TAMPA, Fla. — A recently passed bill would require Florida landlords to disclose flooding risks before renters sign a lease for a home or apartment.
This comes as families are still recovering from last year’s hurricanes, which flooded many apartments, including the Cinnamon Cove complex in the University area.
WATCH: Florida landlords may soon be required to disclose flood risk
Some people living there now said they didn’t know about the flooding.
“I had no idea,” said Florence, who just moved into a first-floor unit. “They didn’t tell me nothing, I just came and I moved in.”
Neighbors said Florence’s apartment was one of many in the complex that flooded during Hurricane Milton.
Currently, the building is not required to disclose any flood damage or risk, but a newly passed bill would change that.
The House and Senate passed the bill unanimously and is waiting on Governor Ron DeSantis’ signature. If it goes into effect, it would require landlords of rental homes to warn tenants of any flood risk before they sign a lease. It would also apply to condo developers and mobile home landowners. All would be required to provide a flood disclosure form before a lease or sale.
“This gives you a whole new set of rights that didn’t otherwise exist,” said Attorney Charles Gallagher III who works on many real estate cases. “Even if you have a unit on the 10th floor that didn’t have damage, they’d have to disclosure to you that in the master property there was flood damage.”
The bill would require disclosure if the property had a FEMA or flood insurance claim. It would also require disclosure if a landlord knew of flood damage that happened while they owned the property.
There would be protections if a landlord violates the law and an apartment floods, causing a renter to suffer substantial loss or damage. In those cases, tenants can terminate their lease without penalty if they provide written notice within 30 days of the flood.
If the governor signs off, this would become law in October.
Until then, renters like Florence may not know what could happen to their home.
“I’m glad you guys told me, I’ll be prepared,” she said.
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