PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — On April 2, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order staying all residential evictions for non-payment of rent. A moratorium that's been extended until June 2, but as of now it could expire at 12:01 Tuesday.
"I haven't decided yet. Pretty soon, we've got a bunch of different things that are expiring," Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
Phil Revah, a real estate lawyer, said there are important information landlords and tenants can take from the order.
"For residential tenants don't be so sure that you can't be evicted because non-payment of rent is only one ground among many grounds that a tenant can be evicted on," he said.
For instance, a tenant could be evicted for housing unauthorized residents or for illegal activity. Those kinds of evictions are not prevented under the governor's order.
"A lot of tenants are walking around who think they are immune and a lot of landlords are walking around who think they are powerless to do anything, well that's not the case," Revah said.
But with June 2 just days away, there's still time to talk with your landlord.
"My advice to them is to try and work out a resolution without jumping into a court action, without filing an eviction lawsuit for possession against their tenants," he said.
Revah said if a landlord is determined to evict there are steps that need to be considered.
"Like Palm Beach County for instance, you can file the suit, you can serve the tenant, the clerk of the court is issuing summons against tenants, even residential tenants that fail to pay rent and you could even precede to a judgment of eviction," he said.
Taking possession of the property won't be possible until after June 2.
Even if the state moratorium ends, some residents will still have more time. If your landlord has a federally backed mortgage the Federal Cares Act halts the filing of those evictions until July 25.
To find out if you have protection from the moratorium on evictions, click here.
