Orlando / Inspection guide

Inspecting an Orlando rental before and after you sign

By Homzora Team · September 26, 2026

In Central Florida, a good inspection pays special attention to three things: cooling, moisture and storms. Air conditioning that struggles in May will fail in August, humidity finds its way into poorly sealed homes, and hurricane season tests every window and roof. This guide explains what Florida law requires, what to check in each room and how to ask for repairs, with a source for every rule.

What Florida law requires

Florida requires every landlord to comply with applicable building, housing and health codes. Where no such codes apply, the landlord must maintain the roof, windows, doors, floors, steps, porches, exterior walls, foundations and other structural components in good repair, keep the plumbing in reasonable working condition and install and repair screens as needed.^[1]

For apartments and other buildings that are not single family homes or duplexes, the landlord must also provide, unless the lease says otherwise in writing, extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood destroying organisms and bedbugs; locks and keys; clean and safe common areas; garbage removal and receptacles; and functioning facilities for heat in winter, running water and hot water. In a single family home or duplex, the landlord must install working smoke detection devices at the start of the tenancy.^[1] The statute does not mention air conditioning^[1], so the lease decides who is responsible for it.

Air conditioning first

In Orlando, the air conditioning deserves the most attention of anything in the home. Turn it on as soon as you arrive and let it run through the viewing. Check that cold air reaches every room, including bedrooms at the end of hallways and upstairs rooms, which are often the hottest. Listen for rattling or grinding, look for water stains around the indoor unit or ceiling vents, and look at the filter to see whether it has been changed recently. Ask how old the system is, when it was last serviced, who changes the filters and who pays for repairs. Then ask for the lease to say how quickly the landlord will respond to a cooling failure in summer.

Humidity, leaks and mold

Central Florida's humidity means that small leaks and poor ventilation can quickly lead to mold. Look for dark spots on ceilings, around windows, behind toilets, under sinks and inside closets, and notice any musty smell when you first open the door. Check the bathroom exhaust fans. Open the cabinet under each sink and look for soft wood, stains or active drips. Look at the ceiling below any upstairs bathroom and around the air conditioning closet, where condensation lines can back up. A small spot may be a housekeeping matter, but staining that keeps returning usually points to a leak the landlord should find and fix.

Kitchen and bathrooms

Turn on every burner and the oven, check that the refrigerator and freezer are cold, and run the dishwasher and garbage disposal briefly if there are any. Run the hot and cold taps and the shower until the water is hot, and note how long it takes. Flush each toilet and check that it refills and stops. Press on the floor around the toilet and tub; a soft floor can mean water damage underneath. Look for signs of pests, such as droppings or dead insects at the back of cabinets. Pest extermination, including roaches, ants and bedbugs, is the landlord's duty in apartment buildings unless the lease says otherwise in writing.^[1]

Windows, doors and screens

Open and close every window and door, check that each one locks, and look for gaps where rain or insects could enter. The landlord must install and repair screens as needed^[1], so note any that are missing or torn. Look at window frames for water stains, which can show where storms have driven rain inside. Check that sliding doors lock securely and that the front door has a working deadbolt and a way to see who is outside.

Storm readiness

Hurricane season makes some checks especially important in Florida. Ask whether the home has storm shutters or impact resistant windows and who puts up shutters when a storm approaches. Ask how the landlord handles storm preparation and cleanup, and whether the lease says anything about your duties before a storm. Look at the roof from the ground for missing or damaged shingles, and at ceilings inside for stains that suggest a roof leak. Look up the evacuation zone for the address by entering it on the state's Know Your Zone map^[2], and note that people in mobile homes are advised to follow all evacuation orders.^[2]

Flood history and radon

For a lease of one year or longer, you should receive a flood disclosure at or before signing that says whether the landlord knows of past flooding that damaged the unit, and whether it has filed flood insurance claims or received federal disaster assistance for flood damage.^[3] Read it before you sign, and during the viewing look for signs of past water damage such as stained baseboards, warped flooring or a waterline on walls.

Your lease must also include a standard notice about radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that has been found in some Florida buildings at levels above federal and state guidelines.^[4] The notice points to your county health department for more information about radon testing.^[4] If you plan to stay for several years, consider asking whether the building has been tested.

Safety equipment

Press the test button on every smoke alarm and note any that do not sound. In a single family home or duplex, the landlord must provide working smoke detection at the start of the tenancy^[1], and in any home you should report a faulty alarm immediately. Ask where the water shut off valve and electrical panel are. In buildings with shared entrances, check that the entry doors close and lock properly and that hallways and stairways are lit at night.

Common areas and the outside

Walk the hallways, stairs, laundry room, parking lot and trash area. The landlord must keep common areas clean and safe in apartment buildings^[1], so notice overflowing trash, broken lighting, loose railings or standing water. Look for drainage problems around the building, since heavy summer rain can pool near entrances and ground floor units. Ask where packages are delivered and whether parking areas are lit and secure.

Questions to ask the landlord

How old is the air conditioning system, and when was it last serviced?
How quickly are cooling failures repaired in summer, and is there an after hours number?
Has the unit had leaks, mold or pest treatments in the past year?
Has the home ever flooded, and has the roof been repaired or replaced after a storm?
Who puts up storm shutters, and what happens to the unit if a storm causes damage?
What were the electric bills for the unit last July and August?

Write down the answers and the name of the person who gave them. High summer electric bills can point to an inefficient system, poor insulation or leaking ducts, all of which cost you money every month, so the bills are worth seeing even if you do not ask about anything else.

How to request a repair

Make every repair request in writing and keep a copy, even if you also call. Send it to the name and address the landlord disclosed for notices^[5], describe the problem, where it is and when it started, and attach photographs. A landlord may enter to make repairs with at least 24 hours' notice, between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m.^[6]

If the landlord materially fails to meet its maintenance duties, Florida law gives you a formal process. You may deliver a written notice specifying the problem and stating that you will end the lease if it is not fixed; if it is not corrected within seven days, you may end the lease.^[7] You may also withhold rent, but only after delivering written notice that specifies the problem and states your intention to withhold, and waiting seven days.^[8] If the landlord then files an eviction, you must pay the disputed rent into the court registry within five days of service, excluding weekends and legal holidays, or lose your defenses other than payment.^[8] Because of that rule, keep any withheld rent set aside and get advice before withholding.

You are protected from retaliation for good faith complaints to the landlord about maintenance or to a government agency about code violations.^[9] You can report conditions to the code enforcement office for the city or county where the home is located.

What to do with what you find

Before you sign, list every problem you found and ask the landlord in writing to repair it before move in, or to note it as existing damage on the move in form. Keep the photographs and the landlord's reply. A landlord that will not put anything in writing is telling you something important about how repairs will be handled later.

Inspect again during the tenancy, not only at the start. A quick walk through the home every few months, and again before and after hurricane season, helps you spot slow leaks, failing seals and pest activity early, when they are easier and cheaper to fix. Report what you find in writing each time, so the record shows that you raised problems promptly.

Your completion record

Air conditioning tested and terms agreed
Signs of leaks, mold and pests
Windows, doors, locks and screens
Storm shutters and roof condition
Flood disclosure and evacuation zone
Smoke alarms tested
Repair requests in writing

Keep this record with your move in photographs. See the evidence guide for how to document problems, and the move in guide for the steps before you sign.

Sources and official resources

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