When can a Florida landlord enter your home?

The 24-hour rule

For repairs, "reasonable notice" means at least 24 hours before the visit, and the visit has to happen between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. The notice used to be 12 hours. It went to 24 in 2022 (SB 898, chapter 2022-222), the same law that made apartment operators background-screen their employees under section 83.515.

Florida law doesn't say the notice must be in writing, but a text or email gives you both a record. If your lease says written notice, it has to be written.

"Sometime this week" is barely notice. Ask for a day and a time window.

Why a landlord can come in

You can't unreasonably withhold consent when the landlord wants to inspect, make repairs or agreed improvements, supply services you agreed to, or show the home to buyers, lenders, new tenants, workers or contractors. In a condo, the association's rules may also limit when contractors can work in the building, so a repair visit can end up on a weekday morning whether that suits you or not.

When no notice is needed

• With your consent, given at the time.
• In an emergency, such as a leak pouring into the unit below or smoke.
• At any time to protect or preserve the premises, such as closing up a home before a storm.
• When you unreasonably refuse entry that the law says you have to allow.
• When you've been gone for half a rent period, about 15 days on a monthly lease. That one doesn't apply if your rent is paid and you told the landlord you'd be away. Then entry is limited to your consent or protecting the premises.

Showings at the end of your lease

Many leases spell out a window near the end of the term when the landlord can show the home, so read yours. You can't refuse reasonable showings, but you can ask for reasonable notice and times that work. Three showings a day with no warning is hard to call reasonable.

If your lease allows showings with notice, a lockbox showing can happen while you're at work. Say in writing now if you're OK with that, and ask to be told afterward who came through.

When it turns into harassment

Under section 83.53, a landlord can't abuse the right of access or use it to harass you. Daily "inspections", walking in without notice when nothing is wrong, and turning up after 8 p.m. for something that isn't an emergency all point that way.

Keep a log of each visit with the date, the time, who came in and whether you got notice, and save the texts and any doorbell camera clips. Then send the landlord a short note citing section 83.53 and asking for 24 hours' notice and visits between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Under section 83.54, any right in the landlord and tenant act can be enforced in a civil lawsuit, and a dated log is the evidence a judge looks at.

Don't change the locks on your own unless the lease allows it. In apartments and condos, locks and keys are on the landlord's list of duties in section 83.51, and if your lease bars changing them, doing it anyway is a lease violation. Ask in writing first.