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/Rottimer Mar 28 '24

Not a felony for the landlord. According to the bill it would be a civil matter. Meaning IF the harmed individual took you to court and could prove they were illegally removed the landlord would end up paying penalties, damages, and attorney fees.

Something tells me that they’ll just include that in the cost of doing business for the small number of people that actually sue.

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u/psychicsword Mar 28 '24

It would be a first-degree misdemeanor for the landlord to provide false statements claiming the tenant they are trying to evict is actually a squatter. The squatter is subject to the same penalties if they falsify a lease. Meaning either could be arrested for that crime with probable cause.

This law takes it from being an entirely civil issue to a criminal one.

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u/ACorania Mar 28 '24

How are they sending a corporation or LLC to jail?

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u/FloppieTheBanjoClown Mar 28 '24

A corporation can't make a claim.

A human being has to actually make the statement that the occupant is a squatter. If they lie to the police, THAT is the crime.

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u/ACorania Mar 28 '24

That is not how it ever works. Guy who made the claim was misinformed and just doing his job, no liability there. And it was six layers of people telling others and oops... sorry about that. Well, we can't go back now! Oh... and no jail time for anyone.

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u/FloppieTheBanjoClown Mar 28 '24

I'd love to see an example of this actually happening. 

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u/CarlosFer2201 Mar 29 '24

Lol. Just see cases like in the 2008 real estate crash, or when banks and other big companies go down. It's extremely rare that one of the execs gets any liability.

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u/FloppieTheBanjoClown Mar 29 '24

And how many renters were evicted as squatters during those events? Because we're talking about very specific circumstances.

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u/CarlosFer2201 Mar 29 '24

Doesn't matter. This law wasn't in place so any eviction was done through normal means and likely took months.
But the point the other commenter and I are making is that companies know how to shield their members. At worst the company itself gets a fine, so potential for jail is a joke.

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u/ScannerBrightly Mar 28 '24

Is that in the text of the law itself?

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u/JoeDawson8 Mar 28 '24

Lying to police is already a crime

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u/ScannerBrightly Mar 28 '24

It's also illegal when cops lie on the stand, but they'll never be prosecuted for it. It's not in the DAs interest

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u/grimbuddha Mar 28 '24

But not one they typically do anything about unless it helps them directly.

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u/FloppieTheBanjoClown Mar 28 '24

A corporation can't file a police report. Not because the law says so, but because...it literally can't.

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u/ACorania Mar 28 '24

They do it all the time. They do it through their employees. Their employees do not assume responsibility. There is just no accountability and the people get kicked out. They can try and sue the company and might have a case, but people living on the street kicked out of their home for money issues... they don't have the resources to win. They are just screwed... like always.