In Michigan, tenants can be evicted for a number of different reasons, including not paying rent or violating the lease. However, there may be a few things you can do to postpone the eviction, or perhaps even stop it altogether.

Understanding Eviction Notices in Michigan

If your landlord decides to evict you, you will first receive a written notice that states the reason for the eviction and a time period to either comply with the notice, if possible, or move out of the rental unit. In Michigan, you could typically receive one of two types of eviction notices, depending on the reason for the eviction:

• Seven-day demand for nonpayment of rent: You will receive this notice because you failed to pay rent. Under this notice, you will have seven days to pay rent before the landlord can terminate your lease or rental agreement (see MCL § 600.5714).
• Thirty-day notice to quit: This notice is usually given if you have violated the lease or have a month-to-month rental agreement. With this notice, you have 30 days to move out of the rental unit (see MCL § 554.134).

It is important to note that you are not automatically evicted when the time period runs out. An eviction is a legal proceeding. If you did not comply with the eviction notice by the time the notice period ends, your landlord can then go to court and file the necessary paperwork to begin the eviction lawsuit against you. Depending on how busy the courts are, it could take anywhere from a week to months before a sheriff is ordered to evict you on a certain date. You can remain living in the rental unit until the sheriff is ordered to evict you, but remember that you will be required to pay the landlord rent until the day you move out of the unit.

Also, keep in mind that there are negative consequences to being evicted, other than losing your home. An eviction will have a negative impact on your credit report, and it could affect your prospects for future housing. Some landlords will not rent to people who have been evicted from a previous location.

For more information on the eviction process in Michigan, see How to Evict a Tenant in Michigan. Also, if you are being evicted because the rental property is being foreclosed, see the Nolo article Rights of Renters in Foreclosure.

If you are considering filing for bankruptcy to stop your eviction, you should look at Evictions and the Automatic Stay in Bankruptcy. Filing for bankruptcy may not stop an eviction, and you should carefully consider your options before doing so.

Talk to Your Landlord

If you receive an eviction notice, you should first try talking to your landlord. You may be able to come to an agreement without going to court. An eviction will cost both of you money (as well as time), and your landlord may be willing to stop the eviction if you agree to certain terms, such as paying rent you owe or stopping behavior that violates the lease. If you can’t come to an agreement that prevents you from moving out, perhaps you can agree on a certain date and time for when you will move out of the rental unit.

If you and the landlord are able to agree on anything, be sure to get the agreement in writing, signed and dated by both of you.

Comply With the Demand for Rent, If Possible

If you are being evicted for not paying rent, then your demand for rent will state how much you owe and how long you have to pay in full. If you comply with the demand by paying all the rent due and owing, then, in Michigan, the landlord must not proceed with the eviction (see MCL § 600.5714).

If you are not able to pay the rent within the time period stated in the notice, then you should talk to your landlord. For example, maybe you can’t pay the rent in full within the seven-day period, but you could by the end of the month. You should talk to your landlord to see if you can arrange to pay later. If your landlord agrees to terms that are different from the demand, then you should get the agreement in writing.

Attend the Eviction Hearing

If you do not comply with the eviction notice or demand for rent and you and your landlord are not able to reach an agreement, then your landlord can file the eviction lawsuit with the court. You will receive a copy of the paperwork after your landlord files. You need to carefully review this paperwork. There will be a date for a hearing before a judge. Before this hearing, you can respond to your landlord’s lawsuit in writing, using a document called an answer. An answer is a document that allows you to state the reasons why you should not be evicted. This is where you need to put any defenses to the eviction, such as the landlord evicting you in retaliation of you exercising a legal right. In Michigan, it is illegal for a landlord to evict you because you have exercised a legal right, such as complaining to a city official about housing conditions or participating in a tenant organization. If the landlord is evicting you after you did something like this, then you may be able to use that as a defense to the eviction (see MCL § 600.5720). For more ideas on possible defenses against an eviction, see Tenant Defenses to an Eviction Action in Michigan. You should also contact a lawyer to ensure you are using the best defenses available to you.

In Michigan, you don’t have to file a written answer before attending the hearing, though. However, if you want to try to stop or postpone the eviction, then you must attend the scheduled hearing. At the hearing, the judge will consider both sides of the argument and make a decision. Michigan Legal Help has more information on the eviction process in Michigan.

Even if you don’t have any defenses against the eviction, you should still attend the hearing and talk to the judge. Depending on your circumstances (such as if you have minor children living at home or health issues), the judge might not schedule the eviction right away. The judge might give you a little extra time to prepare and move out of the rental unit before ordering a sheriff to perform the eviction. Keep in mind, though, that you will still owe your landlord rent until you move out of the rental unit.