An executive order suspending residential evictions in Florida for non-payment of rent expires Tuesday, June 2 at 12:01 a.m.
Gov. DeSantis, who signed the moratorium on April 2, had extended the deadline from May 15.
As for another extension, “I haven’t decided yet. Pretty soon, we’ve got a bunch of different things that are expiring,” Gov. DeSantis says.
Local real estate attorney Phil Revah explains, “For residential tenants don’t be so sure that you can’t be evicted because non-payment of rent is only one ground among many grounds that a tenant can be evicted on.”
A tenant could also be evicted for housing unauthorized residents or for illegal activity. Those types of evictions are not prevented under the governor’s order.
“A lot of tenants are walking around who think they are immune and a lot of landlords are walking around who think they are powerless to do anything, well that’s not the case,” adds Revah. “My advice to them is to try and work out a resolution without jumping into a court action, without filing an eviction lawsuit for possession against their tenants.”
In order to provide much needed #COVID19 support to Floridians, today I signed an Executive Order that extends mortgage foreclosure and eviction relief until June 2. See the Executive Order here – https://t.co/fo1arg2wdx
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 14, 2020
However, certain steps need to be considered when a landlord is determined to evict a tenant.
Revah explains, “Like Palm Beach County for instance, you can file the suit, you can serve the tenant, the clerk of the court is issuing summons against tenants, even residential tenants that fail to pay rent and you could even precede to a judgment of eviction.”
Even if the state moratorium does end on June 2, some residents will still have more time.
For landlords who have a federally backed mortgage, the Federal CARES Act stops the filing of those evictions until July 25.
Click here to determine protection from the moratorium on evictions.