Florida Landlord Doubles Rent, Faces Backlash

Everything is expensive nowadays. In the past few years, the price of everything seems to have practically doubled. This goes for food, gas, and even living expenses.

In fact, many people are facing major increases in rent due to high demand. Renters are seeing their rent increase by 10%, 20%, 50%, and even 100%. This is what a tenant was facing after their heartless landlord decided to double their rent. Not only that, but the landlord posted the whole phone call on social media.

The tenant received a phone call from her Miami landlord, who proceeded to tell the woman — who had lived at the property for a decade — that her rent would be increasing from $1,100 to a whopping $2,500 per month. He told the woman that similar houses in the area are going for $2,500 a month. However, he would cut her a deal and accept $2,000 to $2,200 a month.

The incident was caught on video and posted on TikTok, where it has garnered close to 2 million views so far. The tenant is furious, threatening to burn down the house so that “nobody gets anything.” The landlord is unaffected, telling the woman that she either has to accept the new rent price or she will be given 30 days to leave peacefully.

In the second part of the video, the woman “dares” the man to give her an eviction notice. In a third video, the landlord can be seen sitting in his car in front of the property. He is on the phone with the tenant, trying to meet with her in person to discuss the rent increase. The tenant, however, is still angry and does not want to meet the landlord. She maintains that she refuses to pay more than $1,100 a month. She also says she is not leaving and has already changed the locks on the home.

The video has commenters in a frenzy, with most in support of the renter. Some commenters called it “legalized theft.“ Another commenter found it sad, as the woman had been in the home for 10 years and was obviously a good renter.

What is also sad is that while most states have rent control laws, Florida does not. A landlord can jack up the price as much as they want, as long as they give adequate notice. A landlord can raise rent once a lease period ends. For a year-long lease, a landlord must provide the tenant with 60 days notice in writing. For a week-to-week lease, that notice can be as little as seven days.

Seek Legal Help

Landlords and tenants can butt heads in many ways. However, money — particularly rent prices — tends to be one of the most common reasons.

Fort Lauderdale landlord/tenant dispute lawyer Edward J. Jennings, P.A.can help you understand your legal rights and inform you as to what you can do if your rights have been violated. To schedule a consultation, call 954-764-4330 or fill out the online form.

Source:

nypost.com/2023/02/03/florida-landlord-doubles-tenants-rent-to-2-2k-leading-to-fiery-social-media-backlash/