On Wednesday, March 15th community resident Jeanine Prezeau will speak out on behalf of millions of Florida residents who would be financially impacted by the passage of SB 636- Residential Tenancies sponsored by Sen. Charlie Clary (R- Destin).
SB 636 also dubbed the “Double Rent” bill would turn over years of well established law protecting renters from being charged for rent when they terminate their leases. Current law prohibits landlords from charging renters if they can fill a vacant apartment after they leave the premises.
“Landlords all over the state have been violating the law by charging renters twice when an apartment is filled by a new renter. If they are being paid for an occupied apartment by one renter, it makes no sense to charge the previous owner,” said Jeanine Prezeau, a resident of Tallahassee, whose credit was ruined when she left an apartment to a new renter, and the landlord charged her months later for terminating the lease.
The bill would make it legal for landlords to make a windfall by charging renters once they terminate their lease, often for reasons out of their control.
"This bill does nothing to protect Florida citizens who must struggle to afford the rising costs of housing and everything to provide financial gain to large apartment owners," said Laura Goodhue of ACORN.
Unfortunately, this bill will only make one stop in the Senate and its companion bill, HB 673 by Rep. John Stargel (R- Lakeland) has already passed 2 committees in the house.
Ms. Prezeau is just one of many renters who have fallen prey to landlords violating this law. The Landlord Tenant Act has been in effect in FL in 1973 and thousands of renters have recovered lost rent from landlords who charged them “double rent” under this law. Consumer advocacy organizations including Florida PIRG, ACORN, and Florida Consumer Action Network will also speak out on this issue during the legislative session as it affects many of their members.
The groups will also provide the press with contact information for additional renters who have collectively lost millions to bill collectors as a result of the now illegal practice of charging “double rent”.
