Full question:
I am a resident of Michigan. My husband and I started living in our a rented house a few years back. For the last few months my husband and I have been fighting regularly. Now it has escalated and my husband is beating me and I’m afraid to live with him anymore. Can I get out of the lease as its in my name?
- Category: Landlord Tenant
- Subcategory: Lease Termination
- Date:
- State: Michigan
Answer:
Michigan Law provides that if you want to move out of rented home before the lease expires, because of domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault, the law allows one to end the lease early and to move to a safe location. If a person wants to end the lease early, then she needs to send a written notice to the landlord stating the need to end the lease.The letter to the landlord should include all the specific information and brief description of the documentation. The acceptable evidence to prove the risk of continued stay may include a personal protection order (PPO) against the person you fear, a police report or a report from the qualified third party. The qualified third party may be a sexual assault or domestic violence counsellor, a licensed health professional, a mental health professional or a clergy member affiliated with a tax exempt religious institution that’s listed in a telephone book.
After the notification of early release, the party must pay the next month’s rent also. If the person gets an early release, then he may lose rent that he has pre-paid. If the person is leasing the home with other tenants who are listed on the lease, then they will not get the early release. They will probably be responsible for all the rent after the person moves out. The person also has to leave the rental home in good condition and will have to give the landlord the forwarding address.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.