One thing I can say about the rental laws in FL, is that from what I see they seem to be fair to both properties. The tenant has certain rights, as well as the landlord. The book I referenced earlier covers the rights of both parties. In fact, I encourage my tenants to buy the book. To the best of my knowledge, I don't think any of them ever have bought it in my 30 plus years as a landlord. But I still do all I can to ensure that all I do as a landlord is legal and binding in respect to both myself as a landlord, and my tenant. Using that book as my guide has made my life as a landlord *so* *must* *easier* and no question that it's been completely stress free too.
I truly believe that one thing that makes the difference for me, is attitude and perspective. Basically, you have two types of rental property owners. Slumlords and Landlords. Here's how I see the difference.
Slumlords make their money off the rental income. If something breaks, the only way to get a slumlord to respond is to withhold the rent. Then when they show up in person to collect the rent, they fix the problem, you pay the rent. If they won't fix the problem, then you the tenant fix the problem with the rent money, and pay the slumlord anything left over, if there is anything left over. If the slumlord tries to evict you, a simple explanation to the judge of what you did and why you did it (along with documentation to support your explanation) and the judge will admonish the slumlord and "may" even order a judgement payment to the tenant.
A landlord does not make their money from the rent. They invest any money left over from the rent after paying things like the mortgage, back into the property. A landlord makes there money in the long term from the "investment". The landlord responds to tenant concerns in a timely manner and *FIXES* the problem using he money left over from the rent. Then down the road when they sell the property, *that* is where they make their money with the increase in the property value *because* they fixed things and kept it up. That's me. That's how I do things.
