JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A new Florida law taking effect on October 1st will require landlords to disclose any known flood damage to tenants before signing leases that last a year or more.
The goal of the law is to give renters the information they need to make informed housing decisions—especially in flood-prone areas like Jacksonville’s San Marco neighborhood—and to hold landlords accountable for transparency.
“I think this is a game changer,” said Jacksonville realtor Daly Braxton, who regularly uses social media to educate renters and homebuyers. He believes the new requirement will add a much-needed layer of protection for tenants.
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“Tenants are usually worried about three things. They are worried about the price, they are worried about the location, and the size of the home. So nobody think about flooding until it’s too late,” Braxton added.
Under the new regulation, if a landlord fails to provide a written disclosure about the property’s flood history and the unit floods during the lease period, tenants will have the right to terminate their lease within 30 days.
However, not everyone expects a smooth rollout. Older properties with limited or incomplete records may present challenges, especially for newer landlords.
“And if you are a new landlord, now you have to go back and do some research to see if there were ever any issues with homes. I think this is perfect,” said Braxton.
Landlords like Rachel Odell support the change and said it helps foster a stronger, more honest relationship with tenants.
“If you’re a good landlord, this shouldn’t be an issue,” Odell said.
“You’re trying to build a good relationship build upon honesty between the tenants and a landlord. You want to keep the tenants there for a long time so it’s important to build that trust,” she added.
The law only applies to leases of 12 months or more and will officially go into effect on October 1.
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