Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Michigan?
No. In Michigan, a court may not enter a judgment for possession if the termination was intended as a penalty for the tenant’s attempt to enforce rights, a code complaint or tenant organizing, and the termination is presumed retaliatory if the tenant pursued those rights through a court or government agency within 90 days before the case was filed. Separately, the federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to threaten or interfere with anyone for exercising fair housing rights. This is MCL 600.5720.
| What | Michigan |
|---|---|
| Retaliation by a landlord | Prohibited by statute |
| Time period in the statute | Presumed within 90 days |
| How the period works | Retaliation is presumed if the landlord acts within it |
Source
MCL 600.5720
Read the statute in the Michigan Compiled Laws (Michigan Legislature): legislature.mi.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
When an owner prepares an eviction in Seayora, it lists any repair request opened on the unit in the last 180 days that is still open, not to stop the case but because the tenant will raise retaliation and the owner should have an answer. Every repair request keeps the date it was filed.
Guides on this rule
- Landlord Retaliation Laws: Protected Tenant Acts and Time Limits — When an eviction, rent increase or cut in services is presumed retaliatory: 180 days in California, six months in Texas, a year in New York.
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The same question in other states
- Alabama
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