To: The Florida State House, The Florida State Senate, and Governor Ron DeSantis
Governor Rick Scott: STOP THE EROSION OF TENANT PROTECTIONS FROM FLORIDA’S LANDLORD TENANT ACT
VETO HB 77 - PROTECT AND DO NOT ERODE THE ALREADY LIMITED FLORIDA RENTER'S RIGHTS.
Changes sought to Florida’s Residential Landlord Tenant Act by SB 490 erode tenant protections and create more confusion than clarity to the Act, placing Florida’s 5 million residential tenants in jeopardy. This delete-all amendment proposed in Regulated Industries would, among other things:
ALLOW LANDLORDS TO EVICT WITHOUT NOTICE FOR MINOR VIOLATIONS
Subject tenants to eviction without a termination notice by removing the requirement of the notice of termination in cases of a “right to cure” violation. For example, a college student parking in the wrong space anytime during a 12-month period after notice would be subject to eviction without notice and may have no idea why they are being evicted. (Section 8, 83.56 (2) (b))
CREATE A “PAY WHAT YOU CAN” PRACTICE BUT RISKING EVICTION
Allow the landlord to accept partial rent and still evict the tenant – allowing landlord’s to abuse tenant’s by encouraging them to “pay what you have” but still evicting them, with no guarantee the tenant will receive a receipt or that the landlord will indicate the partial payment if an eviction is filed. (Section 8, 83.56(5)(a)
RENDER EVICTION NOTICES FOR APARTMENTS MEANINGLESS
Allows landlords and their attorneys’ unlimited opportunity to “fix” notices no matter how glaring the error. Completely erodes the purpose of the notices – to provide tenants an opportunity to save their homes – since there will be no repercussions for inadequate notices. (Section 11, 83.60(1)(a))
TENANTS GET ONE SCREEN REPAIR A YEAR
Current law requires landlords to maintain screens, crucial to the low income saving money on utilities. This bill bizarrely limits screen repair to once a year.
HB77 would give unscrupulous Landlords more power to initiate retaliatory evictions, for instance, if a tenant complains to an agency because they have no windows, leaking ceilings, no water, heat, etc. Working class renters ARE at risk already, especially if they cannot afford counsel. We need more laws to protect tenants, anything less will most likely cause an increase in homelessness, and a housing crisis for those who fall at the hand of irresponsible Landlords and the laws that protect them.
Protect Florida’s Tenants!
DO NOT SIGN HB 77, VETO HB 77 AND VOTE NO ON HB 77
Changes sought to Florida’s Residential Landlord Tenant Act by SB 490 erode tenant protections and create more confusion than clarity to the Act, placing Florida’s 5 million residential tenants in jeopardy. This delete-all amendment proposed in Regulated Industries would, among other things:
ALLOW LANDLORDS TO EVICT WITHOUT NOTICE FOR MINOR VIOLATIONS
Subject tenants to eviction without a termination notice by removing the requirement of the notice of termination in cases of a “right to cure” violation. For example, a college student parking in the wrong space anytime during a 12-month period after notice would be subject to eviction without notice and may have no idea why they are being evicted. (Section 8, 83.56 (2) (b))
CREATE A “PAY WHAT YOU CAN” PRACTICE BUT RISKING EVICTION
Allow the landlord to accept partial rent and still evict the tenant – allowing landlord’s to abuse tenant’s by encouraging them to “pay what you have” but still evicting them, with no guarantee the tenant will receive a receipt or that the landlord will indicate the partial payment if an eviction is filed. (Section 8, 83.56(5)(a)
RENDER EVICTION NOTICES FOR APARTMENTS MEANINGLESS
Allows landlords and their attorneys’ unlimited opportunity to “fix” notices no matter how glaring the error. Completely erodes the purpose of the notices – to provide tenants an opportunity to save their homes – since there will be no repercussions for inadequate notices. (Section 11, 83.60(1)(a))
TENANTS GET ONE SCREEN REPAIR A YEAR
Current law requires landlords to maintain screens, crucial to the low income saving money on utilities. This bill bizarrely limits screen repair to once a year.
HB77 would give unscrupulous Landlords more power to initiate retaliatory evictions, for instance, if a tenant complains to an agency because they have no windows, leaking ceilings, no water, heat, etc. Working class renters ARE at risk already, especially if they cannot afford counsel. We need more laws to protect tenants, anything less will most likely cause an increase in homelessness, and a housing crisis for those who fall at the hand of irresponsible Landlords and the laws that protect them.
Protect Florida’s Tenants!
DO NOT SIGN HB 77, VETO HB 77 AND VOTE NO ON HB 77
Why is this important?
Please veto HB77 which is clearly written to be pro-landlord and anti-tenant. Protect Florida residents from unscrupulous Landlords and launch a review and investigation on current Statutes that already leave Florida tenants vulnerable. HB77 makes the assumption that the Landlord is always right, and tenants have no worth.
Tenants who cannot afford counsel are especially at risk. To provide Landlords with even more protection without an honest, in depth look at what is happening to many Florida tenants would be irresponsible lawmaking.
Florida Landlords already have limited responsibility and there are few if any real regulatory agencies to force Landlords to maintain their properties or provide proper accounting to their tenants who pay the mortgages on their income producing properties. There is no aid for tenants who fall victim to these bad Landlords. If a tenant complains to a Landlord for lack of maintenance for instance, a Landlord can at any time, file retaliatory and fraudulent lawsuits against tenants and virtually force tenants and families into homelessness.
Statistics would probably show that single women, the elderly and women with children and minorities would be particularly vulnerable.
Tenants who cannot afford counsel are especially at risk. To provide Landlords with even more protection without an honest, in depth look at what is happening to many Florida tenants would be irresponsible lawmaking.
Florida Landlords already have limited responsibility and there are few if any real regulatory agencies to force Landlords to maintain their properties or provide proper accounting to their tenants who pay the mortgages on their income producing properties. There is no aid for tenants who fall victim to these bad Landlords. If a tenant complains to a Landlord for lack of maintenance for instance, a Landlord can at any time, file retaliatory and fraudulent lawsuits against tenants and virtually force tenants and families into homelessness.
Statistics would probably show that single women, the elderly and women with children and minorities would be particularly vulnerable.