2026 Edition · checked October 5, 2026

The Michigan Small Landlord Compliance Guide

For self-managing owners of 1–4 residential rental units in Michigan. The security deposit notices and deadlines, the Truth in Renting lease rules, the demand for possession, summary proceedings and the self-help traps, every rule cited to the Michigan Compiled Laws as published at legislature.mi.gov.

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Why Michigan landlords buy this

The deposit rules have four clocks. The Security Deposit Act runs a 14-day written notice at move-in (MCL 554.603), a 4-day forwarding address, a 30-day notice of damages and a 45-day suit-or-return deadline (MCL 554.609 to 554.613), and a miss can mean paying back double the deposit retained. The guide puts them on one calendar.
The law just moved. The text published on 5 October 2026 shows MCL 554.609 and 554.633 amended by 2026 Public Acts 102 and 103, effective 21 September 2026, including a new direct-deposit option for returning the balance of a deposit. The guide cites the current text and says what each section does and does not say.
Court steps, not folklore. The 7-day demand for possession, service by mail, summons timing, the 10-day wait before a writ and the lockout damages in MCL 600.2918 all come from the statute text, with the court-rule gaps flagged instead of guessed.

What's inside

Who this guide is for, what it covers and what the statute text leaves out
The lease and the Truth in Renting Act (MCL 554.631 to 554.641)
Charging and holding a security deposit
Inventory checklists (MCL 554.608)
Move-out timeline: forwarding address, notice of damages, response, suit or return
Deposit disputes and penalties
Fitness, habitability and repairs
Ending a tenancy: notices to quit, holdovers, lease expiry and the 7-day nonpayment route
The demand for possession: grounds, contents, service and common defects
Summary proceedings step by step (MCL 600.5701 to 600.5759)
Never self-help, retaliation and abandonment (MCL 600.2918 and 600.5720)
Source-of-income rules, who is exempt, and your compliance calendar (MCL 554.601c and 554.601d)
Appendix: deadline cards, source index, change log and glossary

Checklists, date-count examples, a fill-in 14-day deposit notice, an inventory checklist, demand and notice templates and deadline cards are inside the guide, each tied to the section it comes from.

What this guide does not do

It is not legal advice and does not replace a Michigan landlord-tenant attorney for a contested eviction or lawsuit.
It covers the statute text listed above only. The Michigan Court Rules, court forms and filing fees, the Housing Law of Michigan, mobile home park rules and local ordinances (Detroit and other cities have their own registration and inspection rules) are out of scope.
It does not cover the insurance-related parts of the deposit and lease sections; read MCL 554.604 and 554.633 for those.

Free articles

Not ready to buy? These cover individual rules in full, free:

Michigan Security Deposit: The 30-Day Notice of Damages Michigan Security Deposit Maximum: 1 1/2 Months' Rent Michigan Security Deposit Written Notice: 14-Day Rule, MCL 554.603 Michigan Landlord Inventory Checklist Requirements (MCL 554.608) Michigan 45-Day Deposit Rule: Sue or Return, and Double Damages Michigan Deposit Refunds by Direct Deposit: The 2026 Change Michigan 7-Day Demand for Possession for Unpaid Rent Michigan Month-to-Month Notice to Quit: MCL 554.134 Explained Michigan Eviction Process: Summary Proceedings, Step by Step Michigan Landlord Lockout and Utility Shutoff: MCL 600.2918 Michigan Lease Clauses Landlords Cannot Use (Truth in Renting) Michigan Source-of-Income Law and the 5-Unit Exemption

FAQ

Is this legal advice?

No. It is an informational compliance reference. For anything disputed or high-stakes, talk to a Michigan landlord-tenant attorney.

How do I get the guide after I pay?

Stripe sends you straight back to your private guide page. No account and no waiting. Keep the link: it opens your copy again.

What if the law changes?

Each section cites the exact provision, so you can re-check it at legislature.mi.gov, and the guide states the date it was last checked against the statute text: October 5, 2026.

Does it cover my city's rules?

No. Several Michigan cities add their own rental registration and inspection rules, which are not in the statute text this guide covers. Check your city, and the guide says where the statutes leave a question open.