Florida Evictions Laws and COVID-19

One of the many ways in which the coronavirus affects our lives and economy is the laws around the topic of eviction.

On April 2, 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered a 45-day suspension of all evictions (and foreclosures) due to non-payment of rent related to the pandemic. It should be noted that the Governor’s order does not waive a tenant’s obligation to pay rent. Instead, it prohibits a landlord’s ability to evict a tenant for the next 45 days. Landlords will be free to initiate eviction proceedings after the 45 days have passed.

The general advice is for renters to continue paying their rent if they can or to reach an agreement with the landlord to make up any missed rent payments in the future if they are currently unable. And in turn, landlords are advised to be patient and allow their tenants to catch up over time when needed.

Unfortunately, circumstances often dictate and many times both sides do not see the same situation from the same point-of-view. Even more unfortunate are the situations where one party is knowingly attempting to take advantage of the other.

The 45 day moratorium on evictions in the state of Florida ends in mid-June 2020.

Our office regularly handles landlord-tenant disputes and we predicts the state will experience a short term influx of such cases in the weeks after the ban is lifted. If you require the expertise of an experienced law office to represent your interest in a matter such as we’ve discussed here today, or any other real estate based legal matter, we invite you to contact our office for a complimentary consultation.

The Law Office of Donna Hearne-Gousse, P.A.

(561) 582-5670

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