Southfield — Ch. 103 Registration Requirements for Rental or Leased Dwellings § 8.511
Transfer and termination of certificates of rental compliance
Operative Text
(a) The department shall transfer a certificate of rental compliance to a new owner when the new owner provides the registration information required by subsection 8.504 (1) and pays the transfer fee in accordance with the fee schedule. (b) Upon receipt of a written notice and documentation of a sale, transfer or conveyance of a rental dwelling to a new owner that will occupy the premises with no portions rented, the department shall terminate any certificate of rental compliance and remove the dwelling unit from the city's registry of rental dwellings.
Under Southfield Ch. 103 § 8.511, a certificate of rental compliance attached to a rental property is not automatically voided when ownership changes hands. When a property is sold, the certificate can follow the new owner if they register and pay the applicable transfer fee. Alternatively, if the new owner intends to occupy the entire property without renting any portion, the city will cancel the certificate and remove the dwelling from its rental registry upon receiving written notice and supporting documentation of the ownership change.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators acquiring a rental property in Southfield should be aware that § 8.511 requires them to submit the registration information outlined in subsection 8.504(1) and pay the transfer fee to carry over an existing certificate of rental compliance. Failing to complete this transfer process could leave the property operating without a valid certificate. Conversely, if a new owner plans to occupy the entire property as a personal residence, submitting written notice and documentation of the sale to the department under § 8.511(b) initiates the formal termination of the certificate and removal from the city's rental registry.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
For tenants living in a Southfield rental property that changes ownership, § 8.511 establishes that the city's certificate of rental compliance can be transferred to the new owner, meaning the property should remain on the city's rental registry during a legitimate ownership transition. If a new owner claims they are removing the property from the rental market entirely under § 8.511(b), tenants may wish to verify the property's status with the city department that maintains the rental registry. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Southfield's Ch. 103 requirements can help explain what a certificate termination may mean for occupants and what options may be available.
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 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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