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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">As our law Firm represents residential landlords, I whole heartedly support the change. I agree that most residential leases in large management companies
are computer programed to insert a term of one year. But with the large number of single family homes for lease, those tenants are often seeking longer than one year terms. The elimination of witnesses would help that market sector.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">While most residential leases are one year, I think that the number of residential leases that are over one year is likely more than generally thought. This
is due to several factors. The most significant is the partial first month. Many residential landlords end their leases at month end for full month rent collection, turn the rental and then lease it for 12 months plus the prorated turn month. The prorated
month, even if only a few days, means technically the lease is over one year. I also agree that electronic witnessing is difficult. In residential leasing, maybe even more so than commercial leasing, the movement is to online leasing with electronic signatures,
making it difficult to obtain witness signatures. Another consideration is that the significance of witness for leases of more than a year is lost on most non-professional landlords and the leases in retail stores or online are used for longer terms without
witnesses. Finally, my experience has been that lack of witness signatures is more of a tenant sword than a tenant shield, usually where the tenant wants to leave midterm without penalty. As a practical matter for the residential landlord (as opposed to
a commercial landlord looking at a significant rent loss), it is usually cheaper for the landlord to find a new tenant and let the old tenant go, than litigate with the old tenant over lease enforcement and damages.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">Thus, the residential landlord and tenant would also benefit from the elimination of witnesses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">Mike<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">Michael Geo. F. Davis<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">Attorney at Law<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">The MGFD Law Firm PA<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">Countryside Colonial Center<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">2753 SR 580, Suite 209<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">Clearwater, FL 33761-3351<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">P 727-726-1900<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">F 727-726-7440<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">mike@mgfdlaw.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">Primary Eservice: eservice@mgfdlaw.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D"><a href="http://www.mgfdlaw.com/"><span style="color:#1F497D">www.mgfdlaw.com</span></a>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmissions,
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt"> landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org <landten-bounces@lists.flabarrpptl.org>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Brenda Ezell<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, July 12, 2019 12:20 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> RPPTL Landlord Tennant Committee <landtencl@lists.flabarrpptl.org>; landten@lists.flabarrpptl.org<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [RPPTL LandTen] Legislative Amendment - F.S. Sec. 689.01 - Witnesses to Commercial Leases<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Good afternoon Leasing Committee members and listserv subscribers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">As you may recall, there is a pending proposal to amend F.S. § 689.01 to remove the requirement for witnesses in commercial leases. Attached for your review and consideration is the proposed
legislative amendment, together with a white paper regarding lease witnesses. We would like to as much input on this proposal from our committee as possible, so I hope you will review this proposal and that you will plan to attend the committee meeting on
July 25<sup>th</sup> at The Breakers, from 2-3pm in Gulfstream 3 to give your input. You are also welcome to dial in to join the meeting. The dial in number is on the agenda that was distributed yesterday and is also available on the committee’s webpage.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Many thanks to Bur Bruton, Art Menor and Charles Levin for their efforts on this proposal!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Thanks everyone and have a great weekend.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Brenda<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D">Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D">Brenda B. Ezell, B.C.S.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D"><img border="0" width="71" height="89" style="width:.7395in;height:.927in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D538D4.E2C63380" alt="BCS"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D"><img border="0" width="127" height="55" style="width:1.3229in;height:.5729in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.png@01D538D4.E2C63380"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D">3560 Cardinal Point Drive, Suite 202<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D">Jacksonville, FL 32257<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D">904.432.3200 (o)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D">904-432-3201 (f)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F4E79"><a href="http://www.ezellfirmpa.com/"><span style="color:#1F4E79">www.ezellfirmpa.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif;font-variant:small-caps;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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