Detroit home without water for 6 weeks, landlord owes $7K

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A couple of drops of water – that’s all Michelle Mitchell has been able to get in her Detroit home for the last six weeks.

"Since Dec. 13th," she said. "The City Of Detroit terminated the services on Dec. 13th due to non-payment (by) the landlord."

Mitchell has been living in the same house on Prevost Street on Detroit's west side for four years. 

She is a first responder nurse and has never missed a rental payment, she said. Now, she is left to improvise. 

"I purchase water, I shower elsewhere, I do what I have to do," Mitchell said.

Mitchell refused to pay for rent in January since she has not been getting any water.

"I put (the rent) in escrow," she said.

Mitchell recently discovered that the landlord has not paid the water bill since 2020, she said. The landlord now owes the city close to $7,500. 

Under the law, and the lease, the landlord must pay the water bill.

Tanya Echols lives in the unit attached to Mitchell's duplex. She said she also has not had water in six weeks despite making her rental payments to the landlord.

There is only one meter for both units, Echols said.

"It’s embarrassing. That’s why I never said anything to anyone," Mitchell said. "It’s embarrassing."

The landlord has a property management company called Reborn in Ferndale. FOX 2 reached out for comment but did not receive a response.

Bryan Peckinpaugh, a spokesperson with the Detroit Water and Sewage Department, said they did not know there were tenants in the duplex. 

"It’s really unfortunate what the landlord is doing to these two tenants, so we wanted to make sure they get the water on," Peckinpaugh said. "We'll go after the landlord."

The water will be restored to the Detroit home Wednesday afternoon.