Your One Stop Shop For All Things Landlord/Tenant
We have created this website to answer your questions about Florida landlord-tenant law and help you with your legal needs. Evictions, free forms, security deposit recovery. Contact a landlord tenant attorney
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Guide to this website
The services section contains information about evictions, unlawful detainers, ejectments, tenant screening, and real estate closings.
The forms section, has free landlord tenant forms.
The Tenant Resources section contains information about demanding repairs, recovering your security deposit, and unlawful eviction.
he legal resources section has a summary of Florida Residential Landlord-Tenant Law, the Florida Landlord-Tenant Blog, is a searchable digest of hundreds of Florida Landlord-Tenant Court decisions, and links to government agencies and the courts.
Alexander P. Johnson, Esq.
Everything on this site 100% human - no AI
BREAKING NEWS
SENATE PASSES HOUSING AFFORDABILITY BILL
The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act in an 85-5 bipartisan vote. The legislation is aimed at tackling the housing affordability crisis and currently heads to the House of Representatives for final approval.
Key Provisions of the Bill
Restrictions on Institutional Investors: The bill directly targets Wall Street and large corporate funds by banning institutions that own 350 or more single-family homes from purchasing any additional properties.
Supply and Development: It loosens federal regulations, cuts red tape to make home construction easier, and provides funding to convert abandoned buildings into new housing.
Built-to-Rent Exceptions: While corporate purchases are severely restricted, the legislation carves out exceptions for new "build-to-rent" projects to keep rental housing supply available.
Track the status of the legislation on the Congress.gov tracker or review comprehensive analyses of the act provided by the Bipartisan Policy Center.
FRADULENT ENTRY OF RESIDENTIAL DWELLINGS LAW PASSED IN FLORIDA
The Florida legislature has passed the Fraudulent Entry of Residential Dwellings law - §817.537 F.S. Providing that any person making a false statement in writing in any rental application, relating to the person’s identity, impersonating another person, or presenting forged documents commits a 3rd degree felony and is also subject to eviction for an uncurable lease violation upon provision of a 7 day notice to vacate. Effective 10/1/2026.
3/19/2026 FEDERAL COURT STRIKES DOWN NEW FINCEN REPORTING RULE
On March 21, 2026, FINCEN issued its official statement following the Flowers v. Bessent decision:
“In light of a federal court decision, reporting persons are not currently required to file real estate reports with FinCEN and are not subject to liability if they fail to do so while the order remains in force.”
March 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge has struck down a Treasury Department rule requiring that the beneficial owners of companies buying residential real estate for cash be disclosed ruling the new regulation exceeded FinCEN's statutory authority..
Florida To End Sales Tax on Commercial Leases
Effective October 1, 2025, the State of Florida will permanently eliminate the sales tax on commercial leases. This repeal applies to the current state-level sales tax of 2% as well as any applicable local discretionary surtaxes on commercial leases.
NEW LANDLORD FLOOD DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT
Flood Disclosure. Chapter 83.512 F. S. Effective 10/1/25
A landlord must provide a flood disclosure to a prospective tenant of residential property at or before the execution of a rental agreement for a term of 1year or longer. The flood disclosure must be in a separate document.
If a landlord violates this law and a tenant suffers a substantial damage (50%) to the tenant’s personal property, the tenant may terminate the rental agreement by giving a written notice of termination and surrendering possession of the premises to the landlord no later than 30 days after the date of the damage or loss.
NEW LAW ALLOWS EXTRAJUDICIAL REMOVAL OF TRANSIENTS FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
June 3, 2025: Florida governor signs §83.037 F.S into law taking effect July 1, 2025 authorizing extra-judicial removal of unauthorized transient occupants of commercial properties by filing a complaint with the county sheriff. In Broward, the sheriff recommends you come to the main office (2601 W Broward Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312) and request the forms in person and pay the sheriff’s fee of $90.00.
NEW LAW ALLOwING EMAIL DELIVERY OF LANDLORD-TENANT NOTICES
A newly passed landlord tenant law known as Section 83.505 Florida Statutes allows both the landlord and the tenant to elect to receive notices by email effective July 1, 2025. The election may be revoked. The major change is allowing the landlord to make a claim on the tenant’s security deposit by e-mail. Previously, certified mail was the only allowable method of claiming a security deposit. Also 3 day notices may now be emailed without having to add the customary five additional days where the form is mailed. Click HERE for the form.
The law takes effect July 1, 2025
BOI reporting STATUS
BOI UPDATE 3/4/25: Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting suspended by Treasury Dept as to US citizens. Penalties will not be enforced. BOI report still required by foreign business entities.
2026 Court Holidays
The 2026 Court Holidays are out. 13 for Broward, 13 for Dade, and 16 for Palm Beach. All three counties are still celebrating Juneteenth and Yom Kippur. Only Palm Beach is taking off Rosh Hashanah and Columbus Day. For Christmas 2025 Dade gets scrooged with one day off where Broward and Palm Beach get 2 days off.
New Flood Disclosure Requirement.
Effective October 1, 2024, a seller must complete and provide a flood disclosure to a purchaser of residential property ON OR BEFORE the signing of the sales contract.
New law for extrajudicial removal of unauthoried occupants
July 1, 2024: Florida Statute 82.036 comes into effect authorizing extra-judicial removal of unauthorized occupants by filing a complaint with the county sheriff. In Broward, the sheriff recommends you come to the main office (2601 W Broward Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312) and request the forms in person and pay the sheriff’s fee ON $90.00.
Restriction of foreign interests in Florida Real Property
Effective July 1, 2023 a new Florida law criminalizes the purchase of certain Florida real estate by certain foreign nationals and for knowing violations by sellers and title agents.
Requires addendum to purchase and sale contract and buyer affidavit of compliance.
Click HERE to read more to to access the new required forms.
Citizens of Cuba, China, Venezuela, Russia, Syria, North Korea and Iran have until the end of January to register certain real estate with the Florida Department of Commerce, under a law passed earlier this year. The consequences of not registering with the state include steep penalties — $1,000 per day — and even property seizure.
state pre-emption of all county & municipal residential landlord tenant laws. 30 day notice of non-renwal ENACTED statewide
6/29/23: HB 1417 signed into law effective July 1, 2023. All residential landlord-tenant law is pre-empted to the state. All County and City residential landlord tenant laws now void. Notice of non-renewal period for month to month tenancies and notice of rent increases, now 30 days statewide. There are no more 15 day notice or 60 day notices.
FEE IN LIEU OF SECURITY DEPOSIT LAW ENACTED
6/2/23 HB 133: signed into law allowing tenants to choose to pay a monthly fee in lieu of a security deposit if offered by landlord. The fee is not applied toward any damage for which the tenant remains liable.
NEW FLORIDA LAW REQUIRES LANDLORDS TO RUN BACKGROUND CHECKS ON ALL EMPLOYEES
Florida enacts “Myia’s law” June 27, 2022, F.S. 83.151 requiring landlords to run background checks on their employees and extending the notice period for notices of intent to enter a rental premises from 12 to 24 hours
You can order Florida compliant background reports here - $30 per person. 3 day turn around time. Send request to AJ@BrowardLandlord.com. Employee name, address, DOB, SSN. Order a background check here
➤ AREAS OF PRACTICE
➤ COMMONLY Used Forms
Areas of Practice
real estate CLOSINGS
Buying real estate is a complicated business. The answer to why you need an attorney is easy “Who at the closing table owes you a fiduciary duty of loyalty?” Not realtors and not title companies. Contact us to represent you in a real estate closing.
unlawful detainer
Do you have a friend or a guest who does not pay rent but wont leave ? Contact us to get started
EVICTIONS
Evictions are our specialty. Contact us to talk to an attorney today. Evictions can be filed the same day. Contact us to get started
tenant screening
50 state background check. Eviction history. Criminal history. Sexual predator history. Full credit report. HUD compliant.
EJECTMENT
Does the person residing in your property claim an ownership interest ? Contact us for further information about filing an ejectment.
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