Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Michigan

Was there a lease? Is the tenant holding over? Are you renting on a month to month basis? Was the tenant paying the utilities before the end of the lease? If you never had a lease, what was your agreement with the tenant? Your question points out the importance of having a written document that expresses the intent of the parties. A landlord may be held responsible for all utilities or none of the utilities. If the utilities are in your name, you may not disconnect them, in order to force the tenant out. It is best to put the gas and electric in the renter's name, so that if they don't pay, the gas and electric companies go after the tenant, instead of you. Water/sewer and sometimes trash services are a lien on the property, so are generally paid by the landlord.