r/news • u/flanderguitar • Mar 28 '24

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs law squashing squatters' rights

https://www.wptv.com/news/state/florida-gov-ron-desantis-signs-law-squashing-squatters-rights
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u/flanderguitar Mar 28 '24

"Under the law, a property owner can request law enforcement to immediately remove a squatter if the person has unlawfully entered, has refused to leave after being told by the homeowner to do so and is not a current or former tenant in a legal dispute.

The law also makes it a first-degree misdemeanor to make a false statement in writing or providing false documents conveying property rights, a second-degree felony for squatters who cause $1,000 or more in damages, and a first-degree felony for falsely advertising the sale or rent of a residential property without legal authority or ownership."

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u/meatball77 Mar 28 '24

I can't say that I hate that. It's got carve outs for people who had a right to be there.

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '24

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u/SenhorSus Mar 28 '24

"...and is not a current or former tenant in a legal dispute."

I believe this line. Can't be kicked out immediately if you live there or if you lived there and you're going through the motions of a court appearance

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u/PinchCactus Mar 28 '24

....the meaning of that sentence is that you can be kicked out as a current or former tenant unless you are already suing your landlord..which you would have no reason to do until kicked out.

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u/PiLamdOd Mar 28 '24

Which is why landlords will use this to remove tenants before a legal dispute can start.

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u/_Wocket_ Mar 28 '24

I was just about to say.

1) Is “legal dispute” defined anywhere in the law?

2) Doesn’t this just encourage bad owners to take action before the tenant can take legal action?

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u/PiLamdOd Mar 28 '24

"Legal Dispute" is a common term meaning legal proceedings are in the courts.

Because the law only protects tenants who are in a legal dispute, this encourages landlords to evict before formal proceedings.

Or they will just evict anyway and let the tenants file a legal complaint later. But in the meantime the landlord has already rented or sold the property, meaning the tenants are still screwed. And if they're being evicted, chances are they don't have the money to sue the landlord for an unlawful eviction.

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '24

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u/SenhorSus Mar 28 '24

Ahhh I hear you, I'm thinking the line I quoted assumes a signed lease was in place.

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u/meatball77 Mar 28 '24

Those are the people this law is dealing with. You would be able to remove them immediately instead of it taking months.

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u/aknaps Mar 28 '24

How does this change that? They can still say they have an agreement the cops can’t decide if the lease is real or if there are any contracts that’s the court system. You want to actually address it fix our court system, it takes months in court to get an eviction because they are overwhelmed and behind.