For the renter new to living off-campus, living unencumbered by the constraints of MTU rules may lead to newfound uncertainties about what kinds of maintenance and pitfalls you can be expected to put up with while under lease with a private entity. While obviously all landlords have certain quirks and qualities that vary by situation, the state of Michigan enforces certain obligations to ensure the renter has a livable and comfortable space, and cannot be forcibly removed without prior notice of at least 30 days.
Those obligations also include that the owners are always required to complete repairs in a timely manner, not at the expense of the tenant. Depending on the size of the private institution that handles the property, they may have specific handymen on payroll that will take care of small issues; other times, local handymen are employed on a case-by-case basis. There should otherwise never be a waiting list for repairs.
When asked about the types of jobs he’d been expected to take on, a retired local handyman who asked to remain nameless, indicated that he’d been responsible for most maintenance as it pertained to plumbing, electrical issues, and appliance breakdowns, “…They’ll call somebody. If I’m not around to answer, they call whoever they can get to come fix it. Especially if there’s no heat, they’ll call everybody and anybody.”
If the landlord should fail to provide a solution themselves, the renter may pay for it out-of-pocket and subtract the total from the rent, so long as they make sure to save receipts.
Among a more complete list of condensed rights and considerations that can be found on the Undergraduate Student Government’s Off-Campus Housing Hub on their website at usg.mtu.edu/off-campus-housing/. On the same website are links to more legal housing resources, such as the Keweenaw Tenant’s Union, an organization that provides a space for renters throughout the Keweenaw to discuss and organize.
