⚠️ Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making decisions regarding rental properties, leases, or tenant screening.
You’re ready to rent out your house in Florida for the first time but you don’t know where to start.
Renting to tenants is a very localized legal process. Cities and states like Florida have their own legal requirements to rent a house. It’s important for you to research the renter laws and house owner laws that are specific to your area.
What to Consider: Tenant Length and Risk
Introduction to Mid-Term Rentals
Airbnb and Nightly Rentals Airbnb is definitely geared towards nightly rentals. It requires a lot of communication and coordination, including scheduling cleaners, answering guest questions, and restocking supplies. But it’s the one that’s likely to give you the most cash flow. For tips on starting an Airbnb business in Florida, see Starting an Airbnb Business in Florida.
Mid-Term Rentals Overview Mid-term rentals are also furnished, and they’re usually rent to traveling workers or families whose house is undergoing repairs. These guests might stay for months at a time, but despite the stronger cash flow, they don’t remain for very long periods.
Traditional Long-Term Rentals Then you’ve got your traditional long-term rental where the unit is unfurnished. Tenants are usually responsible for their own utilities, and you’re signing for a year, typically a lease or more. It just depends on workload and risk tolerance.
Vacancy and Turnover Considerations Long-term rentals cover a solid amount of time, turnover stays lower. The higher the turnover, the higher the risk of vacancy between tenants or guests. Long-term rentals usually protect you from those vacancies.
How can you list your rental house in Florida?
Choosing the Right Platform There are many different platforms today. You’ve got Zillow Rentals, Apartments.com, and even Facebook Marketplace. People respond much faster on these platforms.
Creating Your Listing One of the benefits of using Zillow Rentals or Apartments.com is that you can take pictures of your property and create your own listing. Prospective tenants can view your property, search for you, and send an application or message directly on the platform. For a full guide on listing, see How to List Your House for Rent in Florida.
Accepting Applications You can even allow tenants to submit applications that include a credit report and criminal background check. You can review all of these directly on the platform.
Pre-Prepared Leases These platforms provide leases that are already prepared. Typically, you choose the state, and the lease will follow that state’s regulations. However, you are responsible for verifying its accuracy.
Customizing Your Lease You can make edits to these leases, such as adding house rules, adjusting price points, or setting holdover fees.
Signing the Lease Once you have the lease ready and are satisfied with it, you can send it to the tenant. They sign it, it comes back to you, and then you sign. Now, both of you have an electronic digital copy.
Understanding Costs These services are free to use. They earn from tenant screenings. Additionally, when tenants pay rent through the platform, they can choose: a bank account draft, which is usually free, or a credit card, which incurs a fee.
What tenant screening criteria you should use?
Legal Considerations When it comes to screening a tenant, part of this answer is actually a legal step. Some places will have rules. For example, if a tenant candidate has an eviction on their record, but it’s been more than the number of years the state allows, you can’t count it against them.
Security Deposits and Local Rules Some places require that landlords can’t ask for a security deposit that’s more than one month’s rent. It’s so important to research and follow local regulations before you list your unit for rent. Violating these rules in your description or requirements could lead to legal trouble.
Credit History and Evictions What I look for, regardless of location, is usually a candidate who has a credit history free of evictions. If they have anything in collections, I hope it’s not things like unpaid utilities. I also compare their debt to their income to make sure they can cover the rent and normal living expenses.
Income and Financial Stability You’ve got income, credit history, and credit score. I also check their financial stability by comparing their income to the rent amount.
References from Previous Landlords Next, I call their references to ensure previous landlords would want them back. Did they get their security deposit back? Did they give proper notice? Were there any complaints from neighbors? These questions provide insights that a credit report alone cannot give.
Criminal History Reports I review the criminal history report. Traffic violations appear on these reports, but they’re usually not a big deal unless it’s a repeated crime like driving without insurance. Such issues can affect their finances, and they might struggle to pay rent.
What to ask renters before letting them tour your house
When Pre-Screening Might Not Be Necessary When you have just listed your house and receive an influx of candidates who want to apply, pre-screening is not necessary. You should schedule an open house. If you hold a few open houses on the weekend, anyone who sees the listing or reaches out can come and walk through the home. Pre-screening isn’t needed in this case because you can evaluate them in person.
Avoid Wasting Time on Walk-Throughs After the initial open houses, you don’t want to waste time scheduling walk-throughs with everyone who is interested. Make sure they are likely eligible to apply. I usually call them and say, “Hey, I’m calling to schedule a walkthrough. I just want to make sure we’re both on the same page. Did you see the list where it says these are the requirements? We’re asking for a credit score of 650 or better, and two times the rent in terms of personal income.”
Handling Pets in Pre-Screening When discussing pets, assuming you don’t allow them, I ask, “What pets have you brought with you?” or “Do you have any pets you would bring to the property?” If they reveal they have pets, I explain, “Unfortunately, we don’t allow pets at this location.”
Why Pre-Screening Helps Pre-screening prevents wasted time. Some people don’t read the listing carefully. Others forget it and still plan to bring a pet when pets aren’t allowed. By asking in a neutral way, you allow candidates to be honest. Then you can confirm whether the property is a good fit for them.
What to Look for in Tenant Applications
Verifying Claimed Income Keep in mind what they claim as income versus what they’ve submitted as proof. Look at things like pay stubs, paychecks, or last year’s tax returns. Avoid relying on a bank statement where the source of deposits is unclear.
Checking Personal References You can call and verify personal references. Ask if this person is trustworthy. Would you rent to them? Are they on time? Are they responsible?
Confirming Employment Details Talk to employers to verify income history. This tenant says they make a certain amount of money, have been in this position for a certain length of time, and list a start date. Can you confirm these details? Are they in good standing at their workplace?
Contacting Previous Landlords Reach out to previous landlords. Make sure they would rent to this person again. Ask if there were complaints filed by neighbors.
Avoiding Discrimination It’s important not only to look at obvious factors like credit score and income, but also to verify the person without discriminating against any protected class.
How to Attract Tenants with Quality Listings
Posting Your Listing and Photos I copy and paste it, then post it on the platform where I’m listing. I also upload any photos I’ve taken of the property. For the photos, take large outdoor shots of the front and sides of the house. Then, photograph inside each room—both wide shots and some close-ups for key areas. For example, the kitchen might need close-up shots. If something doesn’t look right in the photos, add more lighting or zoom in to capture all elements of the room.
Tips for Photography You don’t need to hire a professional photographer. Just watching a few YouTube tutorials on taking real estate photos with your phone can help. Doing some research and practicing these techniques will improve your listing quality.
What Are Efficient Rent Collection Methods?
Streamline Your Rent Collection As a first-time landlord, I would highly recommend that you don’t do something like “Pay me with PayPal” or “Pay me with Venmo.” Having a streamlined rent collection process is crucial so that neither you nor your tenants forget payments. Attach an automatic late fee so both you and the tenant know when it’s applied. This prevents tenants from saying, “Oh, I’m sorry I paid late, can you just waive the late fee?” Consistency with expectations helps tenants pay on time and avoids late fees altogether.
Using Online Rental Platforms I use Apartments.com, but Zillow offers the same service, allowing you to set up your tenant through a rental portal. Tenants can link their bank accounts, and you can link yours. The platform transfers the rent directly to your account. It’s free for both parties, or tenants can pay with a credit card and cover the processing fee.
Tracking Payments and Avoiding Bounced Checks Another benefit of these online platforms is that you can see scheduled future payments. This gives peace of mind that payments are pending and will be made. I also appreciate that there are no bounced checks — you don’t have to deposit them at the bank and face fees. Everything is seamless with these apps.
How to Find and Keep Trusted Repair Professionals
Start with Your Home Warranty Company If you have a house warranty, every time you call for service, get direct contact with the technician who comes. If you enjoy their service, store their contact information. This way, you’ll have a trusted reference for future work that’s outside the home warranty coverage.
Use Review-Based Platforms Another option is to use platforms like Angie’s List, Yelp, or Thumbtack. You can see previous customer experiences and reviews to help you choose a professional. Once you find someone reliable, ask if they have a referral network. Often, service professionals know others in related trades or have family members in the business.
Check Local Resources Contact your local chamber of commerce to find reputable service providers. Keep in mind that independent providers might charge less because of lower overhead. However, focus on quality and referrals — cheap service that’s poorly done will cost you more in the long run.
What are landlords responsible for fixing in Florida?
Landlord vs. Tenant Responsibilities for Repairs I would like to see my tenants handle routine tasks, like cleaning the washing machine, cleaning the refrigerator, and changing light bulbs. Those things are pretty standard and routine.
Plumbing Issues: Tenant vs. Landlord Plumbing is not standard or routine. If a plumbing problem occurs, such as a clogged drain, my expectation is that the tenant will cover it if they caused it. For example, if hair slides down the sink over time or grease builds up and solidifies in the drain, the plumber will be able to see the cause when taking the pipes apart. If the clog is caused by a toy or something similar, the tenant will be responsible for the repair.
Landlord Responsibilities If the issue arises due to the quality or integrity of pipes that have deteriorated over time and need repair or replacement, I will handle it. Weather-related damage is also my responsibility. Essentially, I cover anything that is not the tenant’s fault, and that is how I view repair responsibilities.
Setting Expectations in the Lease Agreement It is important to include these responsibilities in your lease agreement so tenants know what is expected. You should also consider rules like whether tenants are allowed to put up curtains or store items that are visible outside or lean against the house.
When and How to Renew Leases?
Some places require 60 or 90 days’ notice. This means you have to send a letter in advance if you are going to renew their lease. In the letter, you should include the price you are offering or proposing.
If they choose not to renew their lease, mention what the monthly price will be.
Is Section 8 Housing a Viable Option for Landlords?
I think so. If you are willing to work with a third party like someone with Section 8 housing, it is a great option because the rent payment is partially guaranteed by the government. Tenants on Section 8 housing tend to stay in their properties longer. Just because they are on Section 8 doesn’t mean they are likely to be a bad candidate to rent to.
As a landlord, you still have the responsibility to screen and vet the candidate just as you would if they were not on Section 8. It is up to you to find a qualified tenant.
The Process The process is not difficult. If someone introduces themselves with a Section 8 voucher, all you have to do is work with them to fill out the paperwork. Section 8 will then send a representative to walk through your home to make sure it meets the standards, as it should be, and they will sign it off. You get paid directly from the tenant for whatever you contribute, and Section 8 makes a direct deposit into your bank account every month for the amount they cover.
Important Nuances One of the nuances is that this amount fluctuates from time to time depending on the income of your candidate or tenant. If they change jobs or are fired, the amount will change. You have to constantly update it.
Why Require Renters and Pet Liability Insurance?
Renters Insurance and Pet Liability If you have pets or your tenants are allowed to have pets, I would definitely think that pet insurance is appropriate. Make sure you as a landlord are covered based on the breed of pet they are bringing.
For tenants with renters insurance, a key factor is ensuring their belongings and property are protected. If something happens in the house that results in damage, this ensures they won’t come after you. It’s just to be safe, and it’s not that expensive either. Since you have to pay homeowners insurance, it seems fair for tenants to pay renters insurance. If you think it’s necessary, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask your renter.
Conclusion
Renting your house in Florida isn’t just about filling a property; it’s about building a sustainable system that works for you and your tenants. With careful planning, sharp tenant screening, and clear communication, you can navigate the process successfully. Being informed and prepared is the key to providing a safe, comfortable home while achieving your own financial goals.
5 thoughts on “How to rent out your house in Florida 2025 Complete Rental Guide”