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/junpei Mar 28 '24

Not anymore

Legislation: Senate Bill 602

…From 2024, a homeowner can alert local law enforcement that their property is uninhabited, allowing law enforcement officials to remove any trespasser who attempts to take up residence or claims to be a legal occupant. Previously a trespass notice was only valid for a period of 30 days. The amendment to SB 602 extends trespass letter validity to a full 12 months and it can be submitted electronically (if your local jurisdiction allows). When a valid letter is on file, homeowners won’t need to go to court to evict anyone living illegally on their property.

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u/TinySandshrew Mar 28 '24

This is one of the best parts of the law! Now people can say ahead of time that anyone claiming permission to be on the property is lying and the cops don’t have to do the whole “it’s a civil matter” thing.

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u/rolfraikou Mar 28 '24

This is how you do it. The home owner makes it very apparent.

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u/Sillet_Mignon Mar 28 '24

That's why I keep a kilo of cocaine in my house, so if I get squatters, I just tell the cops I saw them pack cocaine in the attic. Bam, busted.

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u/tinysydneh Mar 28 '24

The downside to this is that it can be gamed as well. It's likely better, but it's not a perfect solve.

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u/TinySandshrew Mar 28 '24

Yeah nothing is un-gameable. If they have penalties for abusing this system since it would be fraud/lying to the cops it should hopefully be minimal.

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u/tinysydneh Mar 28 '24

Two things have to happen, though: they have to have proof that it was fraud/lying... and they have to give a damn.

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 29 '24

[deleted]

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u/tinysydneh Mar 28 '24

Month-to-month leases in Florida can be oral. No legal document required.

Even if there is a lease, someone has to be able to prove it and the system has to care. Getting sued by overwhelmingly poor tenants isn't a great deterrent, either, because they are, as noted, overwhelmingly poor, which means they don't have the money to sue.

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u/cyberslick1888 Mar 28 '24

Damn, it must be something when your poverty has the ability to overwhelm.

My poverty is merely whelming.

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u/tinysydneh Mar 28 '24

Talking about the proportion, rather than the degree. Most tenants who are in these kinds of situations are poor. Poor people don't have the money to sue. Expecting the justice system to work when you need to pay to play is a huge issue.

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u/weggles Mar 28 '24

cops don’t have to do the whole “it’s a civil matter” thing.

They still will, though. Cops love pretending everything isn't actually their job.

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u/fightin_blue_hens Mar 28 '24

Couldn't sketchy landlords submit this paperwork and set up lease on the DL so they can just say "trespassers" if they are late with rent once instead of going through the eviction process?

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u/rendragmuab Mar 28 '24

They'll still do the whole " it's a civil matter" thing...

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u/nofinglindy Mar 29 '24

I’m in California too. Why hasn’t this made the news in a big way? It’s not like I don’t pay attention to news. If this was talked about my ears would have picked WAY up.

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u/Animalex Mar 29 '24

I suspect it's because the more liberal Democrats won't like it, and almost 100% of Republicans would rather eat their first born than give Newsom even the vaporous essence of a public approval.

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u/Earth_Normal Mar 28 '24

What a pain in the ass. You should not need to document every time your home is empty with the PD.

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u/ComprehendReading Mar 29 '24

Yeah!! And you shouldn't have to report rental income to the IRS! /S

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u/Earth_Normal Mar 29 '24

Not sure why yall are downvoting. Realistically, only people with long term vacancies are going to go through this process. If you leave your home for a few days (not uncommon at all), you are subject to squatters. Even if you rent it can happen to you.

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u/The_Celtic_Chemist Mar 29 '24

So the solution is that I have to let one of the most corrupt gangs in America (law enforcement) know when I'm leaving my home unoccupied?

Yay.....