A Florida rental application streamlines the applicant screening process. The document provides landlords with a fair and objective basis for accepting or denying prospective tenants for a lease agreement.
Laws
- Application Fee – Non-refundable.
- Fee Limits – No limits.
- Security Deposit – No limits (no statute).
Application Fee
- The landlord typically requests a fee for the background, credit, and eviction history checks. An applicant’s willingness to pay a small sum shows they are serious about renting the property.
- Florida does not limit the amount a landlord may charge, but landlords should set an amount approximate to the expenses incurred for processing the application.
Fair Housing Protections
- Landlords cannot refuse to sell or rent, or make a dwelling unavailable after a bona fide offer, based on race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status, or religion.
- It is unlawful to discriminate in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental, or in related services or facilities, based on race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, familial status, or religion. [1]
- Florida has specific laws for using rental applications, what information you can request, and how you choose your renter. For instance, it’s also essential to include a question about the applicant’s military service. Suppose a landlord fails to comply with the seven (7) day rule. In that case, a property owner in the state must respond to prospective tenants who are active military members within seven days of receiving an application.
- Landlords can either accept the application and offer the applicant a residential rental agreement or send a rejection letter explaining why they are denied. If a landlord fails to comply with the seven (7) day rule, they must rent the property to the servicemember regardless of other factors they may have wanted to consider. [2]
Security Deposit Limits
- Property owners must keep any payments collected as part of a security deposit or pet deposit in a separate account from other funds. [3]
- Individual cities and counties may cap the amount a landlord can charge for a security deposit, limit when it must be returned, and impose additional restrictions.
Pet Deposits
Landlords are allowed to charge pet deposits. However, the state prohibits a property owner from charging a pet deposit if the animal in question is a service animal.
Sample
