West Palm Beach Landlord Obligations
In West Palm Beach and the State of Florida, a tenant is an equal party to a landlord. Therefore, the tenant does not have to agree to anything that a landlord proposes before the signing of a lease agreement. However, once a lease agreement is signed, both parties are bound by its terms, and there is no grace period in which the lease agreement can be cancelled after it is signed. Typically, oral agreements may be harder to enforce in court when there are non-monetary violations at hand.
West Palm Beach landlords are responsible for complying with health codes associated with owning a single-family home or a duplex. If no such codes exist, the property owner must keep the roof, windows and other structural components in good condition. However, a landlord may alter those responsibilities as part of a written lease agreement, as long as it is not inconsistent with Florida Law.
Furthermore, apartments must be kept free of ants, mice or any bugs capable of damaging wood. Tenants must have access to running water as well as heat and hot water during the winter. This does not mean that a landlord is obligated to pay for utilities. However, he or she may choose to cover some or all utility costs a tenant may incur.
If you’re a West Palm Beach landlord that has issues with a tenant complying with their obligations under the lease agreement and/or Florida’s landlord/tenant statutes, you may need a West Palm Beach Eviction Lawyer. It may be possible for a tenant to cancel the lease agreement if the landlord does not meet its obligations within seven days of a written notice of noncompliance. It may also be possible for a tenant to withhold rent until issues are resolved. The Law Office of Ryan S. Shipp, PLLC and its team of West Palm Beach Tenant Lawyers are here to help. Call us today @ 561.699.0399 to see how we can help. We serve Florida landlords with both commercial and residential evictions and property owners with unlawful detainers and ejectment actions throughout the State of Florida.
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