Return of Fees.

Grand Rapids City Code § 9.927

in effect

Sec. 9.927. - Return of Fees. (1) In addition to any fines imposed as the result of a municipal civil infraction incurred under this ordinance, the rental property owner must refund the entire application fee to the applicant if the rental property owner fails to comply with the requirements of this ordinance in any way, including but not limited to situations in which the screening process has not occurred or has not been documented sufficiently prior to denial. (2) The return of any application fee to the applicant by the rental property owner as required by this ordinance shall be made using the same method in which the payment was made by applicant whenever possible. In all other cases, the return of the application fee shall be in the form of a check made out to the applicant. (3) A rental property owner may collect and hold an application fee for an available rental unit for up to thirty (30) calendar days so long as the rental property owner provides a written receipt to the applicant. If a rental unit becomes no longer available after applications and application fees are received but before some applications have undergone the screening process, all application fees associated with the unscreened applications shall be returned to the respective applicants within not more than fourteen (14) calendar days from the date that the rental unit is no longer available in accordance with the meaning set forth in Section 9.925(2). Rental property owners shall date and time stamp each rental application in the order in which it is received. (4) In all cases where an applicant is not offered the rental unit applied for, the rental property owner shall provide the applicant with a written notification statement explaining the reason or reasons that the rental unit was not offered to applicant. An explanation shall be given that provides the applicant with a clear statement of the reason or reasons that the rental unit was not offered along with the documentation substantiating the reason or reasons. The explanation shall also provide a list of resources that the applicant may use to assist him or her with future application processes. This provision shall be in addition to notification requirements within State and Federal law. For purposes of this ordinance, a denial means any circumstances in which the applicant is not offered the rental unit. (Ord. No 2018-36, § 1, 7-10-18)

Source: City of Grand Rapids, Michigan, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mi/grand_rapids/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIOLRE_CH174REREAPFE_S9.927REFEFetched: 11/7/2026