Michigan Lease & Sublease Agreements
Most landlord-tenant disputes we see trace back to the lease — or the absence of one. We prepare Michigan residential leases with the disclosures and deposit language the state expects.
Important: Clear Path Document Services is a non-attorney document preparation service and cannot provide legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created. Read full disclaimer
Quick Answer
A Michigan residential lease should identify the parties and property, set the rent amount and due date, state the term, describe the security deposit, and cover maintenance, utilities, pets, and entry. Michigan law regulates security deposits closely: a residential deposit is limited to one and a half months' rent, the landlord must give the tenant a written notice with the landlord's address for receiving mail within 14 days of taking possession of the deposit, and the tenant must provide a forwarding address in writing within 4 days of moving out. Michigan leases must also include the statutory notice telling tenants they may be required to keep the unit in reasonable condition. Clear Path prepares the lease; we review your situation first, then send a written quote.
Who qualifies for this service?
This document preparation service is a fit for Michigan residents who match the criteria below. If your situation is different, contact us and we'll tell you whether we can help or whether you should speak with an attorney.
- Small landlords renting a single house, duplex, or a few units
- Owners converting a family arrangement into a real written lease
- Tenants asked to sign something they'd like put in proper form
- Room rentals and shared-housing arrangements
- Tenants subleasing with their landlord's written permission
- Landlords moving a tenant from a fixed term to month-to-month
- Owners renting a cottage, cabin, or seasonal property
How the process works
Clear, predictable steps from intake to court-ready paperwork.
Tell us about the property
Address, unit type, rent, term, deposit, utilities, and house rules.
We review
We confirm the deposit and disclosure items Michigan requires are covered.
Written quote
Flat preparation fee. Nothing is purchased online.
Drafting
Lease, inventory checklist, and the deposit notice you must deliver.
Revisions
One round included so the rules match how you actually run the property.
Signing
Signature copies for landlord and tenant, notarization available.
Paperwork we organize for you
Document preparation only. We do not represent you in court.
Documents and information you'll need
- Property address and unit description
- Landlord's legal name and the address where the tenant sends mail
- Tenant names and contact information
- Rent amount, due date, and accepted payment methods
- Security deposit amount
- Lease start date and term
- Utility responsibilities and any included appliances or furnishings
Common mistakes to avoid
Small errors can cost you weeks. Here's what we see most often.
- Taking a deposit larger than Michigan allows.
- Missing the 14-day written deposit notice, which is a real and common failure.
- No move-in inventory checklist, which undercuts any later deposit deduction.
- Leaving out the statutory tenant notice Michigan leases are required to include.
- No written utility split in a multi-unit or shared house.
- Subleasing without the landlord's written consent.
- Verbal pet, parking, and guest rules that nobody can prove later.
Local Michigan considerations
Michigan's Truth in Renting Act and security deposit statute control much of what a residential lease may and may not say — a lease cannot waive rights the statute gives the tenant, and provisions that try to do so can be unenforceable. The deposit rules carry hard deadlines on both sides: the landlord's 14-day written notice of the address for mail, and the tenant's 4-day written forwarding address at move-out. Landlords should also document condition with a dated inventory checklist at move-in, because that checklist is what supports any deduction later. If a tenancy has already broken down, eviction is a separate court process with its own notices and deadlines.
Key Terms
- Security deposit
- Money held by a landlord to cover unpaid rent or damage beyond normal wear. Michigan limits residential deposits to one and a half months' rent.
- Truth in Renting Act
- The Michigan law governing what residential lease agreements may contain and which tenant rights cannot be waived.
- Inventory checklist
- The dated written record of the unit's condition at move-in and move-out, used to support or dispute deposit deductions.
- Sublease
- An arrangement where a tenant rents the unit to another person while remaining responsible to the landlord under the original lease.
People Also Ask
Reviewed and updated by the Clear Path document team. Informational only — not legal advice.
Ready to get your paperwork started?
Start the guided intake, or call or text us — we review every matter before quoting a price, and nothing is purchased online.