Landlord-Tenant Regulations.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 200-20
in effect200-20. Landlord-Tenant Regulations.
1. APPLICABILITY; REGULATIONS. This section applies to any tenancy, except as noted in s. 200-21, where there is no contrary provision in writing signed by both parties. Nothing in this section is intended to affect rights and duties under other provisions of this code.
a. The landlord shall:
a-1. Keep in reasonable state of repair portions of the premises over which the landlord maintains control and all equipment under the landlord's control necessary to supply services which the landlord has expressly or impliedly agreed to furnish to the tenant, such as heat, water, elevator or air conditioning.
a-2. Make all necessary structural repairs.
a-3. Repair or replace any plumbing, electrical wiring, machinery or equipment furnished with the premises and no longer in reasonable working condition.
b. If the premises are part of a building, tenants, negligence or use by one tenant does not relieve the landlord from the duty as to the other tenants to make repairs as provided in par. a.
2. EVICTIONS. No lessor of commercial or residential property shall take retaliatory action toward any lessee who reports building code violations existing on or about the premises by raising rents unreasonably, or by curtailing services or by eviction. It shall be a rebuttable presumption that any attempt by the lessor to initiate any of the aforesaid actions within 6 months of notification of the violations to the commissioner is in violation of this subsection, except that nonpayment of rent or commission of waste upon the premises by the lessee shall be a basis for eviction.
3. FALSE INFORMATION. No land-lord, tenant or any other individual may submit false information to the commissioner relative to code violations supposedly existing on or about any premises in this city.
4. PENALTY. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section shall upon conviction forfeit not less than $25 nor more than $500 together with costs of prosecution, or, in default of payment may be imprisoned in the house of correction of Milwaukee County for not to exceed 90 days. Each day during which a violation continues shall be determined a separate and distinct offense.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-2/CH200-sub3.pdf#page=12Fetched: 10/26/2026