You should always consult an attorney that specializes in real estate before proceeding with any eviction.  There are certain things that need to occur, in certain time frames, in order for the eviction to be deemed legal and to protect you from any legal action from your evicted tenant.  Your Michigan property management company can refer you to the qualified professionals that you need to have on your side and giving you the right advice.

Before moving forward with any eviction proceedings, you need to fill out the right paperwork.  In most localities, you have to present the tenant with the right papers.  They have to be served by someone other than the landlord or the owner of the property, and after the notice to vacate is presented, the server needs to obtain a notarized copy which needs to be retained by the owner.

When it comes time for the tenant to physically vacate the premises, if they have not left by the court ordered time, you will have to go to the unit accompanied by a city marshall or policeman.  You cannot, as a landlord, appear without law enforcement, if you want a legal eviction.

Get the information that you need from your Michigan property management company when it comes to the proper eviction procedures.  If you are not careful and do not stick to the letter of the law, you could find yourself in serious legal trouble.  There are many laws pertaining to fair housing and eviction proceedings, so be sure that you are well aware of how things need to be handled, and do not simply show up and declare that your tenant is evicted and must leave immediately.

First and foremost, familiarize yourself with the Federal laws that pertain to housing. You have to be certain that you never deny someone housing because of their race, religion, family status, gender, age or handicapping condition. There may be other important factors as well that you need to consider. Your Michigan property management company can help you become familiar with the laws.

You can make your own rules. It is appropriate to make rules that are based on credit history, number of occupants and monthly income.

When you make rules, and explain them to each applicant, it is important that you stick to them very closely. For example, if you require the entire security deposit up front to hold an apartment until the lease is signed, then you should be consistent with this all the time, and not allow someone to make a payment plan that goes against your general personal rules as a landlord. Not only could you find that you get burned by having someone not pay what they promised, you run the risk of being accused of discrimination.

Let your Michigan property management company help you develop a strong and effective set of guidelines designed to help you get the best tenants that you can for your rental properties. Having good tenants is critically important to the success of your investment property business and the wrong tenants will not only be a headache and a hassle, but could result in property damage and lawsuits if you are not careful.

Developing a standard set of questions for your prospective tenants can be extremely helpful. One of the regulations set forth by the Fair Housing Commission is that all potential tenants must be screened according to the same parameters.

You cannot legally refuse to rent to a prospective tenant based on race, religion, marital status, family size or handicapping condition. However, you can make certain requirements in most states with regard to income requirements, credit score, past rental history and other criteria that can help you ensure that your tenants will pay the rent, every month, on time and also take care of your property in a satisfactory manner.

Consistency is critical in the rental process. When you work with a Michigan property management company you can develop a set of questions and criteria that is not only fair and legal, but will help you make a decision about a tenant and end up with a successful landlord-tenant relationship.

Most importantly, once you establish a set of tenant selection guidelines that is legal and thorough, you should stick your set of “rules” and not bend them. For example, if you determine that you will be taking a full security deposit amount as the amount to hold the apartment until the lease is signed, you can’t let someone talk you into accepting a partial payment. Your Michigan property management company can help you work out your guidelines, and, if you need a property manager to help you stick to the plan, then they can help with this as well.