Florida Landlord Briefing: Late April 2026
A correction on SB 716 (the bill had already died), Florida's flood disclosure law, and Orange County's rental registration talks. Five things Florida landlords should know this week.
Five developments affecting Florida rental property owners this week.
1. SB 716: Corrected — the Bill Had Already Died
Senate Bill 716 would have extended the non-payment eviction notice from 3 days to 5 business days. Correction, added September 6, 2026: this briefing reported the bill as advancing to Community Affairs, with its companion HB 811 moving in parallel. That was wrong when it was published. SB 716 died in the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 13, 2026, and HB 811 died in the Civil Justice and Claims Subcommittee the same day — both five weeks before this briefing went out. Neither became law.
No lease template or notice procedure needed changing. Nothing took effect on July 1, and the 3-day notice stayed valid throughout. Florida's requirement is still 3 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, under FS 83.56(3).
Action item, corrected: if you changed your pay-or-vacate template to “5 business days” on the strength of this briefing, change it back. FS 83.56(3) requires 3 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, and a notice stating the wrong period can get an eviction dismissed and force you to refile.
Further reading, added September 6, 2026. This briefing is kept online as a dated record, corrected in place. The current, accurate coverage is Florida SB 716, explained — why the 5-day eviction notice didn’t become law, and if you need to put your pay-or-vacate template back the way it should be, the Florida 3-day notice to pay rent walks through the correct form and how to serve it.
2. Flood Disclosure Requirements Already Apply
Florida's flood disclosure law isn't still being finalized — it's already on the books. FS 83.512 (ch. 2025-166) says: "A landlord must complete and provide a flood disclosure to a prospective tenant of residential real property at or before the execution of a rental agreement for a term of 1 year or longer. The flood disclosure must be in a separate document." That means every lease of a year or longer gets the form as its own document, whether or not the home has ever flooded. The statutory form covers:
- Whether the property received government flood assistance in the past
- Any flood insurance claims filed during the landlord's ownership period
- Known flood damage history during the landlord's ownership
The penalty for non-disclosure is significant. FS 83.512(2): "If a landlord violates this section and a tenant suffers a substantial loss or damage to the tenant's personal property as a result of flooding, the tenant may terminate the rental agreement by giving a written notice of termination and surrendering possession of the premises to the landlord no later than 30 days after the date of the damage or loss." "Substantial loss or damage" means repair or replacement costing "50 percent or more of the personal property's market value on the date the flooding occurred," and under 83.512(3) "A landlord shall refund the tenant all rent or other amounts paid in advance under the rental agreement for any period after the effective date of the termination of the rental agreement." Put simply, the trigger is heavy flood loss to the tenant's belongings, not damage to the building, and what 83.512(3) returns is rent and other amounts paid in advance for the time after they leave.
Action item: Put the statutory flood disclosure, as a separate document, into every lease of a year or longer — whether or not the property has any flood history. Pull your claim records and any FEMA assistance paperwork now so you can answer each question on the form accurately.
3. Orange County Exploring Rental Registration Program
Orange County commissioners are discussing a rental registration program that would require all residential rental properties to be registered with the county. Details are still emerging, but similar programs in other Florida counties typically include:
- Annual registration fee
- Basic property condition standards
- Contact information for property owner or manager
- Potential inspection requirements for complaints
This is still in the discussion phase — no ordinance has been drafted. But Orlando-area landlords should monitor county commission agendas.
4. Florida Insurance Market Stabilizing
The Florida property insurance market is showing signs of stabilization.
What this means practically: your renewal quote may be comparable to — or slightly lower than — last year's premium.
Action item: When your landlord insurance renewal arrives, get 3–4 competitive quotes before accepting.
5. Q1 2026 Market Data Confirms the Trend
Both Orlando and Tampa released Q1 2026 rental market data that reinforces the supply-correction narrative. Key takeaways:
- Orlando: Rent declines flattening. Full Orlando analysis →
- Tampa: Record 10.7% vacancy (CoStar's reading entering 2026). Full Tampa analysis →
The setup for both markets: excess supply working through the system now.
The Florida Landlord Briefing is published twice monthly. It covers legislative changes, regulatory updates, market shifts, and practical action items for Orlando and Tampa rental property owners.
Questions about how any of these developments affect your specific property? Get a free rental analysis →
