Tenant screening makes or breaks your success as a landlord. One great tenant can keep your property profitable for years. One bad tenant can cost thousands in damages, missed rent, and legal fees. Michigan landlords must follow federal and state laws to screen legally — and effectively.

What You’re Allowed to Check in Michigan

Landlords can legally review:
• Credit reports
• Criminal background checks
• Eviction history
• Employment and income
• Landlord references
• Identity verification

A well-rounded screening process reduces risk and improves rental stability.

Income Requirements

Most Michigan landlords use a rent-to-income ratio of 2.5–3x monthly rent.
Always verify income through:
• Pay stubs
• W-2s
• Employment letters
• Bank statements (when necessary)

Criminal Background Checks

You may review criminal history, but you cannot impose blanket bans.
Evaluate on:
• Type of offense
• Recency
• Relevance to tenancy

Fair Housing requires individualized assessments.

Fair Housing Rules in Michigan

You may NOT discriminate based on:
• Race
• Religion
• Sex
• National origin
• Family status
• Disability
• Age
• Gender identity
• Sexual orientation

Your screening criteria must be applied consistently to every applicant.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

• Asking illegal questions (marital status, religion, etc.)
• Failing to provide rejection reasons when required
• Using inconsistent screening standards
• Not verifying references
• Allowing emotion to influence decisions

Consistent, legal screening protects you and improves tenant quality.

If you want professional help screening tenants or want your process reviewed for compliance, we can assist you with a full Michigan-compliant screening checklist and system.