Whether you are a seasoned landlord with valuable management skills or a first-time landlord, the issue of eviction or abandonment could be an issue you have to face. The issue of abandoned property appears in two contexts. On one hand, a landlord could face the issue when the tenant has abandoned the property altogether by leaving for an indefinite period of time without giving notice. On the other, a landlord could face the issue when the lease has expired or been terminated yet the tenant fails to take all of his or her possessions with him. What are your rights and responsibilities as a landlord in each situation?

Commercial landlords and property managers should be familiar with Florida Statutes § 713.10, when it comes to protecting a property from the liens arising from work done to the property by a tenant. Recent case law illustrates what other protective measures can be taken by a landlord or property manager when it comes to improvements by tenants, especially if those improvements are required under the lease or if said improvements constitute the “pith of the lease.” 14th & Heinberg, LLC, vs. Henricksen & Co., Inc., 877 So.2d 34 (Fla. 1st DCA 2004)