Illegal Evictions

Division Of Student Affairs; Western Michigan University

A landlord also cannot harass or try to make a tenant move out by doing any of the following things:

1. using force or threatening to use force to make the tenant move;

2. taking, keeping or destroying the tenant's property;

3. changing or adding locks to the rental unit without immediately giving a key to the tenant;

4. boarding up the doors and/or windows so that the tenant cannot get back in or has a hard time getting back in;

5. removing doors, windows or locks on the rental unit;

6. putting the tenant's belongings out in the street;

7. turning off the tenant's gas, electricity, heat, water, or hot water, etc., no matter whose name they are in;

8. not paying a utility bill which is in the landlord's name so that the tenant's gas, heat, water, or hot water, etc., is cut off by the utility company;

9. causing or failing to get rid of an annoying noise or bad odors or any other nuisance which harasses the tenant.

If the landlord harasses or tries to put the tenant out by changing the locks or cutting off the utilities, etc., the tenant can sue the landlord for the damage done to the tenant or $200.00, whichever is greater. This suit can be started in Small Claims Court if the damage is under $1500.00.

A tenant who has been illegally evicted by the landlord can also bring a court case to get back into the rental unit (i.e., evict the landlord) or to get the landlord to turn the utilities back on. This sort of case has to be started in District Court or Circuit Court. If the tenant does sue the landlord, the landlord cannot argue that the tenant owes back rent or is causing damage or that their lease says that the landlord can evict without going to Court.