When Can a Landlord Increase My Rent in Florida?

Florida state law does not limit the amount that a landlord can increase the rent. However, if you’re on a fixed-term lease, your landlord can’t increase the rent until your lease expires. If you’re on a month-to-month lease, then your landlord can increase your rent at any time—as long as they give you 15 days’ notice before your next payment is due.

How much can my landlord raise my rent in Florida?

Unfortunately for tenants, there are no rent control laws in Florida. That means that your landlord can raise your rent by as much as they want—as long as they give you advance notice of the increase.

Can my landlord still raise my rent during the pandemic?

Although many states passed laws to protect renters from eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic, they haven't gone so far as to ban rent increases. There are no restrictions (temporary or otherwise) in Florida that prevent your landlord from raising your rent during this time. That said, you can always try to negotiate if you're faced with a rent hike—the rental market is uncertain for landlords, too, and they may prefer to have you stay at your original rate rather than search for a new tenant.

How much notice does my landlord have to give me if they’re raising the rent?

If you’re a month-to-month tenant, then your landlord has to give you a minimum of 15 days’ written notice if they want to raise the rent (or change any other terms of the lease agreement, including terminating it completely). If you're a week-to-week tenant, they only have to give you seven day's written notice.¹

If you have a fixed-term lease, the answer is a little more complicated. State laws don’t directly address how much notice a landlord has to give a tenant before increasing the rent. So, start by dusting off your lease and taking a second look. It may specify how far in advance your landlord must tell you about a rent increase—but, more likely, it will state how much notice you (or your landlord) must give the other to terminate the tenancy instead of renewing. Since your landlord can only raise the rent by replacing the old lease with a new one that requires higher rent payments, you can pretty safely assume that the notice period for ending a lease is the same as the notice period for increasing your rent.

But what if your lease doesn’t mention any of this stuff? Then you’re probably in the same boat as a month-to-month tenant. Assuming you pay rent in monthly installments, your landlord has to give you just 15 days’ written notice that they plan to raise the rent.² Fifteen days isn’t much time (most states require 30 days’ notice), so it pays to be proactive in Florida if the end of your lease is approaching. Get in touch with your landlord about the renewal process ASAP so you have a sense of how much the rent will go up.

What counts as “notice” according to Florida law?

“Notice” in Florida landlord-tenant law means a physical letter, either mailed or personally delivered to you. Your landlord can also drop it off at your residence if you're not there in person to accept it.³

Related articles

[1] Fla. Stat. Ann. § 83.57

[2] Fla. Stat. Ann. § 83.57

[3] Fla. Stat. Ann. § 83.56(4)