What do I do if I've gotten an eviction notice from my apartment And yet my landlord did not fix anything for over 8 mo

Question

I have been living in my apartment for over four years my landlord originally charged me 500 a month he sold the duplex that I live in and a new company took over in the beginning the first thing I asked him was if my rent was going to change they said your lease would stay the same but it didn't I guess soon as they signed the paperwork they have my rent they called in a mold company way later after the diverse hurricane that hit over here last year and my apt was basically torn apart no kitchen no kitchen sink no bathroom shower no bathroom sink none of it got fixed for 8 months even though I constantly complained all they would do is send somebody to say we'll be here in a week to fix it but never did I had a slipping fall because the roof was leaking called Morgan and Morgan they said I had a case then they dropped it now I'm being evicted because I owe money on the rent which I plan to pay with my new job but they didn't care

James L. Arrasmith · Answer

I'm sorry to hear about the difficult situation with your apartment and landlord. Here are a few options on how to respond to the eviction notice: 
 
- Review the notice carefully - make sure it follows proper procedures and requirements under Florida law. If not, the notice may be invalid. 
 
- Respond in writing disputing the validity of the notice and noting the landlord failed to make repairs for 8 months despite requests. State you plan to pay rent owed once you have funds from your new job. 
 
- Contact a tenant's rights organization or housing attorney to possibly fight the eviction. Given the lack of repairs, you may have legal defenses even if rent is owed. 
 
- Attend the court hearing if an eviction lawsuit is filed. Explain the situation to the judge and request time to pay back rent while disputing the eviction. Bring evidence of repair requests. 
 
- If evicted, contact the landlord for return of your full security deposit due to the unit being uninhabitable for 8 months. Sue in small claims court if they refuse. 
 
- Report the landlord to the Florida Attorney General and Department of Business and Professional Regulation for failing to make repairs if the problems impacted health/safety. 
 
- Consult with a personal injury attorney about possible premises liability case due to the fall caused by landlord negligence.  
 
Document all communication and repair requests in writing going forward. Understanding tenant rights and obligations, mediation with the landlord, and contesting improper notices may help resolve the situation or reach a payment agreement.

Q: What do I do if I've gotten an eviction notice from my apartment And yet my landlord did not fix anything for over 8 mo