(FLORIDA) – When you rent a home, you may encounter unexpected challenges. Wordy lease agreements, regular rent increases, and long-neglected repairs can make living in a rental property a tricky thing to navigate. That’s why it’s important to know your rights as a tenant, to ensure fair and just treatment where it matters to you and your family most: your home!
Housing law is a top area of practice at Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS). FRLS is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to qualified individuals, families, and vulnerable communities across 13 Florida counties and to farmworkers statewide. We assist tenants with a range of civil legal disputes that can often arise with landlords, from stopping illegal lockouts and utilities shutoffs to challenging wrongful eviction notices.
5 Tenant Rights to Keep Up Your Sleeve
At FRLS, we strongly believe in the power of the law to keep tenants in safe, secure, and up-to-standard housing. We know that landlords often wield their power in wrongful or even illegal ways, which might make low-income, elderly, or other vulnerable tenants feel cornered. That’s why we’ve compiled the following five facts about tenant rights in the state of Florida.
Fact #1: Your landlord can’t provide an eviction notice by phone call or text message. According to Florida law, eviction proceedings may only begin when a landlord provides their tenant with a written notice.
Fact #2: Your landlord can’t evict you overnight. In fact, Florida law offers a minimum of three days for a landlord to provide their tenant with a written notice. Be sure to inspect your lease agreement, though. Oftentimes, leases allow for even more time to evict.
Fact #3: Your landlord can’t shut off your electricity or water or change your locks to kick you out. Not only is this an unkind thing to do, but it’s illegal under Florida law. If your landlord does this, you can sue them in Small Claims Court.
Fact #4: Your landlord can’t legally force you out of your housing without first going to court. An eviction action must go to court, even if the tenant is behind on their rent. No shortcuts, no excuses!
Fact #5: Your landlord can’t neglect to make major repairs after being provided a written letter from the tenant. If the letter is delivered to the landlord at least seven days before your next rent is due, you can legally withhold your rent until the repairs are made. However, be sure to follow the right steps before you begin withholding your rent.
Housing Help at FRLS
Your housing should feel stable, even if it’s rented. FRLS attorneys and staff work tirelessly to keep that promise, working with low-income tenants who face legal difficulties with their landlords, at no cost to our clients. In fact, landlord-tenant disputes are the most common type of case within our housing practice.
If your landlord is trying to pull the carpet out from under your feet, call FRLS for free housing help at 1-888-582-3410.
About Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc.
Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. (FRLS) is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to qualified individuals, families, and vulnerable communities across 13 Florida counties and to farmworkers statewide. Since 1966, FRLS has pursued justice by providing legal services in housing law, family law, consumer protection, public benefits, elder law, disaster relief, education law, tax advocacy, and more, all at no cost to our clients. FRLS collaborates with community organizations and Pro Bono attorneys to deliver quality advocacy, outreach, and education designed to protect the rights of those in need. For over 50 years, FRLS has been a steadfast advocate for justice.