Plain-English guides to getting your deposit back under Fla. Stat. 83.49, by Florida attorney Steven C. Fraser.
12 articles
Florida small claims court handles security deposit disputes. Here is how the process works, what happens at the pretrial conference, what to bring, and how the attorney's fee statute changes the picture.
October 26, 2026When several roommates share one Florida lease and one deposit, the deposit usually comes back when the whole tenancy ends, not when one roommate leaves. Here is how it works and how to protect your share.
October 19, 2026When a Florida rental property is sold, Fla. Stat. 83.49(7) requires the deposit to move to the new owner. Here is who is responsible, what the new owner is presumed to have received, and what to do.
October 12, 2026A refundable pet deposit in Florida is security money governed by Fla. Stat. 83.49. A pet fee or pet rent usually is not. Here is how to tell the difference and what the landlord can deduct.
October 5, 2026In Florida your security deposit is not last month's rent. Using it that way can put you in default, but the landlord still must follow Fla. Stat. 83.49.
October 3, 2026A practical move-out checklist for Florida tenants: document the unit, give proper notice and a forwarding address, and preserve the evidence that wins a security deposit dispute.
July 4, 2026A plain-English walkthrough of Fla. Stat. 83.49, the Florida statute that governs how landlords must hold and return security deposits, and the deadlines that decide who keeps the money.
June 27, 2026A step-by-step guide for Florida tenants on recovering a security deposit under Fla. Stat. 83.49, including the deadlines that decide most cases and what to do when a landlord keeps your money.
June 20, 2026Florida landlords have 15 days to return your deposit or 30 days to send a written claim notice. Here is exactly how the Fla. Stat. 83.49 deadlines work and what happens when a landlord misses them.
June 18, 2026Florida landlords can only deduct for actual damage beyond normal wear and tear and unpaid rent. Here is what counts as ordinary wear and tear and what landlords cannot legally charge you for.
June 16, 2026When a Florida landlord ignores the deposit rules, here is how to send a demand, file in small claims court, and use the attorney's fee statute to get your money back.
June 14, 2026Florida's prevailing-party fee statute means a landlord who loses a security deposit case usually pays the tenant's attorney's fees. Here is why that changes everything for tenants.
June 12, 2026