Q: Is a landlord and/or condo HOA in Florida required to furnish a tenant w/ internet access (via wall jacks/cable ports)?
I've occupied a unit in a condo complex for the past 2 years. The building has known issues with cable wiring. Xfinity provided us with equipment for self installation, however our internet connection continued to fail after many attempts by service techs to repair. They finally told us that the wiring in the building is outdated and they aren't able to assist us any longer. We contacted AT&T as an alternate service provider. The AT&T line in our unit is being used by another unit 2 stories above us. AT&T told us a contractor will need to come out to supply alternative wiring for them to access since they don't want to cut off service to the unit above. I've tried to get answers from the condo property manager, but he tells me there is nothing they can do. My landlord tells me to deal with the cable company. My husband is a heart patient and his CPAP machine requires internet access for monitoring purposes.Can you please give me some advice on who to contact for resolution?
A: Nobody is required to furnish internet access, unless the requirement is specifically mentioned in the lease. You have some options, I think: pay to upgrade the condo's cabling; move; or see if you can access the internet via satellite or some other wireless method of connecting to the internet. Under no circumstances should you upgrade the condo wiring without the express written permission of the owner and if you elect to go that route, I recommend that you have a lawyer draft the agreement between you and the owner.
Bruce Alexander Minnick agrees with this answer
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