Renters' Rights
RENTAL RESIDENTS
Tenant's Bill of RightsRenters Have Rights
The City of St Petersburg has established the Tenant’s Bill of Rights which provides the following protections:
- Tenants must be provided with a copy of your Notice of Rights of Housing.
- Tenants must be provided with written notice before late fees are assessed.
- Tenants must be provided with written notice of any rent increases over 5%.
- Tenants cannot be turned away due to their housing voucher or other government assistance.
- Tenants must be provided with at least 21 days’ notice to terminate a month-to-month tenancy.
Report potential violations of the Tenant’s Bill of Rights to 727-893-7373.
Protect Yourself
Know your rights and remember to follow these tips:
- Before you sign the lease, make sure you read and understand the terms of the agreement.
- Notices to and from a landlord must be in writing and copies of all documents should be kept for your records.
- Before you move in and prior to moving out, conduct a walk-through with the landlord and document any damage with photographs.
- When you get ready to move from a rental unit, regardless of the duration, be sure to give advance notice as specified in your lease, settle all accounts, understand the conditions of the security deposit, provide a forwarding address, and leave the premises in a clean condition.
- Research code violation history at the location by contacting 727-893-7373 or searching the Codes Compliance online database.
All Residential Rentals Must Be Fit for Habitation
All rental units must be maintained to minimum property maintenance standards, including but not limited to:
- Doors/windows that function and lock; walls, ceilings, floors, and interior finishes maintained in good repair.
- Electric and plumbing maintained in good repair with hot water supplied to kitchen(s) and bathroom(s).
- Permanent heating source must be provided, and all provided appliances must function as intended.
If there is an issue with your unit for which you have not assumed responsibility under your lease, contact your landlord as set forth in your lease. If your landlord does not address the needed issue within a reasonable timeframe, issues can be reported to the City Codes Department at 727-893-7373.
Withholding Rent
You may be able to withhold your rent if your landlord fails to do what the law or rental agreement requires. Failure to follow proper procedures to withhold rent may lead to eviction. Please visit Pinellas.gov/landlord-tenant-information or contact legal aid for further information.
Florida Law does not allow a landlord to force a tenant out by:
- Shutting off the utilities or interrupting service, even if that service is under the control of the landlord.
- Changing the locks or using a device that denies the tenant access.
- Removing the tenant's personal property from the dwelling unless the action is taken after the surrender, abandonment, or recovery of possession of the rental unit due to lawful eviction or the death of the last remaining tenant
Retaliation and Discrimination Are Illegal
A landlord may not raise your rent or threaten to evict you because you reported a health or safety violation or filed a fair housing complaint. A landlord cannot treat you differently because of your race, nationality, disability, or sexual orientation, among other criteria. If you feel you have been discriminated against or retaliated against, contact the Pinellas County Office of Human Rights at 727-464-4880.
Legal Assistance
Seek help as soon as you know you will not be able to pay rent. Find Legal help before you receive a notice from your landlord. If you do get a “3-day notice” or any written notice that you have to pay or leave, reach out to legal aid the same day you get that notice. Your possible solutions depend on how soon you get legal assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
All residential rental units except mobile homes. Rental units refer to any residential housing unit that is occupied by a renter.
The new ordinance prohibits discrimination of prospective tenants based on their lawful source of income. If the voucher holder is able to pay the amount of rent being requested and meets other qualifications, they should be eligible to rent the unit.
If a landlord chooses to use an income-based standard to qualify all renters, then a renter using a housing voucher or other legal source of income can only have their income assessed based on the amount of rent they will be responsible for. Please see a 3-times income example below:
Rent = $1,500
Voucher = $1,000
Renter’s Responsibility = $500
Renter’s Required Monthly Income = $1,500 (3 x $500)
If a tenant has consented to receiving and signing documents via electronic means, then the Notice of Rights may be provided in electronic form rather than as a printed, paper copy. In order to demonstrate compliance, a signed and dated affirmation from the tenant would be needed.
A notice of late fees must be a statement informing the renter of the following:
- - That a late fee has been incurred
- The justification for the late fee (i.e., full rental payment was not received by the required date)
- The amount of the late fee, which is due at the time of the notice,
- If late fees will continue to accrue, a statement explaining the rate at which such fees will continue to accrue
- A reference to the language in the applicable rental agreement which establishes the amount in which late fees are determined.