For the past year, I have been living in a home under the management of Kelly Price Realty in Winter Park. Upon first signing the lease, my roommates and I were very careful to know what was to be expected of us in order to have our deposits returned. What we found out was quite shocking. In the state of Florida, the lessees, not the lessors, hold the most rights with regards to expectations. If you want to stay one step above “the man”, you just need to understand that they owe you more than you owe them.
For one, read the lease carefully, noting the many different nuances that guarantee your rights as the occupant of the domicile. Many times, lessors will take you for an idiot as it is their profession to lease and manage homes. Wrong. Show them that you aren’t a chump that can be yanked around at their every beck and call. The home must be equipped with safe and fully functional doors, locks and windows. Also, you are to expect to have the home free from any pests, including the sealing off of possible pest gateways into the house. Lastly, know that, in a home at least, they cannot just show up without at least 24-hours notice or else they are trespassing. Don’t let them do it!
Knowing your rights can save a lot of face when dealing with an arrogant or unprofessional leasing company. They expect you to go along with their every decision but know that you don’t have to. The one thing you must remember is, have everything in writing, that way if sh*t hits the fan, you’re the one on top!