Michigan Landlord Issue

Location: Michigan

Hello everyone! Sorry this is so long, but this happened back in March. I've been sitting on this trying to decide to leave it alone or pursue legal action.

I was 2 weeks late with the rent and came home from visiting my parents to pad lock bolted to the door and a note attached to it. It said to contact the landlord when I get this (phone was shut off ATM) and that removal of the lock would constitute breaking and entering.

So I contacted him via my neighbors phone and he told he he was afraid I had skipped town on him. After him chewing me out for being late on the rent, and how messy the house was for a few minutes he told me the neighbor had a key.

I immediately thought wtf do you mean the condition of my house, was he in there? I asked him how he got in and he told me he used his key. The key he assured me he didn't have anymore. Ya see, i asked him for his copy after he had entered the house when I wasn't there the previous summer. He wanted to inspect the carpet without any notice. At least that time he didn't lock me out.

So I got into my house and it was trashed. He threw clothes and trading cards that were sorted all over the floor, plates of food all over the bed and the part that sent me over the edge..The old guy left his saw on my pool table. He used the saw to put boards in the windows. (so I couldn't get in) I just refelted it. It's my baby. Sure enough he cut the felt with the saw blade.

I waited 24 hours to calm down before calling him but the old guy tried to say it's my fault it happened. Ugly words were exchanged on both ends, no threats or anything. But he got quiet when I said I'm going to call the cops for breaking and entering. I never did but I should have, I took photos and video though.

A few months passed and I had saved enough for a new place. I paid the first and last month's rent when I moved in and I wasn't about to fight him for the return of the last months rent. I just wanted out. So I called him and told him I was moving out on Saturday and scheduled all my friends and moving truck for Friday.

We get the bulk of stuff out on Friday and Saturday my dad and I return to fix and paint anything damaged. I have a background in carpentry so I was ready to go! Good thing we did because he came speeding up the driveway and blocked my dad's car in. He got out of the car screaming at me he wanted to inspect the house, and I told him he needed to wait till I'm done then he can. He didn't like that. For a good 30 minutes he tries to and eventually succeeds in entering the home.

The entire time he was shouting about how I'm a pig, I'm a slob, how I wasn't raised right. My dad spent the whole time telling him to stop, just go away and let us finish up doing his best to deescalate and not get mad himself. Eventually we ended up face to face shouting fu*k you to each other and he punched me. I punch him back and he loses his balance and falls. I called the cops to make a report and I'm told that assault charges could be filed on both parties. (No charges were ever filed) They tell us to gather the rest of our stuff and head out as quickly as possible. So we did and didn't fix anything.

I already have severe anxiety and this definitely compounded it. I developed insomnia, and ended up losing my position and about 2.00 an hour.

I'm wondering if there is anything I can do about this whole situation? I'm still having sleep issues and anxiety has never been this bad. I'm paying roughly 200 a month for storage and had to move in with the parents. Where do I start? Thank you all in advance!