Landlords increasingly rely on promissory notes, repayment agreements, early-termination fee agreements, and other credit instruments to secure money owed by tenants. But a recent Florida appellate court decision, Miller v. ARCPE Bahamas, LLC, 5D2024-2573 (Fla. 5th...
A recent lawsuit out of Minnesota serves as a warning to landlords everywhere: mishandling security deposits can lead to state enforcement actions, heavy penalties, and reputational damage. Florida landlords should take note: F.S. 83.49 imposes strict rules on...
Florida’s self-storage laws give facility owners a lien against a tenant’s stored property when rent isn’t paid, but those same laws impose strict notice requirements before the owner can sell a tenant’s belongings. A recent appellate case, Krocka v. Public Storage,...
When a tenant or borrower stops paying, most landlords assume they can simply “accelerate the debt,” sue, and recover attorney’s fees. But a recent Florida appellate decision shows how one misstep in that process can erase your right to recover tens of thousands of...
The 2025 case Thompson v. Leon County, 2025 AP 4 (Leon Cnty. September 12, 2025) is a significant reminder to landlords, rural property owners, and investors that local governments maintain broad authority to perform visual inspections for code violations from...
Think your security-deposit process is airtight? Think again. Florida landlords lose thousands every year; not because tenants are right but because landlords miss a few strict rules under F.S. 83.49. A recent state lawsuit in Minnesota shows how deposit deductions...
A recent Florida appellate case shows how even the largest storage companies can lose a lawsuit by missing one simple detail: updating a tenant’s address. In Krocka v. Public Storage, Inc., a long-term storage tenant mailed the company a certified letter giving his...
Florida landlords must understand and carefully exercise their rights when a tenant terminates a lease before its natural expiration. The options available to a landlord following a tenant’s early lease termination are strictly governed by F.S. § 83.595, which allows...
On February 5, 2025, Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal issued a key decision in Klein v. 17121 Jade Ocean Condo, LLC. The case dealt with unpaid rent, property damage, and missing items in a residential lease. The appellate court affirmed some of the trial...
Can You Charge a Tenant for Not Giving Move-Out Notice in Florida? Florida law provides residential landlords with the ability to charge a tenant liquidated damages if the tenant fails to provide proper notice of their intent to vacate at the end of the lease term....