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Maitland is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, situated just north of Orlando. The city has seen steady population growth as part of the broader Central Florida metro area, and a significant share of its residents rent their homes. Like all Florida municipalities, Maitland renters are governed exclusively by the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. §§ 83.40–83.682), which sets baseline rules on deposits, repairs, eviction procedures, and anti-retaliation protections.
Maitland has enacted no local tenant ordinances beyond state law. Notably, Orange County voters approved a rent stabilization measure in 2022, but Florida's legislature overrode such local actions with HB 1431 in 2023, making rent control illegal throughout the entire state. Renters in Maitland should understand that while rent increases are not capped, they do have meaningful protections around habitability, security deposit handling, and protection from illegal eviction tactics.
This page summarizes the laws most relevant to Maitland renters and is intended as an educational resource only — not legal advice. If you have a specific dispute with your landlord, contact a licensed Florida attorney or a legal aid organization in Central Florida.
Maitland has no rent control, and Florida law prohibits any city or county from enacting it. In 2023, the Florida Legislature passed HB 1431, codified at Fla. Stat. § 125.0103 and § 166.0435, which explicitly bans local governments — including Orange County and the City of Maitland — from imposing any form of rent stabilization, rent caps, or rent control ordinances. This law was enacted specifically to override a 2022 Orange County ballot measure in which voters approved a rent stabilization initiative; that measure never took effect.
In practice, this means your landlord in Maitland can raise your rent by any amount, at any time, as long as they provide you with proper written notice before your lease term ends or before a rent increase takes effect on a month-to-month tenancy. There is no percentage cap, no required justification, and no local board to appeal to. Your primary protection against rent increases is the term of your written lease: if you have a fixed-term lease, your landlord generally cannot raise rent until the lease expires.
Florida's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. §§ 83.40–83.682) provides Maitland renters with a set of enforceable rights covering habitability, deposits, notice, retaliation, and illegal eviction tactics.
Habitability and Repairs (Fla. Stat. § 83.51): Landlords must maintain rental units in a condition that complies with applicable building, housing, and health codes. This includes keeping roofs, windows, screens, plumbing, heating, and electrical systems in working order. If your landlord fails to make a required repair, Fla. Stat. § 83.56 allows you to serve a written 7-day notice specifying the issue. If the landlord still does not act, you may have the right to terminate the lease or seek other court remedies — but you must follow the statutory procedure exactly or risk losing your claim.
Notice to Terminate Tenancy (Fla. Stat. § 83.57): For a month-to-month tenancy, either party must give at least 15 days' written notice prior to the end of a monthly period to terminate the tenancy. For week-to-week tenancies, 7 days' notice is required. These are minimum statutory requirements; your lease may provide for longer notice periods.
Anti-Retaliation Protection (Fla. Stat. § 83.64): It is unlawful for a landlord to retaliate against a tenant for complaining to a government agency about housing code violations, filing a lawsuit to enforce tenant rights, or joining a tenant organization. Retaliation includes raising rent, reducing services, or threatening eviction. If a landlord retaliates within one year of a protected action, there is a rebuttable presumption of retaliation in your favor.
Prohibition on Self-Help Eviction (Fla. Stat. § 83.67): A landlord may not remove a tenant's belongings, remove or change the locks, or willfully interrupt electricity, water, or other essential utilities to force a tenant out. Doing so entitles the tenant to actual and consequential damages, plus attorney's fees.
Florida law under Fla. Stat. § 83.49 governs how landlords in Maitland must handle security deposits. There is no statutory cap on the amount a landlord may charge for a security deposit in Florida — the amount is negotiated at the time of the lease.
How deposits must be held: Landlords who hold a security deposit must either keep it in a separate non-interest-bearing Florida bank account, a separate interest-bearing account (with interest paid to the tenant or landlord as agreed), or post a surety bond. The landlord must notify you in writing within 30 days of receiving the deposit about where and how it is being held.
Return deadline — no deductions: If your landlord plans to return the full deposit without any deductions, they must do so within 15 days after you vacate the unit and provide your forwarding address (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a)).
Return deadline — with deductions: If the landlord intends to make deductions, they must send you written notice by certified mail within 30 days of you vacating the unit, itemizing each claimed deduction. You then have 15 days to object in writing. If the landlord fails to send the notice within 30 days, they forfeit the right to make any deductions and must return the full deposit (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(b)).
Penalty for non-compliance: A landlord who wrongfully withholds a deposit or fails to follow the statutory procedure may be sued. Courts may award the tenant the full deposit amount plus court costs and attorney's fees (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(c)).
Maitland landlords must follow Florida's formal eviction process under Fla. Stat. §§ 83.56–83.62. Self-help eviction — including changing locks, removing belongings, or cutting utilities — is illegal under Fla. Stat. § 83.67.
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing in court, the landlord must serve the tenant with the appropriate written notice depending on the reason for eviction:
Step 2 — Filing in County Court: If the tenant does not vacate or cure after proper notice, the landlord may file an eviction complaint in Orange County Court. Maitland falls under the jurisdiction of the Orange County Clerk of Courts.
Step 3 — Tenant Response: Once served with a summons, the tenant typically has 5 business days to file a written response with the court. In non-payment cases, the tenant may be required to deposit disputed rent into the court registry (Fla. Stat. § 83.60).
Step 4 — Hearing and Judgment: The court schedules a hearing. If the landlord prevails, a Judgment for Possession is issued. The tenant then receives a Writ of Possession, giving them 24 hours to vacate before the sheriff enforces removal (Fla. Stat. § 83.62).
No Just Cause Requirement: Florida does not require landlords to have a specific reason to end a month-to-month tenancy — only proper notice. There is no local just cause eviction ordinance in Maitland.
The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws change frequently, and local enforcement, court interpretations, and individual lease terms may affect your situation. If you have a specific legal problem involving your landlord, eviction, or housing conditions, please consult a licensed Florida attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization in Orange County. RentCheckMe makes no warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of this information as of any date after April 2026.
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