What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida
My question involves an eviction in the state of: Florida
Background: I moved into a residence in 2006 owned by my then friend. We had a written lease. He graduated and moved back to S. FL and other guys moved in including his cousin. In 2007 he presented a written lease that we could not agree upon, yet he did not enforce its signing. I ran into some financial difficulties in the summer which caused me to fall behind in rent. We had made an arrangement that i would pay him for the August rent in after the first week, and when i received my financial aid in September I would catch up and i could stay to finish my degree in December. My three other roommates moved out at the beginning of August. He instructed me to try to fill the other rooms, but was unsuccessful because most students already secured places before the school year. His cousin had the utilities under his name and i knew that when he left he would discontinue the utilities and i did not have the money to pay a deposit to turn them on again. My phone was also out of service temporarily until i paid my bill. I decided to go home to Tampa on a Friday to figure some things out.. I didn't want to be in a city with no money, lights, or a phone, so i returned to stay with my family for a week.
Present: Upon return i found that the locks had been changed, and all of my property removed. I sent him an email and his response was that he was putting the house on the market and it had to be cleared. He also said that I would receive my property once i paid him back rent. after explaining the legal ramifications of such an act he then said he considered it abandoned, even though my bed was made and all of my property was still there including my personal computer. ( I believe that he just wanted me out because he didn't think that i was going to pay and that he could do it himself because we didn't have a written lease for the year.) I stayed with friends for a week to try to work things out with him before i contacted the authorities. he refused to comply so i contacted the authorities and filed for legal aid representation. He has since agreed to give me back my property. I don't wish to pursue criminal charges but this ordeal has caused severe setbacks including withholding access to my property, eviction without notice, and putting my education on hold because i don't have a place to live. What are my options?
My question involves an eviction in the state of: Florida
Background: I moved into a residence in 2006 owned by my then friend. We had a written lease. He graduated and moved back to S. FL and other guys moved in including his cousin. In 2007 he presented a written lease that we could not agree upon, yet he did not enforce its signing. I ran into some financial difficulties in the summer which caused me to fall behind in rent. We had made an arrangement that i would pay him for the August rent in after the first week, and when i received my financial aid in September I would catch up and i could stay to finish my degree in December. My three other roommates moved out at the beginning of August. He instructed me to try to fill the other rooms, but was unsuccessful because most students already secured places before the school year. His cousin had the utilities under his name and i knew that when he left he would discontinue the utilities and i did not have the money to pay a deposit to turn them on again. My phone was also out of service temporarily until i paid my bill. I decided to go home to Tampa on a Friday to figure some things out.. I didn't want to be in a city with no money, lights, or a phone, so i returned to stay with my family for a week.
Present: Upon return i found that the locks had been changed, and all of my property removed. I sent him an email and his response was that he was putting the house on the market and it had to be cleared. He also said that I would receive my property once i paid him back rent. after explaining the legal ramifications of such an act he then said he considered it abandoned, even though my bed was made and all of my property was still there including my personal computer. ( I believe that he just wanted me out because he didn't think that i was going to pay and that he could do it himself because we didn't have a written lease for the year.) I stayed with friends for a week to try to work things out with him before i contacted the authorities. he refused to comply so i contacted the authorities and filed for legal aid representation. He has since agreed to give me back my property. I don't wish to pursue criminal charges but this ordeal has caused severe setbacks including withholding access to my property, eviction without notice, and putting my education on hold because i don't have a place to live. What are my options?