Tenant Rights
Residential Tenant Rights In Miramar
Unfortunately, many property owners in Miramar don’t comply with their obligations as a landlord. It may be because these landlords are unaware of Florida law or because they are just bad business owners. Either way, tenants in Florida have rights to protect them in these situations.
In many instances of landlord abuse, (retaliatory conduct, cutting off utility services, and preventing tenant access to their unit), Florida laws allow tenant rights lawyers to help their client’s without the need of the client having to advance any money to the lawyer to represent them in their claims against these landlords.
Read: Retaliatory Evictions
Bruce Jacobs has represented countless tenants over the years by helping to enforce their rights and defend them against abusive landlords trying to take advantage of their tenants.
Tenants’ rights in the early stages of the rental process.
Here are a few examples of issues where Florida law offers protection to tenants:
- A residential tenant has the right to know why their application to rent an apartment was rejected.
- Federal law prohibits discrimination of residential tenants upon the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, familiar status (not allowing children or discriminating against pregnant women), and disabilities.
- Some states prohibit the discrimination of a tenant based on marital status or sexual orientation.
- A residential landlord may not use a different set of rules for assessing applicants
- A residential landlord cannot deny your rental claiming a “no pet’s policy” if you have a trained helping animal that assists you with a physical or mental disability.
Tenants’ Rights Post Rental Agreement:
- One of the most important rights of a residential tenant is the right to quiet enjoyment. This means the tenant can possess the premises in peace, without disturbance of hostile claimants. They will enjoy basic services like heat and hot water, along with elevator service for high rise buildings.
- Tenants have the right, under certain circumstances, such as prolonged landlord neglect, to withhold rent. For example, a situation where a tenant repeatedly reported an issue to a landlord and the problem was not resolved.
- Once a tenant moves in to a rental apartment or single family residence, the tenant holds the right to a habitable home. This means your landlord is required by law to provide you with a safe, livable space. What makes a living space uninhabitable? Unsafe conditions, holes in the floor, damaged ceiling, infestation with vermin, cockroaches, mice, etc.
- A residential tenant has the right to privacy. Unless there is an emergency such as a fire or flood, your landlord is not allowed to enter your premises without permission. If they plan to make repairs or show your apartment to future tenants, they must provide you with fair advanced notice.
- There are also residential tenants’ rights set in place regarding security deposits, both when they are required and when the rental is over. Your landlord must follow the limits set by state laws when setting a security deposit price.
- Rental rules must be consistent across all tenants. A landlord may not treat late rental payments differently depending on the tenant.
- A landlord cannot harass you or evict you for a discriminatory reason.
- Your landlord must return your deposit when the rental agreement has ended. Your security deposit may be used to cover unpaid rent or significant damages that exceed normal wear and tear of a living area.
If you are renting a property and would like legal review of your rental agreement, or you want to ensure your residential tenants’ rights are being protected, call Bruce Jacobs at our Miramar Law office for help.
Get A Free Case Evaluation – Call (954) 961-1993
Contact Bruce R. Jacobs to find out how he can help you. You can contact him by phone at (954) 961-1993 or by e-mail through this web site to schedule an appointment and learn more about your rights. He offers a free initial consultation.
Call (954) 961-1993