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Landlord Retaliation Laws in Michigan

Michigan courts may not enter an eviction judgment for a retaliatory termination, and retaliation is presumed when the tenant took official action to enforce rights or complain within 90 days before the eviction case.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Michigan at a glance

Retaliation banned by statute
Yes, as an eviction defense
Presumption period
90 days (about 3 months)
The presumption applies when the tenant acted through a court or agency within 90 days and the action was not dismissed or denied.
Protected tenant actions
Enforcing rights, code complaints, tenant organization activity
Covers enforcing rights under the lease or law, health or safety code complaints to a government authority and tenant organization activity. Penalties through added lease obligations are also covered.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Michigan

Does Michigan law prohibit landlord retaliation against tenants?

Yes, as an eviction defense. Retaliation banned by statute in Michigan: yes, as an eviction defense.

How long after a tenant complaint is retaliation presumed in Michigan?

Presumption period in Michigan: 90 days (about 3 months). The presumption applies when the tenant acted through a court or agency within 90 days and the action was not dismissed or denied.

Which tenant actions are protected from retaliation in Michigan?

Protected tenant actions in Michigan: Enforcing rights, code complaints, tenant organization activity. Covers enforcing rights under the lease or law, health or safety code complaints to a government authority and tenant organization activity. Penalties through added lease obligations are also covered.

Where do the Michigan landlord retaliation laws come from?

The rules above come from Mich. Comp. Laws 600.5720. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Keep a written record of every complaint, repair request and report to a government agency, with dates. A presumption period usually runs from the date of the protected action, so proof of that date can matter.

Retaliation protection does not usually excuse unpaid rent or lease violations. Statutes commonly allow a landlord to raise rent, end a tenancy or evict for a good-faith reason, such as nonpayment, damage to the unit or a rent increase applied to all tenants.

If a rent increase, service cut or eviction notice follows a complaint, read the statute for your state and any local ordinance. Cities and counties may add protections, and a local legal aid office or tenant union can explain how they apply.

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