If the repair is yours to pay
Get more than one quote before you agree to a price, and ask the contractor to confirm where the property line and the public side begin.
Repair-request & landlord/tenant forms (LawDepot)Templates for a notice to repair, security-deposit demand, and more.
Partner link. Who Pays the Repair? may earn a commission if you request a quote or sign up, at no cost to you. It never changes who we say pays.
Default rule and exceptions
Under Florida Statutes 83.51(2)(a), unless otherwise agreed in writing, the landlord of a dwelling unit other than a single-family home or duplex must make reasonable provisions for the extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms, and bedbugs. If the tenant must vacate for the extermination, the landlord is not liable for damages but must abate the rent.
| Party | What they are responsible for |
|---|---|
| Landlord (units other than a single-family home or duplex) | Make reasonable provisions for the extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms, and bedbugs, and abate the rent if the tenant must vacate for extermination |
| Exceptions | The duty applies unless otherwise agreed in writing.; The duty in subsection (2)(a) is for a dwelling unit other than a single-family home or duplex. |
What the source says
Last verified against the primary source on Oct 21, 2026.
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, in addition to the requirements of subsection (1), the landlord of a dwelling unit other than a single-family home or duplex shall, at all times during the tenancy, make reasonable provisions for: ... The extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms, and bedbugs.
If the tenant must vacate the premises for such extermination, the landlord is not liable for damages but must abate the rent.
City rules rest on state law. Read Florida's sidewalk statute, quoted verbatim, or see all 50 states in one table.
Common questions
Who pays for rental pests: landlord extermination duty in Statewide, FL?
The landlord. Make reasonable provisions for the extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms, and bedbugs, and abate the rent if the tenant must vacate for extermination
Are there exceptions in Statewide, FL?
The duty applies unless otherwise agreed in writing.; The duty in subsection (2)(a) is for a dwelling unit other than a single-family home or duplex.
What is this based on for Statewide, FL?
This verdict is sourced to Florida Statutes 83.51 Landlord's obligation to maintain premises and 2 sources in total, each independently re-checked before publication.
Sources
- Florida Statutes 83.51 Landlord's obligation to maintain premisesstatute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-21
- Florida Statutes 83.51 Landlord's obligation to maintain premisesstatute · verified-primary · accessed 2026-10-21
Spot an error? Challenge this record
Found an out-of-date code section, a wrong verdict, or a better primary source? Tell us. Corrections that check out are applied, with the change shown in history. That is our standing policy.