Landlord Question and Answer Forum

I'm not a landlord, but I was hoping someone can answer my question here. I'm a tenant in MI on my last month of my lease. I move out at the end of the month, in less than two weeks. I have paid every month except this one. I run a business and made a rather risky decision several weeks ago to spend most of my money on an ad campaign, and haven't gotten business back from it yet. Consequently, I wasn't able to pay rent this month. But I plan to have the money to pay it in a couple weeks' time. I received a summons to appear in court about the matter. The court date is on the 27th - a day which I had planned to be out of town. I have plane tickets and everything. So showing up for that court date would be of extreme inconvenience for me. I was told if I don't show up in court, I could get a default judgement to be evicted and pay the rent in question. But my lease is up at the end of the month anyway. And I do fully plan to pay the rent in question anyway. So if I show up, I move out at the end of the month and owe them rent. If I don't show up, I move out at the end of the month and owe them rent. Can someone explain to me why I should show up in court?

You could go to the court clerk and see about changing the date. Take Proof that you already had the plane tickets. Did you give the 30 days notice you where moving out? Can you pay before the court date?

Posted by Scott H, VA on Thursday, July 19, 2018