15 | 15 | | An act relating to fees in lieu of security deposits; 2 |
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16 | 16 | | creating s. 83.491, F.S.; authorizing a landlord to 3 |
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17 | 17 | | offer a tenant the option to pay a fee in lieu of a 4 |
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18 | 18 | | security deposit; authorizing a landlord to offer a 5 |
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19 | 19 | | tenant the option to pay the security deposit in a 6 |
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20 | 20 | | specified manner; requiring the landlord to notify the 7 |
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21 | 21 | | tenant of certain unpaid fees and costs within a 8 |
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22 | 22 | | specified time after the conclusion of the tenancy; 9 |
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23 | 23 | | prohibiting the landlord from filing an insurance 10 |
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24 | 24 | | claim within a specified period of time; prov iding 11 |
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25 | 25 | | requirements for the landlord and insurer if an 12 |
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26 | 26 | | insurance claim to recover certain losses is filed; 13 |
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27 | 27 | | prohibiting the landlord from accepting certain 14 |
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28 | 28 | | payments; requiring the landlord to provide certain 15 |
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29 | 29 | | written notice to the tenant; requiring a written 16 |
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30 | 30 | | agreement signed by the landlord, or the landlord's 17 |
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31 | 31 | | agent, and the tenant if the tenant decides to pay a 18 |
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32 | 32 | | fee in lieu of the security deposit; prohibiting the 19 |
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33 | 33 | | written agreement from contradicting specified laws; 20 |
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34 | 34 | | requiring that the written agreement contain certain 21 |
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35 | 35 | | information; requiring a specified disclosure in the 22 |
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36 | 36 | | written agreement; providing options for paying the 23 |
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37 | 37 | | fee; specifying that certain fees, insurance products, 24 |
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38 | 38 | | and surety bonds are not security deposits; specifying 25 |
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46 | 46 | | Page 2 of 9 |
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47 | 47 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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48 | 48 | | |
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49 | 49 | | |
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50 | 50 | | |
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51 | 51 | | that landlords have exclusive dis cretion as to whether 26 |
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52 | 52 | | to offer tenants the option to pay a fee in lieu of a 27 |
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53 | 53 | | security deposit; prohibiting a landlord from 28 |
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54 | 54 | | approving or denying an application for occupancy 29 |
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55 | 55 | | based on a prospective tenant's choice to pay a fee in 30 |
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56 | 56 | | lieu of a security deposit; r equiring that landlords 31 |
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57 | 57 | | who offer a tenant the fee option offer such option to 32 |
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58 | 58 | | all new tenants renting a dwelling unit on the same 33 |
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59 | 59 | | premises; providing an exception; providing 34 |
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60 | 60 | | construction; providing applicability; providing an 35 |
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61 | 61 | | effective date. 36 |
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62 | 62 | | 37 |
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63 | 63 | | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 38 |
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64 | 64 | | 39 |
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65 | 65 | | Section 1. Section 83.491, Florida Statutes, is created to 40 |
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66 | 66 | | read: 41 |
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67 | 67 | | 83.491 Fee in lieu of security deposit. — 42 |
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68 | 68 | | (1)(a) If a rental agreement requires a security deposit, 43 |
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69 | 69 | | a landlord may offer a tenant the option to pay a fee in lieu of 44 |
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70 | 70 | | a security deposit. 45 |
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71 | 71 | | (b) A landlord may provide a tenant the option of paying a 46 |
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72 | 72 | | security deposit in monthly installments in an amount that is 47 |
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73 | 73 | | agreed upon between the tenant and the landlord while 48 |
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74 | 74 | | participating in the fee pr ogram. 49 |
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75 | 75 | | (2)(a) If a tenant agrees to pay a fee in lieu of a 50 |
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83 | 83 | | Page 3 of 9 |
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84 | 84 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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85 | 85 | | |
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86 | 86 | | |
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87 | 87 | | |
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88 | 88 | | security deposit, the landlord must notify the tenant within 30 51 |
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89 | 89 | | days after the conclusion of the tenancy if there are any costs 52 |
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90 | 90 | | or fees due resulting from unpaid rent, fees, or other 53 |
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91 | 91 | | obligations under the rental agreement, including, but not 54 |
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92 | 92 | | limited to, costs required for repairing damage to the premises 55 |
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93 | 93 | | beyond normal wear and tear. 56 |
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94 | 94 | | (b) A landlord may not submit a claim to an insurer to 57 |
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95 | 95 | | recover the landlord's losses associated with unpaid rent, fees, 58 |
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96 | 96 | | or other obligations under the rental agreement, including, but 59 |
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97 | 97 | | not limited to, costs required for repairing damage to the 60 |
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98 | 98 | | premises beyond normal wear and tear until at least 15 days 61 |
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99 | 99 | | after providing the tenant with the required notice under 62 |
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100 | 100 | | paragraph (a). 63 |
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101 | 101 | | 1. The landlord must include an itemized list of any 64 |
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102 | 102 | | unpaid amounts and the dates such amounts were due, 65 |
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103 | 103 | | documentation supporting any itemized damages and costs of 66 |
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104 | 104 | | repairs, and a copy of any written objection or report of any 67 |
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105 | 105 | | communication of objec tion by the tenant when the landlord 68 |
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106 | 106 | | submits a claim to an insurer. 69 |
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107 | 107 | | 2. If an insurer pays a claim that was submitted under 70 |
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108 | 108 | | this subsection to a landlord and the insurer has subrogation 71 |
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109 | 109 | | rights, the insurer may, within 1 year after the tenancy that 72 |
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110 | 110 | | was the subject of the claim ends, seek reimbursement from the 73 |
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111 | 111 | | tenant for the amounts paid to the landlord. If the insurer 74 |
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112 | 112 | | seeks reimbursement from the tenant, the following apply: 75 |
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121 | 121 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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123 | 123 | | |
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124 | 124 | | |
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125 | 125 | | a. The insurer must provide the tenant with all 76 |
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126 | 126 | | documentation for losses which t he landlord provided to the 77 |
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127 | 127 | | insurer in support of the landlord's claim and a copy of the 78 |
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128 | 128 | | settlement statement documenting the insurer's payment of the 79 |
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129 | 129 | | landlord's claim. 80 |
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130 | 130 | | b. The tenant retains any defenses against the insurer 81 |
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131 | 131 | | which the tenant would otherwi se have against the landlord. 82 |
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132 | 132 | | 3. A landlord may not accept payment from both a tenant 83 |
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133 | 133 | | and an insurer for amounts associated with the same rent, fees, 84 |
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134 | 134 | | or damages. 85 |
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135 | 135 | | (3) If a landlord offers a tenant the option to pay a fee 86 |
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136 | 136 | | in lieu of a security deposit, t he landlord must notify the 87 |
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137 | 137 | | tenant in writing of all of the following: 88 |
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138 | 138 | | (a) That the tenant has the option to pay a security 89 |
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139 | 139 | | deposit instead of the fee at any time. 90 |
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140 | 140 | | (b) That the tenant may, at any time, terminate the 91 |
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141 | 141 | | agreement to pay the fee in lieu of the security deposit and 92 |
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142 | 142 | | instead pay a security deposit as listed in a rental agreement 93 |
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143 | 143 | | between the landlord and tenant or, if a security deposit was 94 |
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144 | 144 | | not agreed upon in a rental agreement between the landlord and 95 |
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145 | 145 | | tenant, in the amount that is otherwise offered to new tenants 96 |
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146 | 146 | | for a substantially similar dwelling unit on the date that the 97 |
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147 | 147 | | tenant terminates the agreement. 98 |
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148 | 148 | | (c) That the tenant may choose to pay the securit y deposit 99 |
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149 | 149 | | in monthly installments in an amount that is agreed upon between 100 |
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157 | 157 | | Page 5 of 9 |
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158 | 158 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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159 | 159 | | |
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160 | 160 | | |
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161 | 161 | | |
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162 | 162 | | the landlord and tenant while participating in the fee program. 101 |
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163 | 163 | | (d) Whether any additional charges apply for the options 102 |
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164 | 164 | | provided in paragraphs (a) and (b). 103 |
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165 | 165 | | (e) The amount of th e payments required for each option 104 |
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166 | 166 | | the landlord offers. 105 |
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167 | 167 | | (f) That the fee is nonrefundable, if applicable. 106 |
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168 | 168 | | (g) That the fee is only for securing occupancy without 107 |
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169 | 169 | | paying a required security deposit. 108 |
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170 | 170 | | (h) That the fee payment does not limit or change t he 109 |
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171 | 171 | | tenant's obligation to pay rent and fees, if any, under the 110 |
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172 | 172 | | rental agreement or limit or change the tenant's obligation to 111 |
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173 | 173 | | pay the costs of repairing damage to the premises beyond normal 112 |
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174 | 174 | | wear and tear. 113 |
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175 | 175 | | (i) That if the landlord uses any portion of the fee to 114 |
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176 | 176 | | purchase insurance, the tenant is not insured and is not a 115 |
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177 | 177 | | beneficiary of the landlord's insurance coverage, and that the 116 |
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178 | 178 | | insurance does not limit or change the tenant's obligations to 117 |
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179 | 179 | | pay rent and fees under the rental agreement or change the 118 |
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180 | 180 | | tenant's obligation to pay the costs of repairing damage to the 119 |
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181 | 181 | | premises beyond normal wear and tear. 120 |
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182 | 182 | | (4)(a) If a tenant decides to pay a fee in lieu of a 121 |
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183 | 183 | | security deposit, a written agreement to collect the fee must be 122 |
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184 | 184 | | signed by the landlord, or the landlord 's agent, and the tenant. 123 |
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185 | 185 | | The written agreement may not contain any clause that 124 |
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186 | 186 | | contradicts s. 83.45 or s. 83.47. The written agreement must, at 125 |
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199 | 199 | | a minimum, specify all of the following: 126 |
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200 | 200 | | 1. The amount of the fee, which may not be increased 127 |
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201 | 201 | | during the term of the rental agreement. 128 |
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202 | 202 | | 2. How and when the fee is to be collected. 129 |
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203 | 203 | | 3. The process and timeframe during which a tenant must 130 |
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204 | 204 | | pay the security deposit specified in the rental agreement if 131 |
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205 | 205 | | the tenant defaults on paying the fee, and that such default 132 |
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206 | 206 | | will not adversely affect the tenant's credit rating if the 133 |
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207 | 207 | | security deposit is timely paid. 134 |
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208 | 208 | | 4. That the written agreement may be terminated at any 135 |
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209 | 209 | | time as long as the tenant pays the amount of the security 136 |
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210 | 210 | | deposit specified in the rental agreement. 137 |
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211 | 211 | | 5. If the tenant pays the amount of the security deposit 138 |
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212 | 212 | | specified in the rental agreement, then the tenant's default on 139 |
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213 | 213 | | paying the fee or termination of the written agreement may not 140 |
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214 | 214 | | adversely impact the tenant's credit report. 141 |
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215 | 215 | | (b) The written agreement spec ified under paragraph (a) 142 |
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216 | 216 | | must also include a disclosure in substantially the following 143 |
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217 | 217 | | form: 144 |
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218 | 218 | | 145 |
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219 | 219 | | FEE IN LIEU OF SECURITY DEPOSIT 146 |
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220 | 220 | | 147 |
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221 | 221 | | THIS FEE IS NOT A SECURITY DEPOSIT AND PAYMENT OF THE 148 |
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222 | 222 | | FEE DOES NOT ABSOLVE THE TENANT OF ANY OBLIGATIONS 149 |
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223 | 223 | | UNDER THE RENTAL AGREE MENT, INCLUDING THE OBLIGATION 150 |
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231 | 231 | | Page 7 of 9 |
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232 | 232 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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234 | 234 | | |
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235 | 235 | | |
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236 | 236 | | TO PAY RENT AS IT BECOMES DUE AND ANY COSTS AND 151 |
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237 | 237 | | DAMAGES BEYOND NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR WHICH THE TENANT 152 |
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238 | 238 | | OR HIS OR HER GUESTS MAY CAUSE. 153 |
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239 | 239 | | 154 |
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240 | 240 | | THE TENANT MAY TERMINATE THIS AGREEMENT AT ANY TIME 155 |
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241 | 241 | | AND STOP PAYING THE FEE AND INSTEAD PAY THE SECURITY 156 |
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242 | 242 | | DEPOSIT AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 83.491, FLORIDA 157 |
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243 | 243 | | STATUTES. 158 |
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244 | 244 | | 159 |
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245 | 245 | | THIS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN ENTERED INTO VOLUNTARILY BY 160 |
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246 | 246 | | BOTH PARTIES AND THE TENANT AGREES TO PAY THE LANDLORD 161 |
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247 | 247 | | A FEE IN LIEU OF A SECURITY DEPOSIT AS AUTHORIZED 162 |
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248 | 248 | | UNDER SECTION 83.491, FLORI DA STATUTES. IF THE 163 |
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249 | 249 | | LANDLORD USES ANY PORTION OF THE TENANT'S FEE TO 164 |
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250 | 250 | | PURCHASE INSURANCE, THE TENANT IS NOT INSURED AND IS 165 |
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251 | 251 | | NOT A BENEFICIARY OF SUCH COVERAGE, AND THE INSURANCE 166 |
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252 | 252 | | DOES NOT CHANGE THE TENANT'S FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS 167 |
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253 | 253 | | UNDER THE RENTAL AGREEMENT. 168 |
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254 | 254 | | 169 |
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255 | 255 | | THIS DISCLOSURE IS BASIC. PLEASE REFER TO PART II OF 170 |
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256 | 256 | | CHAPTER 83, FLORIDA STATUTES, TO DETERMINE YOUR LEGAL 171 |
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257 | 257 | | RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. 172 |
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258 | 258 | | 173 |
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259 | 259 | | (5) A fee in lieu of a security deposit may be: 174 |
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260 | 260 | | (a) A recurring monthly fee, payable on the same date that 175 |
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268 | 268 | | Page 8 of 9 |
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269 | 269 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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270 | 270 | | |
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271 | 271 | | |
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272 | 272 | | |
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273 | 273 | | the rent payment is due under the rental agreement; or 176 |
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274 | 274 | | (b) Payable upon a schedule that the landlord and tenant 177 |
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275 | 275 | | choose and as specified in the written agreement. 178 |
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276 | 276 | | (6) A fee collected under this section, or an insurance 179 |
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277 | 277 | | product or a surety bond accepted, by a landlor d in lieu of a 180 |
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278 | 278 | | security deposit is not a security deposit as defined in s. 181 |
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279 | 279 | | 83.43(12). 182 |
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280 | 280 | | (7) A landlord has exclusive discretion as to whether to 183 |
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281 | 281 | | offer tenants the option to pay a fee in lieu of a security 184 |
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282 | 282 | | deposit and is not required to offer such fee optio n to tenants. 185 |
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283 | 283 | | However, if a landlord offers a tenant an option to pay a fee in 186 |
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284 | 284 | | lieu of a security deposit, the landlord may not use a 187 |
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285 | 285 | | prospective tenant's choice to pay, or offer to pay, a fee in 188 |
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286 | 286 | | lieu of a security deposit as criteria in the determination to 189 |
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287 | 287 | | approve or deny an application for occupancy, and the landlord 190 |
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288 | 288 | | must also offer all new tenants renting a dwelling unit on the 191 |
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289 | 289 | | same premises the option to pay a fee in lieu of a security 192 |
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290 | 290 | | deposit, unless the landlord chooses to prospectively terminate 193 |
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291 | 291 | | the fee option for all new rental agreements. 194 |
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292 | 292 | | (8)(a) This section does not: 195 |
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293 | 293 | | 1. Require a fee collected in lieu of a security deposit 196 |
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294 | 294 | | to be used to purchase an insurance product or a surety bond; or 197 |
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295 | 295 | | 2. Prohibit a tenant from being offered or sold an 198 |
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296 | 296 | | insurance product or a surety bond to present to the landlord in 199 |
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297 | 297 | | lieu of a security deposit if the offer or sale of such 200 |
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305 | 305 | | Page 9 of 9 |
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306 | 306 | | F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S |
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307 | 307 | | |
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308 | 308 | | |
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309 | 309 | | |
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310 | 310 | | insurance product or surety bond complies with the laws of this 201 |
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311 | 311 | | state. 202 |
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312 | 312 | | (b) Acceptance by a landlord of an insurance product or a 203 |
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313 | 313 | | surety bond that is purchased or procured by a tenant, a 204 |
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314 | 314 | | landlord, or an agent of the landlord may not be considered an 205 |
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315 | 315 | | offer on the part of the landlord to allow a tenant to pay a fee 206 |
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316 | 316 | | in lieu of a security deposit for the purposes of subsection 207 |
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317 | 317 | | (7). 208 |
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318 | 318 | | (9) This section applies to rental agreements entered into 209 |
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319 | 319 | | or renewed on or after July 1, 2023. 210 |
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320 | 320 | | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 211 |
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