Landlord/Tenant Information

Landlords

The Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) offers free classes to train landlords the elementary ways to keep illegal activities out of their property. The classes are held year-round at various locations and times. To gather further information, please visit DNS’s Landlord Training Program website.

It is recommended that landlords do background checks on tenants prior to forming a lease. A couple helpful sites to assist with conducting a background check:

• CCAP - Circuit Courts of Wisconsin has public records
• Municipal Court Records - City of Milwaukee public records of cases involving local ordinance violations
• Milwaukee Police Department’s Open Records Section – Requests for police open records can be made through this section. Open Records Section is located on the 2nd Floor of District 3 at 2333 N 49th St., and is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:30am to 3:30pm (Closed Tuesday, Thursday, and Holidays).

Tenants

• DNS offers the Tenant Responsibly Guide brochure in English/Spanish on what the primary responsibilities of tenants are.
• DNS also offers information to first time and college student renters called Apartment Life - Keeping It Legal