(1) It is unlawful for a mobile home park owner to discriminatorily increase a home owner’s rent or discriminatorily decrease services to a home owner, or to bring or threaten to bring an action for possession or other civil action, primarily because the park owner is retaliating against the home owner. In order for the home owner to raise the defense of retaliatory conduct, the home owner must have acted in good faith and not for any improper purposes, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary delay or for frivolous purpose or needless increase in the cost of litigation. Examples of conduct for which the park owner may not retaliate include, but are not limited to, situations where:
(a) The home owner has in good faith complained to a governmental agency charged with responsibility for enforcement of a building, housing, or health code of a suspected violation applicable to the mobile home park;
(b) The home owner has organized, encouraged, or participated in a homeowners’ organization; or
(c) The home owner has complained to the park owner for failure to comply with s. 723.022.
(2) Evidence of retaliatory conduct may be raised by the home owner as a defense in any action brought against him or her for possession.
(3) In any event, this section does not apply if the park owner proves that the eviction is for good cause. Examples of such good cause include, but are not limited to, good faith actions for nonpayment of the lot rental amount, violation of the rental agreement or of park rules, or violation of the terms of this chapter.
History.—s. 12, ch. 86-162; s. 926, ch. 97-102.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title XL - Real and Personal Property
Chapter 723 - Mobile Home Park Lot Tenancies
723.002 - Application of Chapter.
723.004 - Legislative Intent; Preemption of Subject Matter.
723.005 - Regulation by Division.
723.006 - Powers and Duties of Division.
723.007 - Annual Fees; Surcharge.
723.008 - Applicability of Chapter 212 to Fees, Penalties, and Fines Under This Chapter.
723.009 - Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes Trust Fund.
723.011 - Disclosure Prior to Rental of a Mobile Home Lot; Prospectus, Filing, Approval.
723.012 - Prospectus or Offering Circular.
723.013 - Written Notification in the Absence of a Prospectus.
723.014 - Failure to Provide Prospectus or Offering Circular Prior to Occupancy.
723.016 - Advertising Materials; Oral Statements.
723.017 - Publication of False or Misleading Information; Remedies.
723.021 - Obligation of Good Faith and Fair Dealings.
723.022 - Mobile Home Park Owner’s General Obligations.
723.023 - Mobile Home Owner’s General Obligations.
723.024 - Compliance by Mobile Home Park Owners and Mobile Home Owners.
723.025 - Park Owner’s Access to Mobile Home and Mobile Home Lot.
723.027 - Persons Authorized by Park Owner to Receive Notices.
723.031 - Mobile Home Lot Rental Agreements.
723.032 - Prohibited or Unenforceable Provisions in Mobile Home Lot Rental Agreements.
723.033 - Unreasonable Lot Rental Agreements; Increases, Changes.
723.035 - Rules and Regulations.
723.038 - Dispute Settlement; Mediation.
723.0381 - Civil Actions; Arbitration.
723.041 - Entrance Fees; Refunds; Exit Fees Prohibited; Replacement Homes.
723.042 - Provision of Improvements.
723.043 - Purchase of Equipment.
723.044 - Interference With Installation of Appliances or Interior Improvements.
723.045 - Sale of Utilities by Park Owner or Developer.
723.046 - Capital Costs of Utility Improvements.
723.051 - Invitees; Rights and Obligations.
723.054 - Right of Mobile Home Owners to Peaceably Assemble; Right to Communicate.
723.056 - Enforcement of Right of Assembly and Right to Hear Outside Speakers.
723.058 - Restrictions on Sale of Mobile Homes.
723.059 - Purchaser of a Mobile Home Within a Mobile Home Park.
723.061 - Eviction; Grounds, Proceedings.
723.0611 - Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corporation.
723.06115 - Florida Mobile Home Relocation Trust Fund.
723.06116 - Payments to the Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corporation.
723.0612 - Change in Use; Relocation Expenses; Payments by Park Owner.
723.0615 - Retaliatory Conduct.
723.062 - Removal of Mobile Home Owner; Process.
723.063 - Defenses to Action for Rent or Possession; Procedure.
723.071 - Sale of Mobile Home Parks.
723.072 - Affidavit of Compliance With Statutory Requirements.
723.073 - Conveyance by the Association.
723.074 - Sale of Facilities Serving a Mobile Home Subdivision.
723.075 - Homeowners’ Associations.
723.0751 - Mobile Home Subdivision Homeowners’ Association.
723.076 - Incorporation; Notification of Park Owner.
723.077 - Articles of Incorporation.
723.078 - Bylaws of Homeowners’ Associations.
723.0781 - Board Member Training Programs.
723.079 - Powers and Duties of Homeowners’ Association.
723.0791 - Mobile Home Cooperative Homeowners’ Associations; Elections.
723.081 - Notice of Application for Change in Zoning.
723.083 - Governmental Action Affecting Removal of Mobile Home Owners.
723.084 - Storage Charges on Mobile Homes.
723.085 - Rights of Lienholder on Mobile Homes in Rental Mobile Home Parks.
723.086 - Property and Lienholder Contracts.