IMPORTANT: If you are a Landlord and you provide water to your tenants via pump and well, here is a page from the website of "America's Largest Injury Law Firm". This looks like a new market for them and that should get your attention!
Groundwater Contamination:
May Be A Problem for Florida Landlords
Hey Landlords—Your Well Water Could Get You in Trouble
If you’re a landlord providing water through a well, pay attention. Dirty groundwater is a serious issue in Florida, and it’s not just about wells. It can mess up city water, crops, and local rivers. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe and avoid big problems.
What’s Wrong with Groundwater?
Groundwater is the underground water many Floridians use for drinking, cooking, and farming. But it’s getting polluted by harmful stuff like:
- PFAS (“forever chemicals”): These come from firefighting foam used at military bases or airports. They can cause cancer or other health issues.
- Chemicals like TCE or PCE: These come from factories or dry cleaners and can make people sick.
- Bacteria like E. coli: These can cause serious illness if they get into water.
This pollution comes from places like military bases, farms, or old leaky tanks. It’s a big deal because:
- It can make drinking water unsafe, whether from a well or city pipes.
- It can get into food if farmers use bad water on crops.
- It can hurt fish and wildlife when polluted water reaches rivers or lakes.
Florida’s ground lets water move easily, so pollution spreads fast. A study says 95 million Americans, including lots of Floridians, might be drinking contaminated groundwater. Cities like Titusville are already fighting this problem.
Landlords: You Could Face Trouble
If you’re a landlord with a well supplying water, Florida law says you have to keep that water safe. If it’s contaminated and causes harm, you could face lawsuits or money problems.
What Could Go Wrong?
- Lawsuits: If your water makes people sick and you didn’t fix the problem, you could be sued. A lawsuit might claim:
- You knew (or should’ve known) the water was bad.
- The water caused health issues, like cancer or stomach problems.
- You didn’t act, and people got hurt or lost money.
- Money Problems: Lawsuits could cost you for medical bills, suffering, or lower property value. You might also have to pay for water tests or cleanup.
- New Rules: In 2024, the EPA set strict limits on PFAS in water (4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS). Even if your well isn’t covered by these rules, people expect safe water, and you could still get in trouble.
- Bad Reputation: If word gets out your water’s unsafe, your property could lose value or be hard to rent out.
Real Examples
- In 2025, someone in Miami-Dade County sued because PFAS in their water was linked to kidney cancer.
- Titusville joined a 2023 lawsuit against companies like 3M to clean up polluted wells.
- Years ago, bad water at Camp Lejeune (with TCE and PCE) made people sick, showing how serious this can be.
Can You Defend Yourself?
You might say you didn’t know the water was bad, especially if pollution came from somewhere else, like a nearby factory. But if there were signs—like complaints about water taste or sickness—and you ignored them, a court might still blame you. It’s not easy to prove bad water caused harm, but you don’t want to risk a lawsuit.
It’s Not Just Wells
Dirty groundwater isn’t only a problem for private wells. It can affect:
- City Water: Many Florida towns use groundwater for tap water. If it’s polluted, faucets might not be safe.
- Farms: Bad water used on crops can make food unsafe to eat.
- Nature: Polluted water can flow into lakes or rivers, hurting animals and people downstream.
- Businesses: Stores or offices with wells could have the same issues, affecting workers or customers.
How to Protect Yourself
For Landlords
- Test Your Water: Check wells for PFAS, chemicals, or bacteria, especially if you’re near a military base, airport, or factory.
- Use Filters: Get a water filter that removes PFAS or other bad stuff, like reverse osmosis or carbon filters. It shows you’re keeping water safe.
- Act Fast: If you hear about water problems, investigate and keep records of what you do.
- Be Honest: If you know about water issues, don’t hide them—it could save you from bigger trouble.
- Get Help: Make sure your insurance covers water contamination problems and talk to a lawyer who knows environmental issues.
In 2025, Florida’s home insurance premiums average $5,376 annually for $300,000 in coverage—over double the national average of $2,181—driven by hurricanes, inflation, litigation, and attorney fees.
By leveraging standard depreciation, bonus depreciation, and Section 179 deductions, you can lower taxes and keep more cash for reinvestment.
Several updates to Florida’s landlord-tenant laws have been implemented or proposed by May 2025,
Fair Housing Law Landlord Responsibilities Federal fair housing laws in the United States, primarily governed by the Fair Housing Act ( FHA ) of 1968, aim to ensure equal access to housing and prohibit discrimination in housing-related activities. The FHA applies to most housing types, including rentals, sales, and financing, with limited exceptions (e.g., certain owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units or single-family homes sold without a broker). Here’s a summary of the key points and landlord responsibilities:
A Stipulation is used to resolve disputes or address issues without going to court. Especially helpful with overdue rent situations.
Many landlords overlook late and partial rent payment. Neither of these practices are good but it could be worse than you think.
Veteran real estate investors almost never sell their rental property. Instead they borrow against the equity, that's tax free cash!
Rental investors should never pay attention to comps because investors do not buy buildings, they buy return on investment (ROI)
The rules governing security deposits for residential leases are primarily found Chapter 83. Here are the key points:
My Tenant Won’t Let Me Enter the Rental Property What Are My Rights?
There are three federal laws that regulate and define what a service dog is: The Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act and the Air Carrier Access Act. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines service dogs as “trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities”. Under the ADA, individuals with a disability include someone with a physical or mental health impairment that limits their life.
Tenants who have a bad rental history or a criminal history need a place to live just like everyone else. These characters know they can’t rent from large, well managed apartment communities because they check references. So, who are they looking for? They are looking for a nice, private landlord who thinks he’s is a good judge of character.
Our eviction business has seen a sizeable increase in the number of squatters moving into empty rental units. The stories are similar. The landlord discovers strangers have taken up residency in their rental home. Naturally, they are angry and worried. Will they become violent? Will they destroy the house? How do I get them out?
Successful landlords know you make money in the rental business when you select your tenant. If you fail to do your due diligence it can cost you thousands.
Landlords are prohibited from requiring tenants to pay rent in excess of what is authorized by
HAP contracts. The Landlord may not demand or accept any rent from the tenant in excess of
the contracted.
Tenant Screening is without a doubt, one of the most critical steps in the property management process. A thorough and meticulous screening process can mean the difference between a smooth tenancy and a rental nightmare.
Fair Housing: Persons with Disabilities What are Reasonable Accommodations? Source
Your tenant has moved out. While your priority is to clean and paint and get the unit rented, there are a number of things which good business practice suggests -- and some which State law demands.
Your tenant left your rental apartment trashed, damaged and owing you money! Your tenant lied and took advantage of you. He may have skipped or you may have evicted him. In either case, he damaged your rental and cost you money! What do you do?
Bedbugs are small, reddish-brown blood-sucking, wingless insects. Bedbug bites usually clear up without treatment in a week or two. Bedbugs aren't known to spread disease, but they can cause an allergic reaction or a severe skin reaction in some people.
A Warning To Landlords -- Remember Landlords: You have an obligation to inform rental applicants of their rights regarding consumer reports.
Nearly every tenant leaves stuff behind when they vacate, most of the time it’s just a big pile of junk. Trash or treasure, the law says it’s not yours and you have an obligation to respect your former tenant’s personal property.
Is the unit abandoned? Can you take possession of the unit and get it ready for the new tenant? Not if you want to follow the law and protect yourself from liability!
Hoarding is a mental disability you may encounter as you work on a property. People who suffer from hoarding are protected under fair housing law and are entitled to reasonable accommodations in the same way people with other mental or physical disabilities are.
Tenant Screening - Why Use a Telephone Script? Benefits: To stay in control of the conversation. This is a business call. Treat it that way. To make sure everything you say is accurate with no hint of any kind of discrimination. To do a little preliminary tenant screening To send a strong signal that you are a good manager and that you will conduct a through background check before renting. To keep the conversation brief but thorough presenting a professional demeanor. Remember: Callers with a track record of broken leases, evictions, criminal history, etc. carefully listen to every word. They are less likely to call you back if they learn you are a good manager and that you will do a through background check including credit history, rental history, criminal history and demand proof of sufficient income. Also remember : The best tenants are just as fearful they will end up with a bad landlord as you are of a bad tenant. Good tenants like to hear your professional, through, business like tone. They want to hear you say you will conduct a background check. Also remember : The best tenants are just as fearful they will end up with a bad landlord as you are of a bad tenant. Good tenants like to hear your professional, through, business like tone. They want to hear you say you will conduct a background check.
HUD Guidance note that racial disparities in incarcerations rates will result in certain races, like African Americans, being denied housing more often than other races because of criminal screening policies.
Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act directs HUD and EPA to require the disclosure of known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before the sale or lease of most housing built before 1978.
Americans with Disabilities Act. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability.