Florida is one of the fastest eviction states in the country. The non-payment notice is 3 days. Once filed in Broward County Court, the tenant has 5 days to file an Answer and to deposit any disputed rent into the court registry — miss either step and the case is over. Florida also has no statewide Just Cause requirement and (since 2023's HB 1417) no local rent control. The flip side: Florida tenants do have a statutory right to habitable housing, a strong security-deposit statute, and a real anti-retaliation defense when they exercise their rights. Below: five vetted Fort Lauderdale-area landlord-tenant firms across both sides of the docket.
Florida eviction practice is technical and unforgiving. Both sides benefit from counsel, and the cost is usually predictable. Call a Fort Lauderdale landlord-tenant lawyer if any of the following is happening:
Chapter 83, Part II, of the Florida Statutes governs residential landlord-tenant. For non-payment, the landlord serves a 3-day Notice to Pay or Quit (weekends and legal holidays excluded). For a material non-compliance that's curable (excessive noise, unauthorized pet, parking violations), the landlord serves a 7-day Notice to Cure. For serious non-curable violations (intentional damage, repeated violations of the same provision), a 7-day unconditional termination notice. If the tenant doesn't comply, the landlord files Summary Procedure in Broward County Court.
Florida is the unusual state where the tenant must do two things within 5 days of service: file an Answer with the court AND deposit any disputed rent into the court registry. Failing either step is a default that ends the case in the landlord's favor. A Fort Lauderdale tenant lawyer's first move is almost always to get the Answer filed and the registry deposit organized.
Florida landlords must maintain the structural elements, plumbing, heating, and (where part of the rent) air conditioning. They must also comply with applicable building, housing, and health codes. Tenant remedy: give 7-day written notice; if the landlord doesn't act, the tenant can terminate the lease, withhold rent into the court registry, or sue for damages. In Broward's heat, AC failure and mold are the leading complaints.
Within 15 days of move-out if making no claim, or 30 days if making a claim, the landlord must send a written Notice of Intention to Impose a Claim by certified mail. The tenant has 15 days to object in writing. If the tenant objects, the landlord must file suit to enforce. Failure to follow the procedure forfeits the right to the deposit.
The landlord can't evict, raise rent, or cut services in retaliation for a tenant's good-faith complaint or organizing activity. Timing of the adverse action within a reasonable window of the complaint is presumptive evidence of retaliation.
Florida Statute 83.48 makes attorney's fees recoverable to the prevailing party in residential landlord-tenant litigation. That's why tenant-side firms can take strong deposit and habitability cases on contingency, and why landlord-side flat fees stay predictable on routine evictions.
Fort Lauderdale firm representing landlords across all of Broward County on residential and commercial evictions, real estate, and title insurance. High-volume Summary Procedure practice; experienced with the Broward County Court's standard scheduling. Strong landlord-side pick.
Fort Lauderdale tenant-side firm assisting renters across Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach. Eviction defense, deposit recovery, habitability claims, retaliation. Often the right call when you've already been served and need an Answer filed inside the 5-day window.
Fort Lauderdale civil litigation attorney with a focus on complex business and real estate matters, including commercial landlord-tenant. Useful when the dispute involves a multi-tenant commercial lease, an LLC-owned property, or a contested guaranty.
Attorney Robert A. Kerr handles eviction work across Broward County on flat-fee terms with free consultations. Lean, focused practice — useful for small landlords with a single non-paying tenant who want a predictable bill.
Established Fort Lauderdale mid-size litigation firm; William R. Scherer III is a recognized Super Lawyer with experience in Florida landlord-tenant matters and complex real estate disputes. Best fit for high-stakes commercial cases, portfolio-landlord disputes, or matters with multi-party complexity.
If you are a low-income Broward tenant facing eviction, Legal Aid Service of Broward County (954-765-8950) provides free representation for qualifying tenants.
Tell us briefly what's going on. We route a confidential request to the best-fit Fort Lauderdale landlord-tenant firm in this directory.