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Holland is a mid-sized city of roughly 34,000 residents located in Ottawa County along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. The city hosts Hope College and a thriving downtown, which drives consistent demand for rental housing from students, young professionals, and families alike. Renters make up a significant share of Holland's households, and questions about security deposit returns, rent increases, and eviction procedures are among the most common legal concerns in the local rental market.
All tenant protections applicable in Holland come from Michigan state law — primarily the Michigan Landlord-Tenant Relationships Act, the Truth in Renting Act, and related statutes. Holland has not enacted any local tenant protection ordinances beyond what the state requires, and Michigan's preemption law ensures that no city in the state can impose rent control. Understanding state law is therefore essential for every Holland renter.
This article summarizes the key rights Michigan law gives Holland tenants. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws can change, and your specific situation may differ — consult a licensed attorney or free legal aid organization for advice tailored to your circumstances.
Holland has no rent control, and none is legally possible under current Michigan law. Michigan Public Act 226 of 1988, codified at M.C.L. § 123.409, expressly prohibits any local unit of government — including cities, townships, and counties — from enacting, maintaining, or enforcing any ordinance that controls the amount of rent charged for private residential housing. This statewide preemption has been in effect since 1988 and applies uniformly to every municipality in Michigan, including Holland.
In practice, this means your landlord can raise your rent by any amount at the end of a lease term or upon proper notice for a month-to-month tenancy. There is no cap on rent increases, no required justification for an increase, and no local agency to which you can appeal a rent hike. The only meaningful protection a Holland renter has against a rent increase is the notice requirement: for month-to-month tenancies, a landlord must give at least 30 days' written notice before a new rent amount takes effect (M.C.L. § 554.134). For fixed-term leases, your rent is locked in until the lease expires unless your written lease agreement expressly allows mid-term increases.
Michigan state law provides Holland tenants with several important protections covering habitability, deposits, notice, retaliation, and illegal lockouts.
Security Deposits (M.C.L. § 554.602–554.616): Landlords may collect a security deposit of no more than one and one-half months' rent. At the start of tenancy, the landlord must provide a written inventory of the unit's condition and notify you in writing of the financial institution holding your deposit. Within 30 days after you vacate, the landlord must mail an itemized list of claimed damages and any remaining balance. Failure to comply with this process forfeits the landlord's right to withhold any portion of the deposit.
Habitability & Repairs (M.C.L. § 125.534; Truth in Renting Act, M.C.L. § 554.631 et seq.): Landlords must maintain rental units in a condition fit for human habitation, including functional heat, plumbing, electrical systems, and structural integrity. If your landlord fails to make necessary repairs after receiving written notice, you may deposit your rent with the district court under Michigan's rent-escrow remedy (M.C.L. § 125.534), allowing the court to order repairs or authorize reduced rent.
Notice to Terminate (M.C.L. § 554.134): For month-to-month tenancies, either party must give at least 30 days' written notice before terminating the lease. The notice must be given within the same rental period in which it is intended to take effect. Week-to-week tenancies require at least 7 days' notice.
Anti-Retaliation: Michigan courts recognize retaliatory eviction as an affirmative defense. A landlord may not evict, threaten to evict, raise rent, or reduce services in response to a tenant reporting code violations to a government agency, organizing with other tenants, or exercising any legal right. If you face retaliation, document the timeline carefully and raise it as a defense in any eviction proceeding.
Lockout Prohibition (M.C.L. § 600.2918): Self-help eviction is illegal in Michigan. A landlord who changes your locks, removes your belongings, shuts off utilities, or otherwise attempts to force you out without a court order may be liable for your actual damages plus attorney's fees. Only a court-ordered writ of eviction, executed by the county sheriff or court officer, can lawfully remove a tenant.
Michigan law sets a strict cap and specific procedures for security deposits in Holland rentals, governed by M.C.L. § 554.602 through § 554.616.
Cap: Your landlord may not collect a security deposit exceeding one and one-half (1.5) times the monthly rent. Any amount collected above this cap must be returned to you upon request.
Move-In Requirements: Within 14 days of occupancy, your landlord must provide a written inventory listing the condition of the rental unit and an itemized checklist for you to review, sign, and return. You have 7 days to note any disagreements with the landlord's inventory. Your landlord must also inform you in writing of the name and address of the financial institution where your deposit is held (M.C.L. § 554.607).
Return Deadline: Within 30 days after you vacate and provide a forwarding address, the landlord must mail you either (a) the full deposit, or (b) an itemized written statement of deductions along with any remaining balance. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, and other specific losses identified in M.C.L. § 554.607.
Penalty for Non-Compliance: If your landlord fails to send the itemized statement and remaining balance within 30 days, the landlord forfeits all rights to retain any portion of the deposit and you are entitled to the full deposit amount back (M.C.L. § 554.613). You may sue in small claims court for the full deposit. Courts may also award court costs where the landlord's failure was in bad faith.
Practical Tip: Always provide your forwarding address in writing when you move out, keep a copy, and document the unit's condition with photos on both move-in and move-out days to protect yourself in any deposit dispute.
Evictions in Holland follow Michigan's summary proceedings process, governed primarily by M.C.L. § 600.5701 et seq. and the Michigan Court Rules. Landlords must follow every procedural step; shortcuts are illegal and can result in dismissal of the case or landlord liability.
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing in court, a landlord must serve you with written notice. The required notice period depends on the reason for eviction:
Step 2 — Filing in District Court: If you do not comply with the notice (e.g., pay rent owed or vacate), the landlord may file a Summary Proceedings complaint in Ottawa County 58th District Court. You will be served with a summons specifying a hearing date, typically within 10 days of filing.
Step 3 — The Hearing: Both parties appear before a district court judge or magistrate. You have the right to present defenses, including payment of rent, habitability issues, procedural defects in the notice, or retaliatory eviction. If the landlord prevails, the court issues a judgment for possession.
Step 4 — Writ of Eviction: If you do not vacate voluntarily after a judgment for possession, the landlord must request a writ of eviction from the court. The writ is executed by the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office — not the landlord. There is a mandatory 10-day period after judgment before a writ may issue (M.C.L. § 600.5744).
Self-Help Eviction Is Illegal: Under M.C.L. § 600.2918, a landlord may not change your locks, remove your belongings, shut off heat, water, or electricity, or use any other means to force you out without a court order. Doing so makes the landlord liable for your actual damages and attorney's fees. If this happens to you, call local law enforcement and contact Legal Aid of Western Michigan immediately.
No Just Cause Requirement: Michigan does not require landlords to have a specific reason to end a month-to-month tenancy — only proper notice. However, evictions that are clearly retaliatory may be challenged in court as a defense.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws are complex, fact-specific, and subject to change — the statutes cited here reflect Michigan law as of April 2026 but may have been amended since publication. Nothing on this page creates an attorney-client relationship. If you are facing an eviction, a security deposit dispute, or any other landlord-tenant legal issue in Holland, Michigan, you should consult a licensed Michigan attorney or contact a free legal aid organization such as Legal Aid of Western Michigan for advice specific to your situation. RentCheckMe makes no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the information provided.
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