According to Michigan Courts, as of August 12, 2024, MI landlords had filed an estimated 93,946 eviction cases since the start of this year. Of those cases, 19,200+ pushed through, bringing the state's eviction rate to 20%.
As a Flint, MI, landlord, being part of those statistics is one of the last things you want, given that evictions are expensive. The process alone costs money, but you must also consider income losses.
Fortunately, eviction protection plans and strategies can help safeguard you from costly legal procedures. The experts at PMI Mid Michigan explain them in more detail and share property management advice in this guide, so read on.
Subscribing to an Eviction Protection Plan
An eviction protection plan is like an insurance policy provided by a professional property management company. It "insures" you against the costs of a potential eviction of a tenant screened by the company. If the company must evict a tenant they've screened, it will cover the eviction-related expenses, usually up to $2,000.
The property management company will also handle the tenant eviction process on your behalf. Under Michigan laws, they must start the procedure by issuing the tenant a notice several days before filing a case. According to the Michigan Legal Help website, the tenant should receive the notice:
- Seven days in advance for non-payment of rent
- Seven days in advance for damaging the property
- Seven days in advance for creating a health hazard
- 24 hours in advance for illegal drug activity
If the tenant fails to address the issue within the timeframe, the property management company can file an eviction case.
Preventive Measure: Conducting Comprehensive Tenant Screening
One of the most practical rental property tips for Michigan landlords is never to skip comprehensive tenant screening. It's one of your landlord rights, and doing it can help you gauge a renter's viability and qualifications to rent your property. Verifying these details before signing the lease agreement allows you to choose qualified tenants and avoid renting out to the wrong people.
Through a thorough tenant screening process, you can:
- Confirm the renter has the financial means to afford rent
- Discover late debt payments or delinquencies in the tenant's credit history
- See if the renter has had prior evictions
- Get insights about tenant behaviors from previous landlords
- Check if the tenant has criminal convictions for dangerous crimes
If any checks reveal red flags, especially severe and recent crimes, please take them as a sign to move on to other applicants.
Protect Yourself and Your Rental Property
Remember: Evictions involve not only legal procedural fees but can also cause you to lose money due to non-payment of rent. You may also suffer further losses during the vacancy period following an eviction. For these reasons, investing in eviction protection plans makes much more financial sense.
PMI Mid Michigan is your go-to for all things related to property management in Flint, MI. As a full-service company, we provide management solutions, including rental valuation, marketing, tenant screening and placement, rent collection, and eviction protection. We're also a proud franchisee of PMI, a national company that's been serving the property management industry for two decades and has at least $5 billion of assets under its management.
So, speak with us today so we can start protecting your property!
