Being a landlord in Orlando, Florida, can be a profitable endeavor. This is particularly the case if you rent your property to Snowbirds and other “northerners” who are willing to pay a higher price to get out of the cold winters. But regardless of how many updates your property has – and how well your tenants take care of their Florida home – there will notoriously come a time when you will be called upon to make repairs. And, while you may not necessarily want to expend the time or the cost to do so, there are some rules that need to be followed when it comes to repairing or replacing various items that break in a Florida rental property.
In the Sunshine State, landlords need to fix various items within seven days.1 In fact, in all lease agreements that are signed by a landlord and tenant(s), there is an implied warranty of habitability, which means that the landlord is responsible for keeping the property in a “fit and habitable condition.” This requires that all of the vital services must be functioning, and that the property must also be safe and clean.2
If a landlord neglects to make needed repairs within the given time frame, tenants may have the option to stop paying rent until the landlord makes a reasonable effort to get the issue(s) solved. Alternatively, the tenant may also move out prior to the end of the lease, but without incurring a penalty.3
If you want to make sure that your Central Florida rental property is in good working order – but you don’t have the time to make the repairs yourself – bringing a professional property manager on board could be the ideal solution. Contact Us for more details on what a property manager can do for you.
1.) How Long Does a Landlord Have to Fix Something?
3.) Ibid.