In recent times, getting a property is becoming more and more complicated. This leap involves years of work and is a heritage that gives families peace of mind. In this context, a lot of controversy arose from a case that demonstrated that Florida loophole allows squatters to take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners. In this scenario, a project was presented to achieve changes in the legislation.
At the beginning of 2023 it was announced the case of Patti Peeples, a Jacksonville resident who reported that several squatters moved into his property and caused damage of almost US$40,000. The woman discovered that two women were occupying her rental property after she asked a maintenance person to make some repairs and then show the house to an interested party.
In addition to his surprise at the situation, Peeples was even more shocked when He asked the squatters to leave his property and they showed him a lease from a fraudulent landlord stating that they had every right to stay.
For the next thirty-four days there was a battle to decide who was right. But The illegal occupants, knowing that they were carrying out a fraud, did not comply and caused damage worth US$38,000 due to broken walls and windows, dislodged cabinets, theft of a washer and dryer, smashed toilets, and dirt everywhere. Added to this amount were the legal fees that had to be paid to remove the people.
Florida laws allowed squatters to remain on properties
The woman's case in Jacksonville attracted so much attention that Florida Republican State Rep. Kevin Steele Is Pushing Bill 621 before the House of Representatives.
And as the owner of the property stated, the illegal occupants knew the laws better even than many lawyers, so they were using them to their advantage and the police could not do anything about it. “They knew this was a civil matter and the police have absolutely no right to remove these squatters and treat them as criminals, as individuals who have broken in or trespassed,” Peeples told Fox News last April.
With the intention that this situation does not arise again, the bill will allow the immediate expulsion of the occupants by the authorities if they cannot present a notarized lease agreement or proof that they are paying the rent. Likewise, it is planned to impose sanctions on people who provide false documentation. The project was presented in November and is still in the process of being approved.
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