---
name: mi-landlord-tenant
description: >
  Subject-matter bundle for Michigan landlord-tenant disputes —
  residential evictions (summary proceedings to recover possession),
  notice requirements, security deposits, the Truth in Renting Act,
  the statutory covenant of fitness, retaliation, and habitability,
  from both the tenant and landlord side. Triggers include "eviction
  Michigan", "summary proceedings Michigan", "7-day notice to quit
  Michigan", "demand for possession Michigan", "DC 100 eviction",
  "Michigan landlord tenant", "security deposit Michigan MCL 554.602",
  "Truth in Renting Act", "MCL 600.5714", "MCR 4.201", "Michigan
  eviction defense", "order of eviction Michigan", "writ of
  restitution Michigan", "MCL 554.134", "Michigan habitability",
  "MCL 554.139", "retaliatory eviction Michigan", "MCL 600.5720",
  "Michigan rent escrow", "double damages security deposit Michigan".
  Covers the summary-proceedings statute (MCL 600.5701-600.5759) and
  MCR 4.201, the notice/demand-for-possession regime (MCL 554.134 +
  the DC 100 forms), security deposits (MCL 554.601-554.616 with the
  1-1/2-month cap and double-damages remedy), the Truth in Renting
  Act (MCL 554.631+), the statutory covenant of fitness (MCL
  554.139), retaliatory eviction (MCL 600.5720), and the
  post-judgment 10-day stay before the order of eviction.
version: 0.1.0
---

# Michigan Landlord-Tenant

> **NOT LEGAL ADVICE.** Michigan landlord-tenant law turns on the
> distinction between the **summary-proceedings statute** (the
> eviction process, MCL 600.5701 et seq. + MCR 4.201) and the
> substantive obligation statutes (notice, deposits, fitness,
> retaliation). Statute numbers, day counts, dollar caps, and the
> DC 100-series form numbers change — verify every citation against
> the current Michigan Compiled Laws, MCR, and the current SCAO
> form set before relying. Consult a licensed Michigan attorney
> about your specific case.

Use this subject-matter bundle for Michigan residential
landlord-tenant matters — most commonly an **eviction (summary
proceeding to recover possession)** defended by a tenant, but also
security-deposit, Truth-in-Renting, habitability, repair, and
retaliatory-eviction issues.

## At a glance — the things that move every MI L/T case

1. **Forum is District Court** (MCL 600.5704), for the place where
   the premises are located. Detroit routes to the **36th District
   Court**.
2. **Predicate notice is jurisdictional.** A proper written
   notice/demand under MCL 554.134 must precede the summary
   proceeding; wrong period, wrong amount, or no service defeats it.
3. **Two clocks dominate**: the **7-day demand for possession** for
   nonpayment (MCL 554.134(2)) and the **1-month notice** to
   terminate an estate at will / month-to-month (MCL 554.134(1)).
   Verify day counts against the corpus.
4. **Security deposit** capped at **1-1/2 months' rent** (MCL
   554.602); **double-damages** exposure for bad-faith retention
   (MCL 554.613). See corpus for the cap and all day-counts.
5. **Statutory covenant of fitness** (MCL 554.139) is the
   habitability hook — supports defense + rent escrow under MCR
   4.201(H).
6. **Order of eviction (writ of restitution) does not issue
   immediately** — a stay (commonly 10 days) runs after judgment
   before the writ may issue (MCR 4.201(L) / MCL 600.5744). Verify.

## The eviction = summary proceeding to recover possession

Michigan evictions proceed as **summary proceedings to recover
possession of premises** under **MCL 600.5701-600.5759** and
**MCR 4.201**. This is a fast, special statutory proceeding — not
an ordinary civil action.

### Grounds (MCL 600.5714)

| Ground | Statute | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nonpayment of rent | MCL 600.5714(1)(a) | Requires a **7-day demand for possession** (MCL 554.134(2)) |
| Termination of tenancy / holdover | MCL 600.5714(1)(c) | Requires notice to quit under MCL 554.134(1) |
| Health hazard / extensive/continuing physical injury to premises | MCL 600.5714(1)(d) | **7-day notice** to quit; verify |
| Illegal drug activity | MCL 600.5714(1)(b) | **24-hour notice** to quit (MCL 554.134(4)) with police report |
| Mobile-home park / land-contract / other | MCL 600.5714(1)(e)-(f) | Distinct notice rules — verify |

### Forum and procedure (MCR 4.201)

- **District Court** for the place where the premises are located
  (MCL 600.5704). Detroit = 36th District Court.
- **Commencement**: complaint (SCAO **DC 102** series) + the
  underlying demand/notice attached as the predicate. **Summons
  (DC 104)** sets a short return-date window (MCR 4.201(C) — verify).
- **First hearing** is informal; if contested, set for trial. Jury
  triable on demand (MCL 600.5735).
- **Answer**: tenant may file a written answer or appear and defend
  orally (MCR 4.201(F)). Failure to appear → **default judgment for
  possession**.

### Notice/demand for possession — MCL 554.134 + the DC 100 forms

The predicate written notice is jurisdictional. Michigan uses the
**SCAO DC 100-series forms**:

| Form | Use | Period |
|---|---|---|
| **DC 100a** | Demand for Possession — Nonpayment of Rent | **7 days** (MCL 554.134(2)) |
| **DC 100c** | Demand for Possession — Health Hazard / Extensive Damage | **7 days** (verify) |
| **DC 100b** | Notice to Quit — termination / holdover | **1 month** (estate at will / month-to-month; MCL 554.134(1)) |

- **Estate at will / by sufferance** (MCL 554.134(1)): **1 month's
  notice** (or the rent interval if rent is due more often than
  quarterly).
- **Nonpayment** (MCL 554.134(2)): **written 7-day notice to quit**.
- **Year-to-year** (MCL 554.134(3)): notice terminates at the year's
  expiration. **Controlled-substance** (MCL 554.134(4)): **24-hour**
  notice with a filed police report.
- Service modes + day-count math live in the corpus — verify.

## Security deposits — MCL 554.601-554.616

| Topic | Section | Rule (verify exact counts in corpus) |
|---|---|---|
| Cap | MCL 554.602 | **Shall not exceed 1-1/2 months' rent** |
| Deposit in regulated institution / bond | MCL 554.604 | Landlord must deposit in a regulated financial institution or post a surety bond |
| Notice of deposit + inventory | MCL 554.603, 554.608 | Landlord must give notice of where the deposit is held + use a move-in/move-out inventory checklist |
| Tenant forwarding address | MCL 554.611 | Tenant must furnish a forwarding mailing address **within 4 days** of moving out; failure relieves landlord of the itemized-notice duty |
| Itemized notice of damages | MCL 554.609 | Landlord must mail an itemized list of damages + the balance due **within 30 days** of termination of occupancy |
| Tenant response window | MCL 554.612 | Tenant must respond by mail **within 7 days** of receiving the itemized notice of damages (the § 554.609 notice states this) or forfeit the claimed amount |
| Suit to retain | MCL 554.613 | Landlord must commence an action to retain within **45 days** |
| **Double-damages remedy** | MCL 554.613 | Failure to comply fully **"constitutes waiver of all claimed damages and makes him liable to the tenant for double the amount of the security deposit retained"** |

The double-damages provision (MCL 554.613) is the strong tenant
remedy: a landlord who keeps a deposit without following the
statutory itemization-and-suit procedure forfeits the claimed
damages **and** owes the tenant 2x the retained amount.

## Truth in Renting Act — MCL 554.631 et seq.

Regulates the **content of residential leases** and voids prohibited
clauses.

- **Prohibited lease provisions** (MCL 554.633): a lease may not,
  e.g., waive the landlord's statutory obligations, waive the
  tenant's right to recover the deposit, authorize a confession of
  judgment, or exculpate the landlord from negligence liability —
  consult the current MCL 554.633 list before relying.
- A prohibited provision is **void** (MCL 554.633(3)); the rest of
  the lease stands.
- **Penalty for knowing use** (MCL 554.634): a tenant may recover
  damages for a knowingly-included prohibited clause — verify the
  current mechanics.

## Statutory covenant of fitness + repair — MCL 554.139

MCL 554.139 implies into every residential lease a covenant that the
premises and common areas are **fit for the use intended** (§(1)(a))
and will be **kept in reasonable repair** in compliance with health
and safety laws (§(1)(b)). The parties may **modify** these
obligations only where the lease or license has a current term of
**at least 1 year** (§(2)); the section is **liberally construed**
(§(3)).

### Habitability defense + rent escrow

A breach of the MCL 554.139 covenant supports an **affirmative
defense / setoff** and **counterclaim** in the summary proceeding
(MCR 4.201(H)). Under **MCR 4.201(H)** the court may order rent paid
into **escrow** pending resolution rather than to the landlord.
Michigan recognizes a limited **repair-and-deduct** posture via the
covenant + setoff theory — narrower than express repair-and-deduct
statutes; frame it through MCL 554.139 + escrow, not a freestanding
self-help right.

## Retaliatory eviction — MCL 600.5720

A judgment for possession **may not be entered** if the tenant proves
the action is **retaliatory**.

- **Protected activity** (MCL 600.5720(1)): complaining to a
  governmental authority about a code/health violation; complaining
  to the landlord; organizing or joining a tenants' association;
  exercising a legal right.
- **Presumption window**: an adverse action within a defined period
  (commonly 90 days) of protected activity is **presumed
  retaliatory** — verify the period + burden in MCL 600.5720(2)-(3).
- **Exceptions** (MCL 600.5720(2)): landlord may still proceed for
  nonpayment, a serious/continuing tenant violation, or a legitimate
  non-retaliatory business reason — verify.
- Retaliation is a **defense to possession**, not merely damages.

## Judgment, pay-to-avoid-eviction, and the order of eviction

1. **Judgment for possession** (MCR 4.201(K)) states the amount due
   and the date by which the tenant must comply.
2. **Pay-to-avoid-eviction**: in a nonpayment case the tenant may
   **pay the judgment amount (rent + costs)** within the stated
   period to retain possession — the summary-proceeding analogue of
   redemption. The order of eviction **may not issue** if the tenant
   timely pays.
3. **Stay before the order of eviction** (MCR 4.201(L) / MCL
   600.5744): the **order of eviction (writ of restitution)** does
   **not** issue immediately — a stay (commonly **10 days** from
   judgment) runs within which the tenant may comply or appeal.
   Verify against MCR 4.201 / MCL 600.5744.
4. **Order of eviction** issues to the court officer / sheriff after
   the stay expires and the judgment is unsatisfied.
5. **Appeal** to circuit court within the appeal period (verify); a
   stay on appeal generally requires bond / escrow of accruing rent.

## Tenant-defense posture in a summary proceeding

1. **Defective predicate notice** — no written notice; wrong period
   (7-day vs. 1-month); wrong amount; bundled late fees / non-rent
   charges; wrong DC 100 form for the ground.
2. **Defective service** of the demand or summons/complaint.
3. **Rent paid / tendered** before judgment, or inflated charges.
4. **Breach of the MCL 554.139 covenant of fitness** as defense /
   setoff + counterclaim, with **rent escrow** under MCR 4.201(H).
5. **Truth in Renting Act** — a void prohibited clause (MCL 554.633).
6. **Retaliatory eviction** (MCL 600.5720) — protected activity +
   adverse action in the presumption window.
7. **Security-deposit counterclaim** — MCL 554.613 double damages.
8. **Fair-housing discrimination** — federal FHA + the Michigan
   Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (verify coverage).
9. **Procedural relief** — appear at the first hearing (failure =
   default possession); demand jury (MCL 600.5735); seek the stay
   before the order of eviction issues.

## Affirmative tenant claims (when the tenant brings the case)

- **Security-deposit double damages** — MCL 554.613.
- **Truth in Renting Act penalty** — MCL 554.634.
- **Habitability / covenant-of-fitness damages** — MCL 554.139.
- **Wrongful / self-help eviction** — the anti-lockout statute (MCL
  600.2918) gives damages for unlawful interference with possession
  (lockouts, utility shutoffs, removal of belongings).
- **Fair-housing damages** — FHA / Elliott-Larsen.

## Drafting checklist

- [ ] Identify the **ground** and confirm the matching MCL 554.134
      notice period + correct **DC 100-series** form.
- [ ] Confirm the predicate notice was **properly served** and the
      period **expired** before the complaint was filed.
- [ ] Pull the **lease + notice + ledger + photos** at intake — the
      first hearing is fast and evidence-light.
- [ ] If filing: SCAO complaint + summons (DC 102 / DC 104 series),
      in the district court for the premises (36th for Detroit).
- [ ] If defending: appear; raise notice defects; assert MCL 554.139
      + request **rent escrow** (MCR 4.201(H)); plead retaliation
      (MCL 600.5720) where applicable.
- [ ] Security-deposit dispute: the **30-day** itemized notice (MCL
      554.609), **4-day** forwarding-address rule (MCL 554.611),
      **45-day** suit window + double-damages (MCL 554.613).
- [ ] After judgment: track the **stay before the order of eviction**
      (MCR 4.201(L) / MCL 600.5744); advise on pay-to-avoid-eviction
      and appeal timing.

## Composition

- Statewide format: `mi-statewide-format`
- District Court venue: `mi-district-courts`; Detroit:
  `mi-36th-district`
- First-response triage: `mi-first-30-days`
- Drafting: `mi-draft-motion`, `mi-draft-declaration`,
  `mi-draft-order`, `mi-draft-note`
- Deadlines / notice arithmetic: `mi-deadlines`
- Post-judgment / order-of-eviction execution: `mi-post-judgment`
- Elliott-Larsen overlap: `mi-employment`
- QC: `mi-quality-check`, `mi-fact-check`

## References

- `mi-law-references` — MCL, MCR, and federal symlinks
- MCL 600.5701-600.5759 + MCR 4.201 — summary proceedings; answer,
  escrow, judgment, order of eviction
- MCL 600.5714 — grounds; MCL 600.5744 — order of eviction + stay
- MCL 554.134 — notice/demand (7-day nonpayment, 1-month
  month-to-month, 24-hour drug activity)
- MCL 554.601-554.616 — security deposits (cap, itemization,
  forwarding address, double damages)
- MCL 554.631 et seq. — Truth in Renting Act
- MCL 554.139 — statutory covenant of fitness and repair
- MCL 600.5720 — retaliatory-eviction defense
- MCL 600.2918 — unlawful interference with possession (anti-lockout)