True Story: Eviction from an MFR in Detroit

Let us tell you a story:

It’s October 2023, and we get a call from a new client who’s on the edge with his multi-family rental property in Detroit.

The place had been under the so-called care of another property management company, but they were about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

So on October 21, 2023, he handed us the reins to this ongoing disaster.

The Initial Mess

Our client’s budget was stretched thin, but he needed help—fast. He’d been juggling almost everything himself, including utilities. (Isn’t that basic PMC stuff? Yes. Yes, it is.)

But here’s the kicker: one of his tenants was moonlighting as the building manager, doing everything from maintenance to mowing the lawn. And it was all based on a handshake agreement—no formal contract.

You can see where this is going.

Cutting the Cord

The first task was to officially end this sketchy "verbal agreement" in writing.

In November, we met with Mr. Manager. He handed over every key, including one to the maintenance room. His rent was supposed to be $850, but he insisted that his role exempted him from paying rent. On top of that, he claimed he was owed a salary! This guy had been living rent-free up until then.

Predictably, our tenant-turned-manager claimed he had something in writing but never produced any evidence.

We started billing him in November. As expected, he refused to pay.

By December 28, we filed for eviction, knowing full well this wasn't going to be straightforward. We sent it to our attorney on January 3, giving him the legal one-month window to vacate before filing.

The Eviction Drama

By February, we officially filed for eviction. You’d think that would be the end of it, but not quite. Our former tenant refused to leave and even moved one of his friends into his unit, charging them rent!

By mid-March, we had the signed writ of eviction. Confirmed with the owner to proceed, secured the funds, and hired the bailiff on March 26. April 4 was the big day—the bailiff arrived, changed the locks, and cleared out the unit. We finally regained possession. Problem solved, right?

The Unexpected Twist

Just when we thought it was over, the nightmare tenant broke back in and caused damage. And if that wasn’t enough, during all this chaos, he had the nerve to ask the owner to invest in his weed operation. You can't make this stuff up.

By the end, we had to evict all but two tenants because most had similar issues. We renovated all the units, which were in desperate need of updates, and brought in new tenants—better quality and better revenue for our client.

Lessons Learned

What’s the takeaway here?

Property management requires time, effort, and meticulous oversight. There are no shortcuts. When other PMCs take shortcuts, you're left with messes like this.

If you’re a landlord like our client and don’t have the time to manage everything yourself, you need a stellar property management company.

Vet them rigorously before handing over the keys.

What’s your worst eviction nightmare story? Feel free to share them below.