Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Florida

landlord/ tenant

I lease a townhouse here in Tampa Fl and have had a friend staying here. He has been paying rent and sharing untility costs for about 2 1/2 years.

For the last couple of weeks he has been acting strange. Goes for a couple of days not sleeping and consuming little or no food but he does drink several beers.Two days ago while he was at work I looked into his room and there on a bed table were two different crack pipes. Sheriff's dept was called and they confirmed my opinion about the pipes. I have had the locks changed and informed him that he needs to call me to get his belongings out.

He owes no rent or utilities but does owe me funds personally. What kind of jeopardy, if any have I put myself in? I did leave him a note on the outside of door letting him know that sheriff had been here and that they had confirmed the crack pipes and residue.

A prompt response will be greatly appreciated.


Asked on 7/22/04, 3:25 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Tonia Troutwine, Esquire - Troutwine Law Group. LLC

Re: landlord/ tenant

Depends largley on the nature of your relationship with your friend. If you were a landlord under a lease then you have trespassed violated his privacy and evicted him without notice. If you were just roomates and all rooms were open to each other then you have not violated anything except his trust.

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Answered on 7/22/04, 9:40 pm


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