The Florida rental agreements are legal contracts between a landlord and a tenant for the use of real property for regular payments (“rent”), usually made monthly. These agreements are governed by Florida landlord-tenant law and may include additional terms and conditions (which can’t supersede state law).
The Florida residential lease agreement (“rental agreement”) is a binding document used to formalize an agreement between a landlord and tenant to rent real property in exchange for a fee. This contract is governed by Florida landlord-tenant law and includes terms and conditions outlining the responsibilities of each party. Florida Lease Disclosures…
The Florida month-to-month rental agreement is a contract that allows a tenant to rent property from a landlord, in exchange for a fee, for a period of thirty days at a time. It gives the address of the property and the obligations of both the landlord and the tenant(s). With a standard…
The Florida rental application form is part of the application process used by landlords to find the best possible tenant to rent a property. Each person over 18 who will be on the lease is required to fill out an application, which may be accompanied by a fee. Using a standard fill-in-the-blanks…
The Florida sublease agreement is a legal document that allows an initial tenant ("sublessor") to rent (“sublease”) a rental property to a new tenant ("sublessee") in exchange for a fee. This contract commonly allows a new tenant to take over the original lease, commonly known as subletting. This arrangement places the original…
The Florida roommate agreement (“room rental agreement”) is a binding document between two or more people (“co-tenants”) sharing a rented property that outlines the financial responsibilities of each member. This contract may also include additional terms and conditions for sharing the premises. Some apartments are designed to be shared by roommates. They…
The Florida commercial lease agreement is a contract specifically for renting commercial spaces to businesses. This lease describes the terms, conditions, and responsibilities of the landlord and tenant when it comes to renting a commercial property, and is usually more complicated than a residential lease agreement. There are three basic lease options…
Florida Required Lease Disclosures
- Landlord’s Name & Address (required for all) – To establish communication between landlord and tenant for serving legal notices, Florida landlords must provide a notice in or alongside their lease agreement that outline contact information of anyone authorized to act on behalf of the property.
- Dangers of Radon Gas (required for all) – All Florida leases are required to include a specific disclosure about the dangers of radon gas in the property to help protect potential tenants.
- Security Deposit Holdings (required for some) – When a landlord manages 5 or more individual rental units in Florida, they are required to disclose where any security deposit is held, any information about accruing interest, and a specific notice provided by the state to ensure it is handled correctly.
- Lead Based Paint Disclosure (required for some) – To protect prospective tenants, every Florida lease agreement must include a lead based paint disclosure form and EPA-approved pamphlet regarding the dangers of lead paint in addition to any known hazards that exist in the rental building.
To learn more about required disclosures in Florida, click here.
Florida Landlord Tenant Laws
- Warranty of Habitability – A Florida landlord must always provide their tenant with adequate plumbing, running water, electrical lighting, and more. If any of these amenities become inoperable, the landlord must repair them within 20 days of a request from a tenant. Otherwise, a Florida tenant may be able to perform a repair and deduct after providing written notice of intention.
- Evictions – A Florida landlord may evict a tenant for breaking a lease term or committing an illegal act, both of which come with a 7-day notice period. Failing to pay rent, meanwhile, comes with a 3-day notice period. As such, this eviction process tends to take around a week.
- Security Deposits – A Florida security deposit is not limited in terms of value. However, a Florida landlord has up to 30 days to return any collected security deposits if deductions are made after move out.
- Lease Termination – A month-to-month lease in Florida can be terminated with at 15 days of advance notice. A fixed-term lease, on the other hand, can be terminated by a tenant after supplying proof of active military duty, dwelling uninhabitability, landlord harassment, or a specific lease term violation on the landlord’s part.
- Rent Increases & Fees – Florida landlords do not need to provide notice or justification for any rent increases. These increases are not capped for value, either. Similarly, Florida gives landlords the ability to charge most standard operating fees without limitation. However, bounced check fees are limited, starting at around $25.
- Landlord Entry – A Florida landlord may enter a tenant’s dwelling legally by providing 12 hours of notice. A lease agreement may alter this standard, though. Also, any set standard does not apply in emergency situations unless otherwise stated.
- Settling Legal Disputes – A Florida landlord or tenant may file a case (including evictions) valued at up to $5,000 in the state’s small claims court. These cases are subject to a 5 year and 4 year statute of limitations for written and oral contracts, respectively.
To learn more about landlord tenant laws in Florida, click here.
