Skip to content
Oakclause

Tenant Abandoned Property Laws in Michigan

In Michigan, the officer executing an eviction removes all personal property and leaves it in an area open to the public or in the public right-of-way, or delivers it to the sheriff; the statute sets no storage period.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Michigan at a glance

After the holding period
Officer puts property in public area or with sheriff
Applies when a writ of restitution is executed after an eviction judgment; the officer decides whether property was abandoned.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Michigan

What can a landlord in Michigan do with abandoned property after the waiting period?

After the holding period in Michigan: Officer puts property in public area or with sheriff. Applies when a writ of restitution is executed after an eviction judgment; the officer decides whether property was abandoned.

Where do the Michigan tenant abandoned property laws come from?

The rules above come from MCL 600.5744. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Before treating anything as abandoned, confirm that the tenancy has actually ended. Some statutes define when a unit counts as abandoned, and removing property while a tenant still has a right to possession can expose a landlord to claims for wrongful eviction or conversion.

Keep a written record. Photos or a video of the items, a dated inventory, a copy of any notice sent and proof of how it was delivered make it much easier to show that the required steps were followed if the former tenant later asks for the property or its value.

Store items safely and in a reasonable way during any holding period. Where a statute allows the landlord to charge reasonable moving and storage costs, or to keep sale proceeds to cover those costs, the rules on what may be charged and what happens to any surplus vary, so check the exact text for your state.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.