Florida Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
Florida rules on mold, pests, heat & ac for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No statute — Florida has no mold-specific landlord-tenant statute. Mold is handled under the landlord's general duty to comply with applicable building, housing, and health codes (or, where none apply, to keep structural components and plumbing in good repair). Fla. Stat. § 83.51(1)
The rules in Florida
| Mold | No statute — Florida has no mold-specific landlord-tenant statute. Mold is handled under the landlord's general duty to comply with applicable building, housing, and health codes (or, where none apply, to keep structural components and plumbing in good repair). No mold disclosure or remediation standard in Chapter 83. Whether mold violates the landlord's duty depends on local codes and the facts. Florida does require a separate radon disclosure in rental agreements (s. 404.056), which is not a mold rule. Source: Fla. Stat. § 83.51(1) |
|---|---|
| Pests & bed bugs | For units other than a single-family home or duplex, unless otherwise agreed in writing, the landlord must make reasonable provisions for extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms, and bedbugs. If the tenant must temporarily vacate for extermination, the landlord must give 7 days' written notice (in person, by mail, or by e-mail under s. 83.505), must abate rent, and the tenant cannot be required to vacate more than 4 days; the landlord is not liable for other damages. For single-family homes and duplexes, pest duties depend on the lease and local codes. Section 83.51 was amended in 2025 (ch. 2025-16), including the e-mail notice option. The landlord is not responsible for conditions caused by the tenant, family, or guests (§ 83.51(4)). No bed-bug disclosure statute. Source: Fla. Stat. § 83.51(2)(a)1. |
| Heat | Yes, for units other than single-family homes and duplexes (unless otherwise agreed in writing): the landlord must make reasonable provisions for functioning facilities for heat during winter, plus running water and hot water. No minimum temperature or heating season is set by state statute. The lease may make the tenant pay for fuel or utilities (§ 83.51(2)(e)). Local housing codes may set temperature standards. Noncompliance with subsection (2) cannot be raised as a defense to an eviction for possession (§ 83.51(2)(c)). Source: Fla. Stat. § 83.51(2)(a)5. |
| Air conditioning | No statute — Florida law does not require landlords to provide air conditioning or set a maximum indoor temperature. If the lease or unit includes A/C, local codes and the lease govern repair. Some local codes address cooling equipment that is provided; check your county or city code. Source: Fla. Stat. § 83.51 |
| Smoke and CO detectors | For a single-family home or duplex, the landlord must install working smoke detectors when the tenancy begins, unless otherwise agreed in writing. A tenant cannot use the landlord's failure to do so as a defense to an eviction. Carbon monoxide alarms are required within 10 feet of each sleeping room in buildings or additions built on or after July 1, 2008 that have a fossil-fuel heater or appliance, a fireplace, an attached garage or another carbon monoxide source. The carbon monoxide rule is a building-code rule for newer construction (https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0553/Sections/0553.885.html); it does not apply to existing buildings undergoing alterations or repairs unless the work is an addition. |
Related questions
- Does a landlord have to fix mold?
- Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in a rental?
- Does a landlord have to provide heat?
- Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning?
Florida vs. neighboring states
| State | Mold | Pests & bed bugs | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | No statute — Florida has no mold-specific landlord-tenant statute. Mold is handled under the landlord's general duty to comply with applicable building, housing, and health codes (or, where none apply, to keep structural components and plumbing in good repair). Fla. Stat. § 83.51(1) | For units other than a single-family home or duplex, unless otherwise agreed in writing, the landlord must make reasonable provisions for extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms, and bedbugs. If the tenant must temporarily vacate for extermination, the landlord must give 7 days' written notice (in person, by mail, or by e-mail under s. 83.505), must abate rent, and the tenant cannot be required to vacate more than 4 days; the landlord is not liable for other damages. For single-family homes and duplexes, pest duties depend on the lease and local codes. Fla. Stat. § 83.51(2)(a)1. | Yes, for units other than single-family homes and duplexes (unless otherwise agreed in writing): the landlord must make reasonable provisions for functioning facilities for heat during winter, plus running water and hot water. No minimum temperature or heating season is set by state statute. Fla. Stat. § 83.51(2)(a)5. |
| Alabama | No statute — general habitability/repair duty applies. Alabama has no mold disclosure or mold remediation law for rentals. The landlord must comply with building and housing codes affecting health and safety and must make all repairs needed to keep the premises habitable. Ala. Code § 35-9A-204(a)(1)-(2) | No statute specifically on pests or bed bugs. Pest problems fall under the landlord's general duty to keep the premises habitable and common areas clean and safe. The tenant must keep the unit as clean and safe as conditions permit and dispose of garbage in a clean and safe manner. Ala. Code §§ 35-9A-204(a)(2)-(3), 35-9A-301(2)-(3) | Yes. The landlord must supply reasonable heat, unless the building is not required by law to have heating or the heat is generated by equipment in the tenant's exclusive control and supplied by a direct utility connection. The landlord must also keep any heating system it supplies in good and safe working order. State law sets no minimum indoor temperature or heating season. Ala. Code § 35-9A-204(a)(4), (6) |
| Georgia | No statute — Georgia has no mold-specific landlord-tenant law (no mold disclosure or remediation standard). Mold is addressed under the landlord's general duty to keep the premises in repair and, since July 1, 2024, the implied term in every residential lease that the premises are fit for human habitation. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13(a), (b) (as amended by HB 404, 2024) | No statute — Georgia law does not specifically assign pest or bed-bug treatment or require a bed-bug disclosure. Pest problems fall under the landlord's general repair duty and the fit-for-habitation requirement; the state handbook advises that leases spell out pest control, including how often it occurs. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13; Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), p. 10 | No statewide statute sets a heat requirement, minimum temperature, or heating season. Under the general repair duty, the state handbook says landlords must keep electric, heating, cooling, and plumbing in working order. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-13; Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook (DCA, rev. 8-29-24), p. 11 |
City rules that may add to state law
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Florida Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules FAQ
Does a landlord have to fix mold in Florida?
No statute — Florida has no mold-specific landlord-tenant statute. Mold is handled under the landlord's general duty to comply with applicable building, housing, and health codes (or, where none apply, to keep structural components and plumbing in good repair). (Fla. Stat. § 83.51(1))
Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in Florida?
For units other than a single-family home or duplex, unless otherwise agreed in writing, the landlord must make reasonable provisions for extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms, and bedbugs. If the tenant must temporarily vacate for extermination, the landlord must give 7 days' written notice (in person, by mail, or by e-mail under s. 83.505), must abate rent, and the tenant cannot be required to vacate more than 4 days; the landlord is not liable for other damages. For single-family homes and duplexes, pest duties depend on the lease and local codes. (Fla. Stat. § 83.51(2)(a)1.)
Does a landlord have to provide heat in Florida?
Yes, for units other than single-family homes and duplexes (unless otherwise agreed in writing): the landlord must make reasonable provisions for functioning facilities for heat during winter, plus running water and hot water. No minimum temperature or heating season is set by state statute. (Fla. Stat. § 83.51(2)(a)5.)
Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning in Florida?
No statute — Florida law does not require landlords to provide air conditioning or set a maximum indoor temperature. If the lease or unit includes A/C, local codes and the lease govern repair. (Fla. Stat. § 83.51)
Who is responsible for smoke detectors in a rental in Florida?
For a single-family home or duplex, the landlord must install working smoke detectors when the tenancy begins, unless otherwise agreed in writing. A tenant cannot use the landlord's failure to do so as a defense to an eviction. Carbon monoxide alarms are required within 10 feet of each sleeping room in buildings or additions built on or after July 1, 2008 that have a fossil-fuel heater or appliance, a fireplace, an attached garage or another carbon monoxide source. (Fla. Stat. §§ 83.51(2)(b)-(c), 553.885(1))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.