Mich. Comp. Laws § § 37.1505
Information as to applicant's credit worthiness.
Operative Text
Sec. 505. Nothing in this article shall be considered to prohibit an owner, lender, or his or her agent from requiring that an applicant who seeks to buy, rent, lease, or obtain financial assistance for housing accommodations supply information concerning the applicant's financial, business, or employment status or other information designed solely to determine the applicant's credit worthiness, but not concerning disabilities for reasons contrary to the provisions or purposes of this act.
Michigan Civil Rights Act § 37.1505 carves out a specific permission within the state's fair housing framework: owners, lenders, and their agents are allowed to ask housing applicants for financial, business, or employment information when the sole purpose is to evaluate creditworthiness. However, this carve-out does not extend to gathering information about an applicant's disability status in ways that conflict with the Act's anti-discrimination provisions or purposes. The rule draws a clear line between legitimate financial screening and impermissible disability-related inquiries.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under MCL § 37.1505, property owners and managers may lawfully collect standard financial documentation—such as income verification, employment history, and credit references—as part of a consistent screening process for housing applicants. The key compliance consideration is that any information gathered must be directed solely at assessing creditworthiness, not at uncovering or acting on an applicant's disability status. Operators generally apply the same financial screening criteria uniformly across all applicants to stay within the boundaries this provision establishes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
MCL § 37.1505 makes clear that while landlords and lenders may ask for financial and employment information to assess creditworthiness, they are not permitted to use this provision as a basis for soliciting information about a disability in ways that run counter to Michigan's civil rights protections. If an applicant believes that questions went beyond legitimate financial screening and crossed into disability-related territory prohibited by the Act, that concern may be relevant to a fair housing complaint or legal proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights are among the resources that can help applicants understand whether a particular screening practice may have crossed that line.
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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