Land Contract Forfeiture Notice (Michigan)
A land contract buyer who stops paying isn't removed with a phone call. Michigan forfeiture starts with a specific written notice, a period to cure, and then district court.
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
When a Michigan land contract buyer defaults, the seller's usual remedy is forfeiture. It begins with a written Notice of Forfeiture of Land Contract — the SCAO form for this is DC 101 — served on the buyer, stating the default and giving the buyer a statutory period to cure by paying what's owed. If the buyer neither cures nor leaves, the seller files a complaint for possession after land contract forfeiture in district court, which the SCAO covers with form DC 103, and a judgment can lead to an order of eviction. Forfeiture is not the only path — foreclosure of the land contract is a different remedy with different consequences. Clear Path prepares the paperwork; we don't appear in court and can't advise which remedy to choose.
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.
- Sellers whose land contract buyer has missed payments
- Sellers dealing with unpaid property taxes or lapsed insurance under the contract
- Sellers whose buyer abandoned the property
- Sellers who sent informal demands that went nowhere
- Sellers who need the district court paperwork after the cure period passes
- Buyers who received a forfeiture notice and want to understand the cure deadline
How the process works
Clear, predictable steps from intake to court-ready paperwork.
Send us the contract
The land contract, the payment history, and what's actually in default.
We review your matter
We confirm what the contract requires before a forfeiture and what the notice must say.
Written quote
Flat preparation fee, with court filing and service costs listed separately.
Notice prepared
Notice of forfeiture (DC 101) stating the default, the amount to cure, and the deadline.
Service instructions
How to serve the buyer properly and how to document that service.
Court paperwork if needed
If the cure period passes, we prepare the district court complaint (DC 103) packet.
Paperwork we organize for you
Document preparation only. We do not represent you in court.
Documents and information you'll need
- A copy of the signed land contract
- Payment history showing what was paid and what was missed
- Records of unpaid taxes or lapsed insurance if those are the default
- The buyer's full legal name and the property address
- Any written demands or communications you've already sent
- The county and district court the property falls in
Common mistakes to avoid
Small errors can cost you weeks. Here's what we see most often.
- Treating the buyer like a tenant and using an eviction notice — a land contract default has its own process.
- Sending a notice that doesn't state the default and the amount required to cure.
- Serving the notice improperly, which restarts the clock.
- Filing in district court before the cure period has actually run.
- Accepting a partial payment without understanding how it affects the forfeiture.
- Changing the locks or shutting off utilities, which is a self-help remedy Michigan does not allow.
Local Michigan considerations
Michigan land contract forfeiture is a statutory process, and the two SCAO forms sellers see most are DC 101, the Notice of Forfeiture of Land Contract, and DC 103, the Complaint for Possession After Land Contract Forfeiture. The cure period runs from proper service of the notice and depends on the circumstances, so the service date matters as much as the notice itself. District courts handle possession cases and each runs its docket differently. Michigan does not permit self-help — changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities exposes a seller to liability even when the buyer is clearly in default. Forfeiture and land contract foreclosure are different remedies with different effects on any deficiency; that choice is a legal decision and we can't make it for you.
Key Terms
- Forfeiture
- The statutory remedy ending a land contract buyer's rights after default and a period to cure.
- Notice of forfeiture
- The written notice, SCAO form DC 101, that starts the forfeiture process and states what must be paid to cure.
- Cure period
- The statutory window after service in which the buyer can pay the default and keep the contract alive.
- DC 103
- Michigan's Complaint for Possession After Land Contract Forfeiture, filed in district court.
- Order of eviction
- The court order authorizing removal after a judgment for possession.
- Land contract foreclosure
- An alternative remedy handled in circuit court, with different consequences from forfeiture.
People Also Ask
Reviewed and updated by the Clear Path document team. Informational only — not legal advice.
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