FL S0888

Property owners or their authorized agents may request the county sheriff to immediately remove unauthorized occupants from a residential dwelling by submitting a verified complaint form, bypassing the traditional eviction process, provided conditions are met such as no valid lease, no pending litigation, and occupants are not family members or current/former tenants

Sheriffs must verify property ownership, serve a notice to immediately vacate without delay, and may arrest unauthorized occupants for trespass, outstanding warrants, or other legal cause; owners may also request the sheriff stand by at a reasonable hourly rate while locks are changed and occupants' belongings are removed

Persons wrongfully removed under this process may bring a civil action to be restored to possession and recover actual damages, triple the fair market rent of the dwelling, court costs, and reasonable attorney fees

Unlawfully detaining, occupying, or trespassing upon a residential dwelling and intentionally causing $1,000 or more in damage is a second-degree felony; presenting a false lease, deed, or other property document to remain on real property is a first-degree misdemeanor

Fraudulently listing, advertising, renting, or leasing residential property without legal title, ownership, or leasehold interest is a first-degree felony, with an effective date of July 1, 2024