Notices Served Correctly
We send pay or quit notices and other required notices, so the case starts on solid ground.
Eviction Services
Evictions Handled the Right Way
No owner wants an eviction, but when rent stops or a lease is broken, doing it wrong is worse than doing it late. Michigan requires specific notices, a court case and a court order before anyone can be removed. Zamzam Property Management handles that process for the rentals we manage, working with legal counsel from the first notice to the day the home is returned to you.
Get a Free Rental AnalysisHow We Help When a Tenancy Goes Wrong
What We Handle for You
From the first missed payment to a re-rented home.
- Late rent follow-up
- Late fee enforcement
- Pay or quit notices
- Lease violation notices
- Court filing paperwork
- Coordination with the attorney
- Records and ledgers for court
- Communication with the resident
- Coordination with court officers
- Lawful removal
- Move-out inspection
- Damage report for the deposit
- Turnover cleaning and repairs
- Re-listing the home
- Screening the next resident
- Owner updates throughout
How an Eviction Works in Michigan
The steps are set by state law and the district court. Skipping one sends the case back to the start.
Before Court:
- A written notice comes first. For unpaid rent, the notice is a demand for possession that gives the resident seven days to pay or move.
- Other reasons have their own notices. Serious damage or a health hazard also uses a seven-day demand. Illegal drug activity uses a 24-hour demand. Ending a month-to-month tenancy uses a notice to quit.
- The resident can still fix it. If the rent owed is paid within the notice period, a nonpayment case does not go forward.
- Then the case is filed. If the notice period passes, the landlord files a complaint in district court and the resident is served with a summons.
In Court and After:
- A hearing is held. Both sides can appear, and many cases end in an agreement on payment or a move-out date.
- The court decides. If the landlord wins, the court enters a judgment for possession.
- There is a waiting period. In most cases the resident has ten days after the judgment to pay what is owed or move before an order of eviction can be issued.
- Only an officer can remove anyone. A sheriff or other court officer carries out the order. The landlord does not.
- The home is turned over. We inspect, give you the damage report you need for the deposit and prepare the home for the next resident.
What a Landlord May Never Do
Michigan takes self-help evictions seriously. These mistakes can make the landlord the one who owes money.
Never Without a Court Order:
- Change the locks. Locking a resident out is illegal without an order of eviction.
- Remove belongings. A landlord cannot take or move a resident’s property to force them out.
- Shut off utilities. Cutting heat, water or power to push someone out is prohibited.
- Use force or threats. Only a sheriff or court officer may physically remove a resident.
- Skip the notice. A case filed without the proper written notice can be dismissed.
How We Avoid Getting There:
- Careful screening. Most evictions are prevented at the application stage. See our tenant screening.
- Clear lease terms. Payment terms and rules are reviewed with the resident at move-in.
- Fast follow-up. Late rent is pursued right away, not after it has piled up.
- Documentation. Ledgers, notices and inspection reports are kept, so the file is ready if a case is needed.
- Workable agreements. When a resident can catch up, a payment agreement is often faster and cheaper than court.
Getting Started with Zamzam
Evictions Are Part of Full-Service Management
We handle evictions for the rentals we manage, as part of looking after the whole tenancy: screening, the lease, rent collection, maintenance and inspections.
If you are dealing with unpaid rent or a lease violation right now, tell us when you request your rental analysis and we will talk through where things stand.
Eviction Services FAQ
How does the eviction process start in Michigan?
With a written notice. For unpaid rent, the landlord serves a demand for possession that gives the resident seven days to pay or move. If that period passes, the landlord can file a case in district court.
How much notice is required for unpaid rent?
Seven days. If the resident pays the rent owed within that time, the nonpayment case does not go forward.
Can a landlord change the locks on a tenant who has not paid?
No. In Michigan it is illegal to evict someone without going to court and getting an eviction order first. A landlord cannot change locks, remove belongings, shut off utilities or use force.
Who removes the tenant after the court rules?
Only a sheriff or other court officer can physically remove a resident and their belongings, and only under an order of eviction.
What happens after the landlord wins in court?
The court enters a judgment for possession. In most cases the resident then has ten days to pay what is owed or move before an order of eviction can be issued.
Does Zamzam handle the court paperwork?
Yes. For the rentals we manage, we prepare and file the required documents, work with legal counsel to make sure the owner is properly represented, and coordinate the lawful removal if the court orders it.
Can an eviction be avoided?
Often, yes. Careful screening prevents most of them, quick follow-up on late rent keeps balances small, and a payment agreement can resolve a case faster than a judgment.
What notice is needed to end a month-to-month tenancy?
A notice to quit. For a month-to-month tenancy, the notice period is generally the time between rent payments. A written lease for a fixed term should say how much notice it requires.
Talk to Us About Your Rental
Request a free rental analysis. If you have a problem tenancy right now, mention it and we will talk through your options. Prefer to talk? Call 248-592-7688.
Tell Us About Your Rental:
- Property address and number of bedrooms
- Whether the home is vacant or occupied
- Current rent, if it is rented
- Any problem you are dealing with right now
- What you want from the property
Sources: Michigan Legal Help, eviction: what it is and how it starts; Michigan Compiled Laws 600.5714, summary proceedings to recover possession. Rules change. This page is general information, not legal advice.