provision,subject,what_it_requires,key_figure,notes
"Fla. Stat. 83.51(1)(a)","Comply with codes","The landlord shall at all times during the tenancy comply with the requirements of applicable building, housing and health codes.","continuing duty","The obligation follows the condition rather than the calendar. A unit habitable at move in can fall out of compliance later."
"Fla. Stat. 83.51(1)(b)","Where no codes apply","Where there are no applicable building, housing or health codes, the landlord shall maintain the roofs, windows, screens, doors, floors, steps, porches, exterior walls, foundations and other structural components.","structural maintenance","The statute lists the components explicitly rather than leaving it to interpretation."
"Fla. Stat. 83.56(1)","The seven day notice","A tenant must deliver written notice naming the repair problem and stating an intention to withhold rent, then wait a full seven days.","7 days","The notice is the gateway to every remedy. Without it, or if sent fewer than seven days before rent is due, the defense is waived."
"Fla. Stat. 83.56(1)","What the notice must contain","It must specify what is broken, state that the tenant intends to withhold rent if it is not fixed, and give seven days.","three elements","The Florida Courts publish standard forms for this. Using one avoids arguments about whether the notice was adequate."
"Fla. Stat. 83.60","The withholding defense","A tenant facing eviction for nonpayment may raise material noncompliance with the landlord duty under 83.51(1) as a complete defense.","complete defense","Only available where the seven day procedure was followed and the tenant was otherwise current on rent."
"Fla. Stat. 83.60","The court registry rule","After the landlord files, the tenant has five business days from service to deposit the disputed rent into the court registry or file a motion to determine rent.","5 business days","This is the provision that decides most of these cases. Missing it waives every defense, the court enters default judgment and issues a writ, and there is no hearing on the repair at all."
"Fla. Stat. 83.201","Repair and deduct","Florida provides a limited repair and deduct remedy under section 83.201.","limited remedy","Homzora has not compiled the conditions and limits of this section and does not publish them. Unlike some states, Florida does have an express statutory provision rather than a contested position."
"Fla. Stat. 83.56","Terminating instead of withholding","Where a tenant wants to leave rather than have the repair made, the procedure is nearly identical: the same written notice and the same seven day wait, followed by termination.","7 days",
"Fla. Stat. 83.64","Retaliation is prohibited","Florida bars retaliatory conduct by a landlord.","statutory bar","Homzora has not compiled the protected actions or remedies under this section and does not publish them."
practical,"Being current on rent","A tenant pursuing habitability remedies generally must not be delinquent. Withholding before completing the statutory procedure typically forfeits the remedy even where the condition is serious.","current on rent","The single most common mistake is withholding first and giving notice afterwards. That is treated as nonpayment."