Overview of 3-Day Notice in Florida

It’s never an easy process dealing with an eviction. When it comes to dealing with tenants, there are certain laws a landlord needs to follow to ensure they don’t end up in a lawsuit. The same applies to serving a 3-day notice to quit in Tampa, Florida. There are certain measures a landlord needs to follow, and certain protocols set in place for delivering the notice to a tenant.

Three-Day Notice in Florida

The 3-Day Notice to Quit in Tampa, Florida is an official document served to the tenant from the landlord, in an attempt to fix a lease defilement. This 3-day notice is sent to a tenant who is not following the terms of the lease or the law or has failed to pay rent on time, given the grace period is over.

A landlord can then go ahead and serve their tenant(s) with a 3-day notice to quit and they are given the option to pay their rent and remain in the property or move out.

Laws to Follow for Serving 3-Day Notice to Quit in Tampa, FL

There are regulations a landlord must follow when serving a 3-Day Notice to Quit in Tampa, Florida:

• A landlord must serve a 3-day notice to quit in writing to their tenants in person (it can be taped to the door if they are not home) or by certified, registered, or regular mail. If a landlord sends it by mail, it is recommended to create a receipt to have as proof. It is important to note that a 3-day notice does not include weekends, holidays, court office closures, or the day the notice was given to the renter. The landlord will need to add an additional five days to the notice if they mailed it to the renter.
• A legal notice to quit in Tampa, Florida is 3-days.
• If a landlord is serving their tenant with a 3-day notice to quit, they must include the name of the tenant(s), the name, telephone number and address of the landlord, the amount of rent owed including the date it was to be paid on, and when it needs to be paid by. The notice should include a statement in regards to their nonpayment of rent.

Reasons to Send a Tenant a 3-Day Notice to Quit

There are a few reasons as to why a landlord would send their tenant(s) a 3-day notice to quit, and one common reason being that they failed to pay their rent on time. When a tenant fails to pay rent, after their grace period (if they have one stated on the lease agreement) the landlord can officially serve their tenant(s) with a 3-day notice to quit.

Another reason for a landlord to serve a tenant with a notice is if the renter is not following the laws or health regulations on the property.

Outcome of Serving a 3-Day Notice

The outcome of serving a 3-Day Notice to Quit will go one of two ways in Tampa, Florida:

• Tenant Obeys Notice

If the tenant obeys the notice and pays the full amount allocated for rent, he or she is permitted to continue renting the property and the landlord cannot evict the tenant or tenants. Although, if this continues to happen throughout the lease term, the landlord can repeat the eviction process in order to get their rent.

• Tenant Disregards Notice

If a tenant:

A) Does not obey the notice and disregards it completely, the landlord can take it to court and file a summons in order to grant access to their property back from their tenant(s).

B) Moves out but does not pay the full amount of rent owed, the landlord can use their security deposit if they gave one as long as they state what they are using their deposit for.

If there was no security deposit collected at the start of the tenancy, the landlord can take legal actions and sue the renter in order to get their rent money. More information can be found on the Florida Senate Page.

Disclaimer: This blog should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed attorney in your state. Laws frequently change, and this post might not be updated at the time of your reading. Please contact Cavalier Estates for any questions you have in regard to this content or any other aspect of your property management needs. You can reach us at (813) 344-0034 or by sending us an email from the Contact Us page on our website.