Florida Landlord - Tenant Questions & Answers
Q: Can my non guardian grandmother kick me out, a minor, if i have paid 200 a month to live with her.
I am a 17 year old living with my grandmother in a trailer/rv park. She does not have legal custody or guardianship of me, as she moved to get me out of a bad situation. She is now kicking me out with no where to go because she doesnt like me as a person. I have lived with her for 3 month approx.... Read more »
Your grandmother would have to obtain a court order to evict you.
Q: Can an apt complex add more to late fees than what is already in the lease. My late fee is 120. They are asking 500.
I paid half at begining of month. Lease says 120 late fee. I informed office when i pd rent that i would pay remainder plus 120 on 16th that was fine. Now on 12th i get letter on door that i need to pay extra 500 by 14th and rent will not be accepted without it. Are they violating the lease? My... Read more »
Just guessing: Sounds like they are trying to collect the $120 plus late fees you owe from earlier months?
Q: Can a landlord request more money to replace carpet than the original installation cost?
My former landlord replaced our carpet halfway through our three year lease tenure. He is now requesting money in addition to our $1325 deposit to replace the carpet. The amount he is requesting is significantly more than what it cost to originally install the carpet a year and a half ago. They... Read more »
Wow. This is the first time I have ever heard of any landlord replacing the carpet during the lease period--unless the carpet needed to be replaced because of something the tenant did. If that is what happened then the landlord should be entitled to recover the actual cost of replacing the... Read more »
Q: Bat infestation requires rental to be vacant for treatment (health reasons). The process is expected to take 6-8 weeks.
We have a roof leak that can not be repaired until the bats are removed and guano cleaned. Can we terminate our tenants lease two months early (not charging any further rent and return security deposit) and require them to vacate?
If you have a lawyer you really need to ask them about this problem. If not, you should hire one.
Meantime, the terms of the written lease might contain a clause that allows you as the landlord to end the lease early because of some "act of God" or similar language--perhaps related to the... Read more »
Q: We have a contract until May 20 the landlord is selling the apt. Can the realtor show the apt even when we are not there
And any day??
Your written lease will probably dictate whether--and when--the landlord can enter your apartment--but perhaps not for the purposes you describe. Try calling a real estate lawyer and asking them to help you.
Q: Can a landlord "fix" a violation of the Statutes after a tenant objects to claim on a deposit?
Landlord made a claim on our deposit but did not provide us a return address or a notice which stated we could object within 15 days (Statute 83.49(3)(a). I know my rights as a tenant, so in order to prohibit any "loss of ability to object" on my claim, I sent an objection letter that included my... Read more »
IMO, both the landlord and you should stop arguing about form over the substance involved--and stop wasting money sending certified mail back and forth. Both of you should sit down over a cup of coffee and resolve this silly non-legal dispute before you both regret it.
Q: Landlord shows mens rea in security deposit withholding?
Our landlord violated our rights in the Statutes 83.49(3)(a) as she claimed on our deposit without providing the statement that allows me to object. She had the statutes attached to the lease, provided an itemized report of claims, and sent it certified. She also sent a check with the claim. To me... Read more »
Wow. Anyone who uses the sophisticated kind of legal terminology as you did--like mens rea, intent to violate the statutes, unjust enrichment, reasonable evidence, motive and subpoena should be more than able to defend themselves without my advice. Did you sign and deposit the check?
Q: The Florida law how long does a landlord have to give you an eviction to move out
My landlord just filed eviction notice today with the Court's how long will I have before they require me to move out
The eviction notice should tell you that. If you intend to defend against eviction hire a lawyer to file a response.
Q: My lease is written out. As monthly but i pay weekly and he agreed that we pay it that way is he aloud to do that?
Yes, it is allowed. But if he ceases to pay weekly he cannot be forced to pay weekly as long as he pays according to the terms of the lease.
Q: Does a Landlord have to send letter of intent to keep deposit CERTIFIED MAIL? She sent email & tomorrow is day 30.
I'm going to file in small claims tomorrow because we've exchanged emails as that is how she wrote me with her intent to keep 100% of my security deposit, and I sent my contest to that certified, and I haven't heard from her since June 28. I just want to be POSITIVE that the landlord has to have it... Read more »
I believe it has to be sent certified mail, but if you file suit tomorrow you probably will have waived that rule.
Q: Can a Florida Condo Association force you to marry to live in the same unit? Can they request marriage proof?
I own and live in a FL condo, and my girlfriend who I have been with almost 3 years and lived outside of the country, is coming to move in with me. The condo association says that since they are single family units, if I am not married with her, she cannot move in. Can they do this? Can they force... Read more »
In my professional opinion you have stated at least one viable claim of discrimination (marital status). I advise you to contact the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) in Tallahassee Florida. Their toll-free telephone number is 800 342 8170; they can also be reached by regular telephone... Read more »
Q: I am the landlord renting a house. Recently the house was damaged when a piece of exterior trim was ripped off.
The tenant informed me of the damage and says he's not sure how it happened. We both suspect the damage was caused by the lawn mowing company the tenant hired, but there was no witness to what happened. The tenant contends this is my responsibility to pay for repairs on the basis that my wife told... Read more »
Your tenant is right: Damage to the OUTSIDE of the house cannot possibly be "damage outside normal wear and tear" to the leased space inside the house. If you have fire insurance on the rental house it should be covered; if you do not carry fire insurance you should get some.
Q: Scheduled to move in 8/1 Rental comp 2 options a)keys 9am-2pm b)pay $10 for lockbox and code in email after 9am Legal?
Is this normal? Why should I have to pay for a lockbox when one is probably already on the house? This was not stated in the lease or when I signed the lease 2 weeks ago. I just received an email with this information today.
Pay the $10 and go get some dinner.
Q: Can my landlord force me to temporarily move for repairs without compensation?
Landlord is telling my family to make arrangements to leave for 4-5 days while they make repairs. Alternatively, I can remain without AC in the middle of July in Florida. As well, I will not have hot water for the duration of the repairs.
Unless you lease does not allow your landlord to make repairs (very doubtful) you have two options: Stay while the repairs are being made or go find a cheap motel to stay in.
Q: Hi can move out with out my roommate that is starting drama?
Hi I am living in a apartment 2 room 2 bath and have a roommate who is starting drama and I want to leave before it get worse and I am going to put notice in with the landlord about me living can I live with out them knowing? If not how can I approach them and without getting sued after I get out?
If you signed a written lease you are responsible for all the rent--regardless of how much your roommate agreed to pay you. If your roommate also signed the lease then they are also responsible for all the rent. Wordk out a deal with the landlord to let you go.
Q: FL Eviction Law for Girlfriend And Son With No Written Lease?
How do I evict my longtime girlfriend and her 19 year old son without a lease but a spotty record of $300/month payments
to live here since 2012? She stopped paying 9 months ago though and I don't see the procedure to evict without a written lease?
If I show a payment history... Read more »
If this was an oral lease agreement, then you may serve her with a notice for nonpayment of rent (3-day notice). Or you can send her a notice of termination and give her 15 days to vacate (assuming that she was paying rent on a monthly basis). If there was no oral lease agreement, then you will... Read more »
Q: Does landlord have 30 days to MAIL the notice of claim on security deposit? Or should tenant RECEIVE claim in 30 days?
Landord lives in Canada and mailed the notice of claim on the 28th day. I received the claim in Florida the 10th day of the following month.
It the law or lease says the landlord has 30 days to notify former tenants of the landlord's claim that means the landlord has 30 days to MAIL it--not 30 days to deliver it. And the law or lease also probably says that you have so many days FROM RECIEPT of the landlord's notice to object.
Q: If you move into a house that has a flea infestation prior to your moving in is it the landlord's job to treat it
I moved into my house last June we agreed to help clean the house up and everything and get it ready, well the master bedroom is a add on & it is built over a lot of sand in during the summer the fleas and the sand fleas run rapid to the point that they get into the bedroom the landlords knew this... Read more »
Teaching opportunity: I am willing to bet your questions will receive much more attention and responses from curious lawyers if you will make an effort to use better fifth grade grammar and also use capital letters when beginning all sentences which should only express one single thought and you... Read more »
Q: If my landlord left behind items and moved to a different state, can I store them in storage? (Florida)
The items in question are a lawn mower, some boxes, small personal items, and a bed frame. None of this is in my lease for me to 'store'. She didn't want to pay for it to go to the different state and left it down here and verbally asked me to store it. This was *last minute* as she was moving out,... Read more »
Since your landlord asked you to look after her stuff I do not see any problem with moving it to your storage facility; but I would take photographs of all of it, where it is now and again where you stored it; and do not give anything away or sell it to anyone. If she calls and asks you to ship... Read more »
Q: Last apt I lived at are asking me to pay for the entire carpet which I know they were going to change anyway!
So here is my issue. 3 months ago I moved out of an apt at the end of the lease and I got a bill of $725 minus 150 from the deposit they already kept, so 575. $500 are for the carpet. My problem is that the manager assistant told me a few months before that they were changing every apartments... Read more »
Free practical "opinion": Since you lived there for at least a year, and since you walked away expecting the landlord to keep your entire $150 deposit, it sounds like you must have known that leaving without cleaning the carpet--which is a standard clause in every lease--because you thought you... Read more »
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
