Defenses to Unlawful Detainer Florida
Not every lease is a valid contract. If your landlord is trying to evict you for violating a rule that’s technically illegal—like no guests allowed for more than two nights (which violates your right to quiet enjoyment)—you can argue the lease term is unenforceable. Another big one: if the rental property is uninhabitable (no running water, no heat, major safety hazards), and your lease says you have to pay full rent anyway, that’s a defense called “constructive eviction.”
How to Defend an Unlawful Detainer - Forward Law Group
You’re basically saying, “Your property is so bad it’s like you already threw me out.” And in some cases, Florida judges agree.