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Michigan landlords file roughly 200,000 evictions per year.
If you're an Auburn Hills landlord, having to evict one of your tenants is never ideal. That said, when a tenant is putting your investment property at risk, you have to take action to protect it.
The eviction process can be long and drawn out, but it doesn't have to be. In today's post, we'll give you some tips on handling landlord-tenant disputes and explain evictions in Michigan. Keep reading and you'll know all of the steps you need to take so you can get your property back safe and sound.
Michigan Tenant Eviction Laws
Every state has unique eviction laws. In Michigan, the tenant eviction laws state that you can evict a tenant for a few specific reasons, which are as follows:
- Failure to pay rent on time
- Lease violations (property damage, unauthorized tenants, etc)
- Illegal activity
Each type of violation is served with a particular notice, which we'll discuss in the next section. You must allow these notices to expire before filing an official eviction with the local court.
Under no circumstances should you attempt to evict a tenant outside the boundaries of the law. This is known as a "self-help" eviction and can result in severe punishment.
Eviction Notice Process
It's important to know as much as possible about eviction notices.
For nonpayment of rent, you serve the tenant with a 7-day notice to pay or quit. If they fail to pay their rent after this notice, you may then file the eviction.
Lease violations are served with a 30-day notice to quit, while illegal activity is served with a 7-day notice to quit. If the tenant fails to vacate the property after a notice to quit, you must file the eviction and wait for your hearing date.
Filing Evictions
All evictions are filed in your local courthouse. Once you officially file it, both parties are given a hearing date to present evidence. To give yourself the best chance at a positive outcome, it's a great idea to gather as much evidence of your tenant's misdeeds as possible.
This might include proof of correspondence, receipts for property damage repairs, or bank statements - anything that validates your case. If all goes well and you win your case, the tenant will be given a final date that they must leave your property.
If they fail to adhere to this legal mandate, they'll be forcibly removed from the rental. At this point, you can take back possession and find a new tenant.
How Property Management Can Help
There's no denying that evictions can be stressful, even when they're straightforward. One way to avoid having to evict tenants is to take the tenant screening process very seriously. When you perform thorough background checks, you can be more confident in your tenant selection.
You can also hire a great property manager. At PMI Great Lakes, we've helped countless Auburn Hills property owners deal with delinquent tenants. We're part of one of the largest property management groups in the country, so contact us today to learn more about our services and how they'll benefit you.
