If your landlord is sitting on your deposit, Michigan law gives you a hard deadline and a real penalty — and a properly cited demand letter is how you invoke both. Here is exactly what MCL 554.602–.613 requires.

Michigan's deposit rules at a glance

Return deadlineItemized list of damages plus a check for the difference, mailed within 30 days after termination of occupancy (MCL 554.609)
The penaltyNoncompliance = waiver of all claimed damages and liability for double the amount retained (MCL 554.613(2)); deposit capped at 1.5 months' rent

Your 4-day duty, their 30-day duty

Michigan's scheme has obligations on both sides. Yours: give your landlord your forwarding address in writing within 4 days of moving out (MCL 554.611) — do it even if late, it preserves your remedies. Theirs: under MCL 554.609, mail you an itemized list of claimed damages with estimated repair costs, accompanied by a check for the difference, within 30 days of your move-out.

The 45-day rule most landlords don't know

Here's Michigan's unique mechanism: if you respond within 7 days disputing the deductions (MCL 554.612), the landlord cannot simply keep your money. Under MCL 554.613(1), they must file suit for a money judgment within 45 days of your move-out — or return the withheld amount. A landlord who neither sues nor returns has waived all claimed damages.

Double damages for noncompliance

MCL 554.613(2) makes the penalty concrete: a landlord who fails to comply is liable for double the amount of the security deposit retained. The Michigan Court of Appeals confirmed in Tree City Properties v. Perkey (2019) that noncompliance with the 45-day sue-or-return requirement is what triggers the doubling. Your demand letter's job is to start that clock ticking loudly.

Dispute in writing, fast

When the itemized list arrives, you have 7 days from receipt to respond in writing with your specific disagreements — silence is treated as agreement. A letter that disputes the deductions, cites §§ 554.609–.613, and reminds the landlord of the 45-day deadline and the doubling penalty puts them in a corner the statute built.

What a strong Michigan demand letter looks like

It states the deposit amount, the move-out date, the statutory deadline that passed, and the penalty exposure in dollars — citing MCL 554.602–.613 by name. Here's how the opening of a strong one reads:

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Michigan Security Deposit Demand — Preview
[Your Name] [Your New Address] [City, MI ZIP] [Date] [Landlord Name] [Landlord Address] RE: Dispute of Claimed Damages and Demand for Return of Security Deposit — MCL 554.609–554.613 — [Former Property Address] Dear [Landlord Name], I am writing to dispute the retention of my security deposit in the amount of $[AMOUNT] for the above property, which I vacated on [MOVE-OUT DATE], and to formally demand its return. As of today, [NUMBER] days have passed. Be advised that under MCL 554.613(1), you may not retain the disputed amounts unless you commence an action for a money judgment within forty-five (45) days of the termination of occupancy — and under MCL 554.613(2), failure to comply waives all claimed damages and renders you liable for double the amount of the deposit retained... Accordingly, demand is hereby made for payment of $[AMOUNT], together with all statutory penalties described above, within ten (10) days of the date of this letter — no later than [RESPONSE DEADLINE]. If payment is not received by that date, I will file suit in small claims court without further notice, where I will seek the full statutory penalty, court costs, and every other remedy available under law. I would prefer to resolve this without litigation — but I am fully prepared to proceed. Govern yourself accordingly, [Your Name]

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This guide is general information about Michigan law, not legal advice. Statutes are paraphrased; verify current law for your situation. For significant or contested claims, consult a licensed Michigan attorney.

Already hearing from a collection agency?

Landlords hand move-out balances to a small set of specialist collectors. If the letter is from National Credit Systems, Hunter Warfield, IQ Data International, or Source RM, we have a company-specific response guide for each — and the demand letter on this page still applies, because a landlord who missed the statutory deadline may owe you money regardless of who is calling. Any other collector: see the collection agency index and your state’s rules in the debt statute of limitations guide.