Landautomate keeps an operating calendar for independent landlords: what needs doing on a rental, when it is due, and why. This page is the Michigan content from our reviewed rule base. Every item below carries its sources and the date we last checked them.
This guide is the reading version of our Michigan rule base. In the app, the same rules become dated tasks on each of your Michigan properties, timed to your purchase date, lease dates, property age, and climate, with an email before each one is due. The free preview shows a sample of that schedule for Michigan in under a minute, no account needed.
Michigan landlords commonly track 6 state and local compliance obligations, each listed below with its schedule, its sources, and the date we last verified it. Among them: file Michigan LLC annual statement by February 15, pay summer property tax bill, and pay winter property tax bill.
LLCs organized or registered in Michigan that hold rental property must file an annual statement with LARA by February 15 each year ($25 fee), and missing two years in a row can cost the company its good standing and let another business take its name.
Michigan summer property tax bills go out in early July and are due by September 14 in most townships, but many cities set an earlier charter deadline, such as July 31 in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor or August 31 in Warren, so pay by the date printed on your bill to avoid interest.
Michigan winter property tax bills become payable December 1 and in most cities and townships can be paid without penalty through February 14, after which a 3% late penalty can be added and taxes still unpaid on March 1 go to the county treasurer with a 4% fee and 1% interest per month, but some city charters set earlier deadlines, such as December 31 in Ann Arbor and January 15 in Detroit, so pay by the date printed on your bill.
If your city or township requires rental registration and an inspection-based certificate of compliance, as Grand Rapids, Detroit, and many other Michigan communities do, keep both current, because renting without a valid certificate can divert rent into an escrow account and bring fines.
Michigan law (MCL 554.609) requires mailing the tenant an itemized notice of damages within 30 days after move-out, listing the estimated repair cost of each item and the required bold statement giving the tenant 7 days to respond, with the rest of the deposit enclosed by check or money order or, since September 21, 2026, sent by electronic transfer within 10 days after mailing, and missing the 30 days means no damages are due and the full deposit must be returned immediately.
Michigan requires smoke alarms in or near each sleeping room and on every level including the basement, even in homes built before November 6, 1974, and the owner must keep them working and repair a failed alarm within 30 days, while carbon monoxide alarms are required in newly built homes, permitted renovations, and wherever a local code calls for them, so a yearly documented test of every alarm confirms each unit is covered and catches dead alarms early.
The free preview takes your state and property facts and shows the schedule Landautomate would run for you, no account needed. Every new account starts with a 30-day free Pro trial, no card required.
Landlords in Michigan plan upkeep around a cold climate: this guide lists 7 seasonal maintenance items for Michigan in calendar order, each with its timing and the date we last verified it. Among them: inspect roof, foundation, and test sump pumps at spring thaw, smoke and CO detector seasonal test, and winterize exterior plumbing and irrigation before first freeze.
Snowmelt runs from late winter in southern Michigan through March in the northern Lower Peninsula and into April in the Upper Peninsula, and together with spring rain it floods basements where a sump pump has quietly failed and exposes winter damage to roofs and foundations, so a mid-March check catches problems before the heavier April rains arrive.
An annual full test of smoke and CO detectors (beyond battery swaps) confirms every alarm actually sounds.
Reliable snow removal contractors fill their winter schedules early, snow usually arrives by late October in much of the Upper Peninsula, by early to mid-November in the northern Lower Peninsula, and by mid to late November in southern Michigan, and cities such as Ann Arbor require the owner or occupant to clear sidewalks within 24 hours after snowfall ends, so gathering quotes in mid-August locks in pricing and a dependable provider before the first snow.
Median first freezes fall from about September 9 to October 1 at inland stations in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula and from October 10 to 27 in southern Michigan cities, so by mid-September disconnect hoses, shut off and drain the lines to outdoor faucets, and drain or blow out irrigation lines before freezing water bursts them and floods the property.
A pre-season furnace inspection prevents mid-winter heating failures and carbon monoxide risk.
Clearing gutters after leaf drop prevents ice dams and roofline water damage in winter.
Snow cover builds across Michigan through December and January and runs deepest in the lake-effect belts near Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, so checking the roof and eaves in mid-December, and again after each heavy snowfall, lets you pull snow down with a roof rake from the ground or hire a roofer before ice dams push meltwater into ceilings or the weight of the snow strains the roof.
Every rental needs the same baseline care regardless of state: this guide tracks 16 recurring upkeep items, each with its schedule and the date we last verified it. Among them: CPA tax document preparation, gutter inspection, and HVAC filter replacement.
Organized records make tax filing accurate and deductions defensible.
Clear gutters prevent water intrusion, foundation, and roof damage.
Clean filters protect HVAC equipment and keep energy costs down.
Confirms coverage limits and premiums still match the property risk.
Keeps the ownership entity in good standing with state filings.
Planning renewals ahead of time reduces vacancy and turnover costs.
Keeps small maintenance issues from turning into expensive repairs.
Verifies owner cash distributions reconcile with rent and expenses.
Early pest detection prevents structural damage and habitability complaints.
Reviewing assessments can surface appeal opportunities and budget changes.
Confirms rent was received on time and surfaces collection issues early.
Keeps rent aligned with market rates and local rent regulations.
Working smoke and CO detectors are a life-safety and legal requirement.
Confirms vacant-property utilities stay at minimal service so pipes, alarms, and sump pumps keep working.
Catches billing errors and unexpected usage spikes on property utilities.
Regular walkthroughs of a vacant property deter break-ins, squatting, and unnoticed damage.
Our reviewed rule base currently lists 6 state and local compliance obligations that Michigan landlords commonly track. Among them: file Michigan LLC annual statement by February 15, pay summer property tax bill, and pay winter property tax bill. Each obligation shows its schedule, the sources it was checked against, and the date we last verified it. This guide is general information for planning reminders, not legal advice.
The Michigan guide lists 7 seasonal maintenance items timed to a cold climate, in calendar order. Among them: inspect roof, foundation, and test sump pumps at spring thaw, smoke and CO detector seasonal test, and winterize exterior plumbing and irrigation before first freeze. Landautomate turns each item into a dated reminder on your property calendar so the work is planned before the season arrives.
Alongside state specific work, the Michigan guide tracks 16 baseline upkeep items that apply to nearly every rental. Among them: CPA tax document preparation, gutter inspection, and HVAC filter replacement. These recur on a regular schedule, and Landautomate schedules each one automatically for every property you add.
Every rule in the Michigan guide goes through human review before it is published, and each rule shows the date we last verified it. Each compliance obligation links the primary sources it was checked against. Laws and deadlines change, so if you believe something here is outdated or incorrect, contact us at support@landautomate.com and we will review it promptly.
The same reviewed calendar, for other states.
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The free preview takes your state and property facts and shows the schedule Landautomate would run for you, no account needed. Every new account starts with a 30-day free Pro trial, no card required.