Earlier this year, the City of Clinton initiated a Fair Rent Commission (FRC). Acting as arbiter, the FRC will now be responsible to render decisions on an appropriate resolve for disputes between tenants and landlords in the city. That is, whenever it finally has volunteer members appointed by the city’s Board of Selectmen.

The entity has yet to get off the ground, but it was enacted due mostly to the tremendous support of tenants living in the manufactured home developments in Clinton. The FRC will provide an official forum for tenant/landlord issues to be discussed, evaluated and resolved.

How will the FRC work to resolve renter disputes? Westbrook is a good example. At the city’s first FRC meeting, the tenant and landlord were present both with legal representation. The meeting was officially recorded. In this case, the tenant of a mobile home park was the “applicant” and mobile home park owner was the “respondent.”

Proceedings are similar to a court hearing, except the FRC cannot make legal rendering like a court. Recorded proceedings, however, can be used in court litigation. Only specified participants are allowed to speak at the appropriate times. Audience members are not allowed to participate in the hearing. The FRC makes a determination and an appeal can be filed in court if either party is unhappy with the outcome.

The meeting opened with proceeding instructions by the commission. All participants were sworn in before being allowed to speak. The applicant stated his case, and the respondent and commission members asked questions. When the applicant was finished, the same occurred with the respondent.

At the close of the session, commission members openly discussed the case and rendered a decision that was agreeable to both parties. This may not be the case for every dispute. The FRC may also determine the outcome at a later date if additional documentation is required.

This particular case presented by the applicant was in dispute of the payment of rents due to an ongoing septic situation that was putting his family’s health at serious risk. The respondent acknowledged the situation, but rebutted that the family had been offered another lot on which to move their mobile home.

Concerned about the damage that might occur in moving a 30-year-old mobile home, the applicant stated he also could not move due to the lack of safety the new corner lot presented for his children. Waiting on written approval from the DEP, the respondent stated that he was very close to signing an agreement with the entity.

Showing disgust at the situation, Commissioner Sherry Seidman expressed her astonishment at the lack of urgency on the part of the park owners, citing that they had allowed the situation to go on for a year.

In the end, commissioners unanimously decided that the park owner should have acted more expediently, and ruled that the applicant was not obligated to pay rents from the date of the hearing until a month after the park owner repaired the septic system to both parties’ satisfaction.

Sounds like the FRC is a ground breaking governmental entity that’s been needed for a long time. If you are looking to buy instead of rent, click Clinton, MI Homes for Sale to see what you can find on Roost.com.