Florida Service Members CAN Terminate Leases to Move On-Base!

Listen up all military men and women of Florida! So you've already moved into and/or signed a rental agreement for an off-base house, condo, apartment, etc. but have decided to move into a new home in military base housing instead. Don't let your landlord fool you into thinking you cannot get out of your lease to move on base!

According to Section 83.682 of the Florida Statutes, any member of the U.S. armed forces can terminate their rental agreement if offered a home in government housing quarters (base housing). In contacting your landlord, you must provide him/her a written notice of your intent to vacate the living space, and attach either a copy of your official military orders to move into a base house OR attach a written verification signed by the military member's commanding officer saying you are moving into a vacant house on base.

Furthermore, your notice must give the landlord the date you plan to vacate, which must be at least thirty days after the landlord receives the notice and documents. Once the landlord has received these, you must pay rent up to the day you leave. The landlord cannot penalize or harass you for moving or breaking your lease, even if you entered into a rental agreement months ago and just simply changed your mind - finding a home on base instead. Florida law states that military service members have the option of terminating their leases to move on base. However, I should tell you that there is one drawback to this entire thing - your landlord can decide to keep your entire security deposit. When we moved out of our home, our landlord kept our $500 - for no reason - he did it simply because he could and we could not do anything about it.

To make matters easier for both parties, military and landlord, the two of you should discuss the rental agreement in detail before signing. Go ahead and discuss base housing and mention this statute, even if at the moment you don't desire to move into base housing. It's good informing and educating each other on this matter beforehand, just in case you decide to terminate early to move on base. It could save a lot of days of bickering back and forth, like what we faced when we decided to move out and go on base. Ask your landlord about any other military clauses as well.

Landlords are responsible for knowing about Florida laws governing their home and leases. It's their ignorance that makes terminating agreements a pain in the butt most times. They should know the regulations, but sometimes they don't. When it comes to you, the military service member, you should know that in Florida, you have the right to terminate your lease to move into military base housing, with no refutes or arguments or hassles from your landlord! If you need help in settling matters with your landlord, ask for help from your housing office or attorney.