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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>It is a shame we could not clarify this in the last law change.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>The law is so unclear.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>3(b) states that unless the tenant timely objects to the imposition of the claim, the landlord may deduct the amount of its claim from the security deposit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Does this mean if they do object the landlord may not deduct? It would appear that way.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>This forces the hand into litigation over such a small sum OR the broker holding the money in the escrow account forever.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>FREC does not care if a licensee deducts (they won’t put this in writing though) and the end of 83.49 relieved them of the old time procedures.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>I am afraid to tell clients to just go ahead and do it because this could possibly be construed as civil theft. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Most of them do go ahead and do it. I have seen no bad ramifications but the tenant obviously did not call Leonard. :-)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Harry</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>LAW OFFICES OF <br>HEIST, WEISSE & WOLK P.A.<br>PH: 1 800 253 8428<br>FAX: 1 800 367 9038<br>"Serving the Property Management Professional"<br>Website: <a href="http://www.evict.com/">www.evict.com</a> <br>Email: <a href="mailto:harry@evict.com">harry@evict.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>THIS E-MAIL MESSAGE IS CONFIDENTIAL, ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED, AND INTENDED FOR THE PERSONS NAMED ABOVE ONLY. ALL OTHER USE, COPYING, OR DISTRIBUTION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org [mailto:landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Anthony J. Horky<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 28, 2013 3:05 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'RPPTL Landlord Tenant Committee'<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RPPTL LandTen] Action to recover Residential Security Deposit<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>In my opinion, s. 83.49, Fla. Stat., does not go far enough to guide the landlord and tenant on what happens after the landlord timely serves a notice of claim and the tenant timely serves its objection to the claim. Some argue that the landlord should not have to do anything after making its claim, regardless of the objection by the tenant. Rather, it is the tenant’s obligation to bring an action for breach of contract, specific performance, declaratory judgment, etc., to recover its security deposit. Others would argue that a landlord cannot self-adjudicate its right to claim the deposit under the lease. When s. 83.49(3(a),(b) and (c), Fla. Stat., are read together, it seems to suggest that the landlord has to bring an action to adjudicate its claim. After all, if the tenant fails to pay rent, the landlord must enforce its rights through an eviction action to remove the tenant. Arguably, if the tenant damages the unit, the landlord must enforce its right to keep the security deposit through an action for declaratory judgment or breach of contract. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Section 83.49 (3)(a) states the landlord’s obligation to return the deposit or serve a written notice of its intent to impose a claim along with the statutory language. Subsection (3(b) states that unless the tenant timely objects to the imposition of the claim, the landlord may deduct the amount of its claim from the security deposit, which is also contained in the statutory notice. The problem is that the statute does not go far enough to inform the landlord or tenant what happens after the tenant timely serves its objection. Instead, subsection (3)(c) provides for the prevailing party’s right to fees and costs by first referencing the bringing of an action by either party, to adjudicate the party’s right to the security deposit. Without looking into the legislative history, section (3)(c) seems to imply that the landlord must bring an action to adjudicate its right to the deposit following a timely objection by the tenant. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Perhaps this is another area where a clarification to the statute is needed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Regards, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=117 valign=top style='width:87.7pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:-4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-216.9pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:-4.1pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:-216.9pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
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Horky, P.A.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle style='margin-left:-6.5pt'>2255 Glades Road, Suite 324A<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle style='margin-left:-6.5pt'>Boca Raton, Florida 33431<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle style='margin-left:-6.5pt'>T: 561.989.3206<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle style='margin-left:-6.5pt'>F. 561.989.3204 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle style='margin-left:-6.5pt'><a href="http://www.horkylaw.com">www.horkylaw.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p></td></tr><tr><td width=583 colspan=2 valign=top style='width:437.4pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>This message and the documents attached to it, if any, are intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is attorney-client privileged or confidential, and/or may contain attorney work product. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please delete all electronic copies of this message and its attachments, if any, destroy any hard copies you may have created and notify me immediately at: </span><a href="mailto:ahorky@horkylaw.com" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>ahorky@horkylaw.com</span></a><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>.</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>-------------------------------------------------------</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:-4.5pt;text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Tax Advice Disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS under Circular 230, we inform you that any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments), unless otherwise specifically stated, was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (1) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (2) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein.</span><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org">landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org</a> [<a href="mailto:landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org">mailto:landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>David Weisman<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, August 27, 2013 4:19 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:landten@lists.flabarrpptl.org">landten@lists.flabarrpptl.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> [RPPTL LandTen] Action to recover Residential Security Deposit<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>At the end of the lease, tenant vacates and leaves the premises in poor condition. Within the 30 days, landlord provides a detailed notice of intention to impose a claim. Tenant, through counsel, timely objects to the claim. The statute does not say how long the parties have to file suit. Can the Landlord just sit and not return the deposit? <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For how long?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>David Weisman<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Board Certified Real Estate Lawyer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Greenspoon Marder, P.A.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Trade Center South, Suite 700<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>100 West Cypress Creek Road<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Ft. 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