Blog Archives
Is Your Three-Day Notice Defective?
Many property owners fall into the mistaken belief that an eviction is a simple matter that can be handled informally by them or their agent. This belief is misplaced.
To evict a Tenant for non-payment of rent, the landlord must follow the strict three-day notice requirements under Florida law, amongst other things. Read the rest of this entry
Landlord’s Beware: “Self Help” Can Cost You Big
Let me start this week’s blog by way of a hypo: A landlord meets a prospective couple interested in renting their single-family home. They seem very nice, well spoken, drive decent cars, have no qualms about first, last, and security, and can seemingly afford the monthly rent. However, regrettably, the landlord agrees to keep the utilities in his/her name because it would have required the tenant to pay a large utility deposit that they could not afford. After a few months into the lease, the nice couple now has 8 people living in the 2/2 home. The property is now being neglected and the rent and utility payments are habitually late if paid at all. The tenants are avoiding the landlord’s calls like the plague and if they do answer, are insolent. They won’t allow access to inspect the home, and start complaining about any and every little thing they can think of. Read the rest of this entry
NOTICE TO LANDLORD AND WITHHOLDIING RENT: SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND DUPLEXES
Last week, we discussed the “implied warranty of habitability” as well as the requirements of §83.51, Florida Statute which requires landlord’s to maintain minimum standards of habitability for single family dwellings and duplexes. This week, we will talk about what the tenant’s duties and remedies are if those standards are not met by the Landlord. Read the rest of this entry
Landlord Duties: Habitability
In this blog I will discuss some of the duties that every landlord has when entering into a residential lease in Florida. Think of these duties as a floor, not a ceiling. They are the minimum requirement by law. However, if you have followed some of my other blogs, you may know that the lease agreement is the overriding document that governs the relationship between the landlord and the tenant, and to some extent, even the condition of the residence. Read the rest of this entry