Florida Rental Application Processing of Service Member

The Florida Statutes Title VI Chapter 83 Part II Section 83.683 requires a landlord to process a rental application in the following manner when it is submitted a uniformed service member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Services:

Rental Application by a Servicemember

(1) If a landlord requires a prospective tenant to complete a rental application before residing in a rental unit, the landlord must complete processing of a rental application submitted by a prospective tenant who is a servicemember, as defined in s. 250.01, within 7 days after submission and must, within that 7-day period, notify the servicemember in writing of an application approval or denial and, if denied, the reason for denial. Absent a timely denial of the rental application, the landlord must lease the rental unit to the servicemember if all other terms of the application and lease are complied with.

(2) If a condominium association, as defined in chapter 718, a cooperative association, as defined in chapter 719, or a homeowners’ association, as defined in chapter 720, requires a prospective tenant of a condominium unit, cooperative unit, or parcel within the association’s control to complete a rental application before residing in a rental unit or parcel, the association must complete processing of a rental application submitted by a prospective tenant who is a servicemember, as defined in s. 250.01, within 7 days after submission and must, within that 7-day period, notify the servicemember in writing of an application approval or denial and, if denied, the reason for denial. Absent a timely denial of the rental application, the association must allow the unit or parcel owner to lease the rental unit or parcel to the servicemember and the landlord must lease the rental unit or parcel to the servicemember if all other terms of the application and lease are complied with.

(3) The provisions of this section may not be waived or modified by the agreement of the parties under any circumstances.

FLA. STAT. § 83.683