and consumer protection. I urge you to support legislation that: 1 Outlaws landlord-led social harassment, rumor-spreading, and targeted neighbor intimidation under the legal definition of "Breach of Quiet Enjoyment." 2 Prohibits landlords from filing for eviction based on minor, non-financial lease violations (such as vehicle cosmetics or parking rules) during times of regional job scarcity, replacing them with a mandatory 30-to-60-day mediation period. 3 Bans predatory towing of tenant vehicles from their assigned parking spaces solely due to expired registration tags, protecting a resident's primary means of job-seeking and independence. 4 Mandates strict 24-to-48-hour written notices for all non-emergency maintenance entries, explicitly declaring that vague, multi-week verbal windows are legally invalid and that missed windows require a brand-new notice. Housing is a fundamental right, not a predatory game. Please protect your constituents from landlord bullying and ensure dignity and privacy in residential renting.
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