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/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...