Detroit — Ch. 8 Art. XV Div. 3 Requirements for Rental Property (Registration + Lead) § 8-15-87
Window stops or guards required; exceptions
Operative Text
(a) The owner and/or management company of a rental property, which is two stories or taller, shall provide, install, and maintain a window stop or window guard on each exterior window of a type determined as acceptable by the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department for the following: (1) The windows of each dwelling unit more than 72-inches above finished grade or other surface below on the exterior of the building where a child or children under ten years of age reside; (2) The windows of all common areas; and (3) The windows of each dwelling unit more than 72 inches above finished grade or other surface below on the exterior of the building where the tenant requests installation of such stops or guards. (b) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to windows that provide access to a fire escape or to windows that are a required means of egress from a dwelling unit.
Detroit's Ch. 8 Art. XV Div. 3 § 8-15-87 requires that owners and management companies of rental properties two stories or taller install and maintain window stops or window guards on exterior windows located more than 72 inches above the ground or surface below. This requirement applies automatically to units where children under ten years old live, to all common-area windows, and to any unit where a tenant requests the devices. Windows that serve as fire escapes or required egress points are exempt from this rule.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 8-15-87, compliant operators of two-story-or-taller rental properties install and maintain window stops or guards approved by Detroit's Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department on all qualifying exterior windows. Operators generally track which units house children under ten and respond to tenant requests for installation, while keeping records of completed installations. Windows designated as fire escapes or required egress are excluded from this obligation.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 8-15-87 gives tenants the right to request that their landlord or management company install window stops or guards on exterior windows more than 72 inches above grade, regardless of whether children live in the unit. If a landlord fails to comply, tenants may consider filing a complaint with Detroit's Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department, which oversees acceptable device standards under this provision. Tenant-rights organizations in Detroit can help residents understand what options are generally available when a landlord does not fulfill this obligation.
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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