
Quoting
CPO_MK
I'm a little confused: you said that you've already paid first month's rent and today is your move-in, but you're already two weeks late for the 2nd month's rent? Did the lease take effect a month ago, and you just waited a month to move in, or what is the deal there? Please clarify.
As far as the pets, the 8-hour clause is most likely included as a means of giving management the right of exigent entry for animals that are being neglected/abused, such as being left out in the rain or snow all night long. It does seem unreasonably short of a period of time, so you may want to check on that with someone who knows Michigan law as pertains both the rental agreements AND animal care/control regulations. Regardless, if you sign it, it is binding unless it proves to be unlawful.
Going back to the keys, they do not have to take partial rent payments (even if they did they would still hold the right to serve an eviction notice for nonpayment of the remaining portion of the rent). However, again you need to check your lease language carefully for the effective date of your lease - there may be specifics in MI law about which I am not aware, but generally speaking a landlord cannot withhold keys from a tenant in lawful possession unless an eviction process has been followed and either the law or the court gives them the right to do so.
If your lease took effect a month ago then you should have received your keys at that time, in which case the landlord would now have to file an unlawful detainer (eviction) and follow the process to lock you out. If the lease hasn't yet taken effect and your landlord was just going to let you move in a few days early, then technically (unless you have an agreement in writing stipulating otherwise) they can withhold the keys until your actual effective date. And if your effective date is today, then how is it that you're already two weeks late for the 2nd month's rent when you haven't even finished the 1st month yet? Unless you're on a 60-day rent cycle (extremely unusual), that part does not make any sense.