Tenant filed answer to eviction. what next?

[esantana13]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida
I have a tenant that is family and entered into a verbal lease agreement with me. Since the imception the agreement was that he would pay a discounted rate in exchange for me not covering any repairs. He is three months behind and refuses to pay rent because he is claiming that I should pay recent electrical repairs. I disagreed and filed an eviction when we could not resolve the issue. He was served the eviction which gave him five days to respond. He then called me and told me he was going to pay the rent with a cashiers check via certified mail. Instead of a check I received an answer to the courts stating that he disagreed with the amount owed. What can I do to expedite the eviction process?

 

[Cvillecpm]

You should be doing this using an attorney. Find a local attorney who DOES landlord tenant evictions ASAP

 

[xylene]

You will lose.

1. You can't prove your verbal lease.

2. Your verbal lease is illegal. (the no repairs clause)

3. If the property in untenantable (not fit for residency) the tenant will win compensation.