Landlords: How NOT to Evict a Tenant in Florida

Evicting a tenant is never a pleasant process, but when you handle it properly, it doesn’t have to be very difficult. Unfortunately, many landlords in Florida try to do things their own way, which only causes problems and delays. The following are some common mistakes that landlords make, and can serve as an example of how not to try to evict a tenant in the state of Florida.

Demand Immediate Eviction

You can’t demand your tenants leave their home without going through the proper process. Even if they are very late on payments, you need to file the proper legal paperwork to evict them. In addition, you need to give them a three-day notice that you are even going to begin the eviction process,

Shut Off Utilities

Just because your tenants aren’t paying their rent does not mean you can shut off their utilities to try to get them to leave. This is against Florida state law and could put the tenants in danger too. When handled correctly, the eviction process really doesn’t take very long and helps to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

Move Their Things Yourself

It can be tempting to simply go in and move their things out of your property yourself, but that is a huge mistake. You absolutely need to follow the well-established legal process when it comes to eviction. If the courts approve your request for eviction, it is best to let the police or other professionals handle the actual forcing out of the tenants, if it comes to that. Never touch your tenant’s property without either their permission, or a very clear court order.

Negotiate with the Tenant

If a tenant is not paying or is in violation of your contract in some other way, they will likely try to negotiate with you to avoid eviction. As a landlord, it is in your best interests to have set policies, and not deviate from them at all. This will not only prevent you from getting drawn in to debates, it will also give the tenants a very firm understanding of what they can expect. This will help them to better plan for what they need to do in their situation.

Deal with Eviction On Your Own

Having to evict someone from your rental property is never pleasant, but it is something that will inevitably happen in this line of work. When you are forced to evict a tenant, you want to make sure you have an attorney there to ensure everything goes smoothly. If you try to handle it on your own, mistakes can be made, which can lead to lengthy delays. Contact The Law Offices of Ray Garcia to discuss your options and get the eviction process started.

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Law Office of Ray Garcia, P.A.

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