Florida landlord repair laws
What your landlord is required to fix, how long they have once you put it in writing, and what Floridalaw lets you do if they don't.
The deadline
7 days after written notice
Both § 83.56(1) and § 83.60(1)(b) give the landlord seven days from delivery of the tenant's written notice.
Fla. Stat. § 83.51 · Fla. Stat. § 83.56(1), § 83.60(1)(b)
What your landlord must maintain
Under Fla. Stat. § 83.51, a landlord must A landlord must comply with applicable building, housing and health codes — or, where none apply, keep the roof, windows, doors, floors, steps, porches, exterior walls, foundations and all other structural components in good repair and capable of resisting normal forces and loads, with plumbing in reasonable working condition — and, for most rentals, provide extermination, working locks and keys, clean common areas, garbage removal, and functioning heat and running hot water..
Conditions the statute covers
- ✓Building, housing, or health code violation
- ✓Roof, windows, doors, floors, steps, porches, walls, or foundation in disrepair
- ✓Plumbing not in reasonable working condition
- ✓No running hot water
- ✓No working heat during winter
- ✓Rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms, or bedbugs
- ✓Broken locks or missing keys
- ✓Common areas not clean and safe
- ✓No garbage removal or outside receptacles
- ✓Mold growth
- ✓Sewage backup or standing water
- ✓Dangerous electrical problem
What you can do about it
Once written notice has been given and the statutory period has passed, you may terminate the rental agreement under § 83.56(1), withhold rent and raise your noncompliance as a defense under § 83.60(1)(b), and seek the rent abatement § 83.56(1) provides — no rent accrues while the premises are untenantable, and rent is reduced in proportion to the loss of rental value where they remain habitable but diminished.
Florida has no repair-and-deduct remedy. Paying for a repair and subtracting the cost from your rent is not authorized here, and doing it anyway can put your tenancy at risk. Use the remedies the statute actually provides.
Retaliation is illegal
Section 83.64 prohibits retaliatory conduct — including eviction — against a tenant who has complained to a governmental agency or complained to the landlord under § 83.56(1), and it may be raised as a defense in any action for possession.
Limits and exceptions
The § 83.51(2) duties may be altered or modified in writing for a single-family home or duplex (§ 83.51(2)(c)); the § 83.51(1) code and structural duties may not. Florida provides no repair-and-deduct remedy, and a tenant who withholds rent must pay accrued rent into the court registry within 5 business days after being served in an eviction case (§ 83.60(2)).
Put it in writing — the way the statute expects
We'll write your notice citing Fla. Stat. § 83.51, the deadline it gives your landlord, and what happens if they miss it. Free to generate and download. If you want it sent USPS Certified Mail with tracking, we do that too.
Write my Florida repair noticeCommon questions
- How long does a landlord have to make repairs in Florida?
- Both § 83.56(1) and § 83.60(1)(b) give the landlord seven days from delivery of the tenant's written notice. That clock starts when your landlord receives written notice — which is why how you send it matters.
- Can I withhold rent or repair it myself in Florida?
- Florida does not provide a repair-and-deduct remedy — paying for a repair and subtracting it from rent is not something the statute allows here, and doing it can put your tenancy at risk. Your remedies are terminate the rental agreement under § 83.56(1), withhold rent and raise your noncompliance as a defense under § 83.60(1)(b), and seek the rent abatement § 83.56(1) provides — no rent accrues while the premises are untenantable, and rent is reduced in proportion to the loss of rental value where they remain habitable but diminished.
- Can my landlord retaliate if I ask for repairs in Florida?
- Section 83.64 prohibits retaliatory conduct — including eviction — against a tenant who has complained to a governmental agency or complained to the landlord under § 83.56(1), and it may be raised as a defense in any action for possession.
- Do I have to put a repair request in writing in Florida?
- Yes — and it is the single most important step. Under Fla. Stat. § 83.56(1), § 83.60(1)(b), the landlord's obligations and your remedies run from written notice. A text message or a phone call generally leaves you arguing about whether and when your landlord was told.
Moving out of this Florida rental?
Florida gives your landlord 15 days to return your security deposit under Fla. Stat. § 83.49. See the deposit rules →
Verified against Florida's published statute text on August 11, 2026 — read the statute yourself. General information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm.