Florida backs up renters by giving them the opportunity to sue their landlord if they are not being treated right. Now this does not mean that you can sue your landlord because you are unhappy with the amount of rent that he is charging or the color of the furniture he put in the apartment – but it does mean that if he has caused you any harm or not provided you with adequate living arrangements despite you paying your rent, you could take him to court.
A few examples of when you could sue your landlord include:
- Entering your residence without warning. According to Florida law, the landlord must provide you with notice that he is coming onto your property. If you feel as if your landlord is constantly spying on you to see what you are doing or how you are treating the home and no amount of talking to him or even calling the police puts an end to it, you can sue for lack of quiet enjoyment.
- Spying on you with other methods, aside from entering the premises. As creepy as it sounds, landlords have been known to take video surveillance of tenants. No matter how warranted the case may be to see what is going on in the house/apartment, videotaping is not allowed and is a breach of the tenant’s privacy.
- Damage from mold to the property. We all know how wet and humid Florida can be – which is a breeding ground for mold. The landlord is responsible for repairing the damages that mold may cause to the property. If he does not do it in a timely manner, it could become a civil suit as mold can be damaging not only to the property, but also to the health of you and your family.
- Neglecting repairs is yet another reason to bring a landlord to court. This is especially true if the repairs that remain undone cause harm to someone on your property, whether yourself or a visitor. The civil suit could become not only one to have the damages repaired, but to recoup the medical bills and/or pain and suffering charges of the person that was injured.
Landlords are required to provide you with adequate housing. If you are unhappy with your living arrangements and have done everything possible to make them right without going to court, it might be time for a lawsuit. Just make sure that your complaints are valid to avoid making a fool of yourself.
