Protecting Yourself While Renting In Florida

 

Renting a home involves a lot of paperwork and details. However, it can be an easier process than buying a home, especially if you don’t have the credit to buy a home at the moment or if you don’t have the money to buy a home. There are a few laws involving tenants and landlords if you live in Florida to keep in mind so that you’re protected and so that the landlord is protected.

Try to arrange a meeting so that you can walk through the property with the landlord to discuss any issues that you might see. An important landlord/tenant law in Florida is that you are to be made aware of any issues present in the home before you move in so that you aren’t held responsible. You are also supposed to be made aware of any mold in the home or any significant issues that need to be repaired before you move into the house. While you’re walking around the house, take a few pictures of the things that you see that need to be fixed, presenting them to the landlord to find out when they will be fixed. If the landlord offers to take off a portion of the rent amount if you make the repairs, then you need to get this in writing so that a payment that isn’t the full amount isn’t held against you.

When you make an agreement with the landlord to rent the property, it can be in a written statement or a verbal agreement. It’s best to get the agreement in a written form so that you and the landlord have all of the details on a hard copy in case there are any questions or concerns in the future about the property or any specifications about payments or things that are allowed, such as pets or updates to the home. A notice that is given by your landlord must be given to you in writing if you live in Florida. Your landlord has to abide by this even if you made an oral rental agreement. The notice can be posted on your front door instead of given to you in person.

Part of renting a home is giving the landlord a security deposit. This deposit is usually reserved for any damages that are done to the property while you’re living in the house. This is when the details about the walkthrough before you agreed to rent the property are beneficial. You will have proof of the things that were damaged before moving into the property so that you aren’t held responsible. There is a 15-day limit that the landlord has to give back your security deposit. However, if the landlord doesn’t plan on giving you the deposit back, a written notice must be given to you within a 30-day timeframe after you leave the home. The landlord is to abide by all housing and safety codes while you’re in the home and is to keep the property maintained in a way that is suitable for inhabiting.

 

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