Housing Laws

To get out of your lease, you must submit a written statement to your landlord by certified mail.¹ The written statement must include the following:

1. you are requesting a release from your lease; and
2. you or your child have a reasonable fear of present danger from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.²

To prove that you have a “reasonable fear,” you must provide one or more of the following documents to your landlord:

• a valid personal protection order from Michigan;
• a protection order from another state or territory that was issued for the purpose of preventing an abuser’s violent or threatening acts, harassment, or contact, or that orders the abuser to stay away from you;
• an order removing the abuser from your home as part of an abuse and neglect case under M.C.L. § 712A.13a;
• a current, valid probation order, conditional release order, or parole order that subjects the abuser to conditions that are reasonably necessary to protect you or your child - for example, a condition that the abuser cannot contact you or your child; or
• a written police report that has resulted in criminal charges being filed by the prosecutor within the past 14 days before you submit it to your landlord. If the criminal charges were filed more than 14 days before you submit your statement/documents to your landlord, you must also demonstrate a “verifiable threat” of present danger from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. You can submit a form signed by a qualified third party, such as a domestic violence advocate who has provided services to you, to demonstrate this “verifiable threat.”³ You can see the language that this form must include on our Statutes page under M.C.L. § 554.601b(3)(e).

¹ M.C.L. § 554.601b(1)
² M.C.L. § 554.601b(1), (2)
³ M.C.L. § 554.601b(3)