Front Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Using Self-Help Law Books -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: Laws that Govern Rental Property -- Applicability of the Residential Act -- Applicability of the Nonresidential Act -- Rules of the Division of Hotels and Motels -- Rules of the Florida Department of Legal Affairs -- Nursing Homes and Related Facilities -- Local Laws -- Federal Laws -- Know Your Rights -- Doing Further Research -- Good Faith Obligation -- Fictitious Names -- Sales and Use Tax -- Towing Vehicles -- Chapter 2: Creating the Landlord/Tenant Relationship -- Screening Prospective Tenants -- Discrimination -- Agreements to Lease -- Leases and Rental Agreements -- Problem Clauses -- Options -- Forms -- Signatures -- Backing Out of a Lease -- Chapter 3: Handling Security Deposits -- Amount -- Bank Account -- Notice -- Interest -- Keeping the Deposit -- Special Rules -- Chapter 4: Responsibility for Maintenance -- Nonresidential Rentals -- Residential Apartments -- Single-Family Homes and Duplexes -- Constitutional Conflict -- Code Violations -- Warranty of Habitability -- Tenants' Responsibilities -- Lead Paint Notice -- Chapter 5: Landlords' Liabilities -- Injuries on the Premises -- Landlords' Warranty of Habitability -- Protection from Liability for Injuries -- Crimes against Tenants -- Crimes by Tenants against Nontenants -- Chapter 6: Changing the Terms of the Tenancy -- Assignment or Sublease by Tenant -- Sale of Property by Landlord -- Raising the Rent -- Modifying the Lease -- Chapter 7: Problems During the Tenancy -- Landlords' Access to the Premises -- Violations by the Tenant -- Violations by the Landlord -- Destruction of the Premises -- Chapter 8: Problems at the End of the Tenancy -- Tenant Holding Over -- Damage to the Premises -- Property Abandoned by Tenant -- Municipal Liens.

Chapter 9: Terminating a Tenancy -- Tenancies with No Specific Term -- Expiration of Rental Term -- Employment Rentals -- Early Termination by Tenant -- Early Termination of Residential Tenancy by Landlord -- Public and Subsidized Housing -- Early Termination of Nonresidential Tenancy by Landlord -- Early Termination by Armed Forces Member -- Death of a Tenant -- Options to Cancel -- Chapter 10: Evicting a Tenant -- Self-Help by Landlord -- Surrender or Abandonment -- Settling with the Tenant -- Grounds for Eviction -- Terminating the Tenancy -- Using an Attorney -- Who Can Sue -- Court Procedures -- Money Damages and Back Rent -- Tenant's Possible Defenses -- Tenant's Possible Countersuits -- Withdrawal of Money from the Court -- Abandonment after Dismissal -- Tenant's Appeal -- Tenant's Bankruptcy -- Landlord's Appeal -- Satisfaction of Judgment -- Chapter 11: Money Damages and Back Rent -- Making a Claim -- Amount -- Hearings -- Defenses -- Liens -- Distress for Rent and Replevin -- Chapter 12: Self-Service Storage Space -- Withholding Access -- Liens -- Chapter 13: Mobile Home Parks -- Appendix A: Table of Authorities-Case Citations -- Appendix B: Florida Statutes -- Appendix C: Eviction Flowcharts and Legal Holidays -- Appendix D: Blank Forms -- Index -- Ad Pages -- Back Cover.