Monthly Legal Insights

For Property Managers

📋 Key Takeaways This Month

Source: Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk, PLLC

Resident concessions are on the rise. Typically one or two months rent is given for free as an incentive for the resident to choose your property. Suppose though, your resident breaks the lease and has also signed the Early Termination addendum? Can you charge this concession back to the resident?

Get the full scoop...

Michael Hodges MPM®, CAM Owner First Place Management, Inc.

Michael Hodges, MPM®, CAM, earned his B.S. in Accounting from Jacksonville University and has held a Florida real estate license since 1988 and a Broker’s license since 1990. After starting his career in auditing with Florida Blue, Michael found his passion in property management. In 2005, he purchased First Place Management, Inc., growing it from 112 accounts to more than 400, along with ten managed communities. FPM Properties and FPM Communities proudly celebrate their 20-year anniversary in 2025!

An active leader in the industry, Michael serves as the 2025 APAC Chair for the Florida Apartment Association and represents the apartment industry as a Key Contact for Rep. Aaron Bean and Co-Key Contact for Rep. Rutherford through NAA and NARPM. A longtime advocate, he played a key role in advancing the Emotional Support Animal bill, Florida’s rent control exemption bill, and the Electronic Notice bill effective July 1, 2025. Michael is a past president of NARPM Florida and NARPM Jax, serves on multiple legislative committees, and was named the 2020 NEFAR Realtor of the Year. Outside of work, he’s a proud Miami Hurricanes fan, loves traveling with his wife of 15 years, and enjoys time with their daughter, son-in-law, and nine-year-old granddaughter.

Learn More about First Place Management, Inc.!

Taught by: Attorneys Harry Heist or Kirk Eason

Having trouble getting out of the office for a day? Book a date and time for a 2 hour ZOOM LEGAL CLASS designed for your portfolio or association. Dates are filling fast! Don’t let a scheduling conflict hold you back from the education you or your agents need. Have a real estate license? We can get you CE credits!

Email us at info@evict.com to get scheduled...

Source: Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk

Join us for a concise overview of the landlord's legal right of access and the proper procedures to follow when entry is needed for maintenance or repairs. It's a crucial refresher on how to balance your maintenance obligations with the tenant's right to quiet enjoyment, and what steps to take when a tenant becomes uncooperative, ensuring you can protect the owner's asset without violating the law.

Source: Concerned client

Your first step is to serve a 7-Day Notice to Cure for denying access. The lease and Florida Statute 83.53 give you the right to show the property with reasonable notice. However, be aware that judges are often hesitant to grant an eviction for this reason alone. You will need to show that the tenant is actively and willfully preventing access (e.g., refusing all reasonable times, changing locks), not simply being inconvenient. Meticulous documentation of every attempted contact and their unreasonable refusals is critical if you have to proceed with an eviction.

Are your Tenants agreeing to Email service of Notices? It’s been a few months since the awesome law change allowing you and your Tenant to agree on sending and receiving all notices by email. Is it working out for you? Questions? Concerns? Let us know! If this is news to you, go back and see our article on Email Notice and download the Agreement for free.

Access the Resources + Forms Now

In many states, tenants can get their eviction records expunged or hidden, tying the hands of the property manager. In fact, three years ago, a bill was introduced attempting to achieve this in Florida. The result? The bill was killed due to the hard work of the Florida Apartment Association (FAA) and NARPM. Don’t forget to contribute to APAC and RPAC—or something like this could occur in Florida. Keep Florida a “landlord friendly” state.

Download the ordinance here.

This Month's Top Questions from Property Managers

Source: Law Offices of Heist, Weisse & Wolk

Check out this month's quick tip to lower your liability and get you on the road to relaxing more!