What if a Florida tenant arrives home to his or her apartment and finds all personal belongings at the curb? Upon further investigation, the tenant realizes the lock has been changed on the apartment door. Is this okay? Can a landlord do this, or is it breaking a law? Real estate disputes often involve these types of issues.
A landlord typically has to provide a tenant notice in advance that he or she is being evicted. Such notice is normally issued in writing. If a landlord has adhered to real estate regulations and proper notice-of-eviction protocol, and a tenant refuses to leave the residence in question, it might lead to litigation.
The type of notice a landlord issues a tenant depends on the central focus issue, such as failure to pay rent or violation of agreed-upon rental terms. Property damage or suspected illegal activity taking place at a particular residence may also be legitimate reasons that a landlord might send out an eviction notice. A tenant is also typically given a certain amount of time to leave the premises, such as 30 to 60 days.
When real estate disputes between Florida tenants and landlords wind up in court, tenants are sometimes able to defend their reasons for refusing to leave their residences. On either side of this issue, it pays to have an experienced real estate law attorney by one’s side during proceedings. Such an attorney is well-versed and updated on current rental laws and regulations, and can determine a best course of action relevant to a particular set of circumstances.