Florida Lease Agreements

Key Takeaways

• A lease agreement in Florida is invaluable for landlords seeking to create a legal rental contract with a tenant. 
• In Florida, security deposits cannot exceed one month’s rent. They must be returned within 15 days. 
• Landlords must give tenants seven days’ notice before eviction. Entry requires 12 hours’ notice. 
• Required disclosures include information about lead-based paint and the presence of any known mold.
• Our free Florida Lease Agreement templates comply with state tenant and landlord responsibilities laws. This includes sections about security deposits, rent payments, termination, and more. With this, both parties can relate harmoniously and solve disputes amicably when they arise.

Florida Lease Agreements by Type

Florida Residential Lease 

Residential Florida Lease Agreement

Used 4,872 times

Ensure your rental agreement meets all the state requirements in Florida with this lease agreement template.

Use Residential Florida Lease Agreement

Florida Room Rental

Employ a Florida Room Rental agreement when formalizing the terms of renting out a room in a residential property, ensuring clarity and compliance with Florida’s regulations for such rental arrangements.

Florida Apartment Lease 

Opt for a Florida Apartment Lease agreement when establishing a comprehensive and legally binding document for renting an apartment

Florida Month-to-Month Lease

Use this template when establishing a month-to-month rental agreement for residential or commercial properties in Florida.

Commercial Lease Agreement

Utilize this template when leasing a commercial property in Florida to establish the terms and conditions of the rental agreement between a landlord and a tenant for business purposes.

Florida Lease to Purchase

Utilize a Florida Lease to Purchase agreement when creating a contractual arrangement that incorporates both leasing and the potential purchase of a property.

Florida Sublease Agreement

Sublease Agreement Florida

Used 4,872 times

Take the headache out of subletting property by using a legally binding sublease agreement for Florida that meets all the legal requirements of the state.

Use Sublease Agreement Florida

Utilize this template when subleasing a residential property in Florida to outline the agreement between the original tenant (sublessor) and the new tenant (sublessee).

Understanding Florida Rental Laws

Florida Lease Agreements may address specific considerations related to the state’s property laws, such as regulations concerning property maintenance, eviction procedures, and disclosure requirements. A lease agreement template for Florida comes in handy here. Guided by legal principles and statutes, it defines interactions between a landlord and a tenant. 

Rent and Payment Terms 

Rent Setting

• Landlords in Florida can set monthly rent based on market forces.
• Tenants agree to pay the agreed-upon amount within the stipulated time frame upon signing the contract.

Late Payment Fees

• The landlord can charge a late fee for overdue rent.
• Late fees can be either $20 or 20% of the monthly rent, as per the agreement.

Notice for Non-Payment

• In case of non-payment of rent, the landlord must provide three days’ notice before initiating eviction procedures.
• For public housing, the notice period is extended to 14 days.
• The notice period excludes the notice day, holidays, and weekends.
• If the notice is sent via mail, the period is further extended to five days.

Security Deposit Regulations 

Account Handling

• Security deposits in Florida must be kept in separate accounts.
• Accounts can be non-interest bearing or deliver specific minimum interest amounts to the tenant.
• Landlords are prohibited from using the funds for other purposes until legally allowed post-lease termination.

Disclosure Requirements

• Within 30 days of receiving funds, landlords must disclose in writing to tenants:
  • Where deposits are held.
  • Whether interest accrues.

Refund Timeline

• Tenants in Florida are entitled to a refund of the security deposit within 15 days of moving out.

Duration of The Lease 

Florida law allows flexibility in setting lease durations in lease agreements. The most common terms range from annually to quarterly to month-to-month. For tenants signing longer leases, important regulations apply. For instance, if a landlord sells the property, the new owner must maintain the current lease agreement until it expires. 

Maintenance and Repairs 

Florida laws specify that landlords must maintain and carry out routine repairs. The landlord must ensure that the premises comply with building, housing, and health codes, plus provide essential services. They must offer tenants habitable and functional living conditions contractually. On the other hand, the tenants are responsible for keeping the place safe and sanitary. 

Additional Clauses 

Besides essential terms, a lease agreement template for Florida can contain other clauses, such as pet provisions and subleasing. Other addendums can include smoking policies and noise thresholds. The landlord can add clauses regarding their usage in building complexes with shared resources like pools and gyms.   

Disclosures

The law requires landlords to provide certain disclosures to tenants. Here are the required disclosures for a Florida lease agreement:

• Flood Zone Disclosure
• Radon Gas Disclosure (for certain counties)
• Truth in Renting Act Notice
• Bedbug Disclosure
• Fire Safety and Carbon Monoxide Detector Disclosure (for certain dwellings)
• Landlord’s Name and Address Disclosure
• Residential Landlord and Tenant Act Information
• Pest Control Disclosure
• Security Deposit Disclosure

Florida Lease Agreement Laws

The Florida state has substantial legal compliance responsibilities per housing statutes and codes. Failing to adhere to the extensive regulations comes with the risk of significant civil penalties or cost-prohibitive lawsuits. So, understanding and integrating the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act legal considerations for rentals is vital.