As the dawn painted the sky, Mark found himself facing a dilemma he had hoped to avoid. Standing in the hallway of his rental property, he held a piece of paper in his hand – an eviction notice addressed to one of his tenants, Sarah. Mark's relationship with Sarah had started out promisingly enough. She seemed like a responsible tenant, always paying her rent on time and taking care of the property. But as the months passed, cracks began to appear in their arrangement. Missed payments became more frequent, complaints from neighbors piled up, and it became clear that Sarah was struggling to keep up with her obligations.

With a heavy heart, Mark had no choice but to initiate eviction proceedings. He had tried to work with Sarah, offering extensions and payment plans, but it was clear that the situation had reached a breaking point. As he affixed the notice to Sarah's door, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment and frustration. As Mark navigated the intricacies of the eviction process, he found himself delving deeper into the realm of landlord-tenant eviction laws.

In Michigan, as in many states, there are specific regulations governing the eviction process, designed to protect the rights of both landlords and tenants. Armed with this knowledge, Mark felt better equipped to navigate the eviction process with integrity and fairness. While the situation was undoubtedly challenging, he was determined to uphold his responsibilities as a landlord while respecting the rights of his tenants.

Landlords and tenants have laws and regulations that they both must follow in order to have a successful leasing term. Unfortunately, sometimes these agreements do not always work out. We are here to explain the steps of the eviction process in Michigan for landlords. 

The first step leading to the eviction process is when a tenant breaks a term of the lease. The most common is a missed payment. When this occurs, the landlord is required to write a “notice to quit” to the tenant, providing them with one week to pay the amount they owe. If the tenant does not comply, the eviction process can continue. If the violation is not a nonpayment, the landlord must give the tenant 30 days to comply. 

The next step is the filing procedures. First, the landlord files a complaint with the district court in the area of the property. This complaint must be very specific outlining the reasons for the eviction. Then, a summons is given to the tenant, which tells them about the legal proceedings regarding them. These both must be done in accordance with the state of Michigan law. Then, the tenant has a certain amount of time, explained in the summons, to respond. If they fail to respond, the court can side with the landlord. 

In court, assuming the tenant does not agree with the reason for eviction, there will be a hearing with both parties stating their cases. Then, if the court decides in favor of eviction, the tenant will have a specific amount of time to leave the property. If they do not, the landlord can ask the court for a “writ of restitution.” This means law enforcement can remove the tenant. In the case that there is an eviction process regarding you as a landlord, it is important to follow the laws in Michigan to ensure the proceedings are handled properly to avoid an error that would result in the tenant being able to sue. Be sure to contact an experienced attorney with Michigan real estate laws to protect yourself.