What happens if a tenant will not leave after the judgment?

The sheriff of the county where the property sits is hired to execute a writ of possession and remove the tenant. The firm advises having a locksmith present, since the sheriff will not break down the door, and people ready to move the tenant's belongings to the property line. Once the removal is done the landlord is not liable for what happens to those items, and a tenant who returns is a trespasser.

Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities instead?

No. Self-help evictions are not allowed. Florida landlords and property managers must use the court process; changing locks, cutting off utilities, or otherwise unreasonably interfering with a tenant's access to the property is not permitted.

Landlord-tenant attorneys

Eviction Law Firm

Eviction Law Firm is a Florida practice that removes tenants and occupants from residential and commercial property on behalf of landlords, investors, and property managers. Alongside the eviction work it publishes a free help centre of notices, sample leases, inspection checklists, and rental applications for landlords.

Evictions are handled on a flat fee starting at $550, with a stated goal of concluding a case within 30 days and a weekly summary report to the client. The work covers standard non-payment and lease-breach evictions, unlawful detainers, ejectment actions, squatters and holdover occupants, association and Section 8 evictions, mobile home and foreclosed-property evictions, and evictions where the tenant is in bankruptcy. Related landlord matters include security deposit claims, distress writs, abandoned property, and claims for damages or money owed.

The firm says it has completed over 20,000 successful evictions and serves all of Florida, with offices in Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Miami, Miami Lakes, Orlando, and Clearwater, and staff languages listed as English, Spanish, Italian, and French. Beyond evictions it is a full-service transaction and civil litigation firm covering buy-sell agreements, 1031 exchanges, transfers of real estate, real estate litigation, business agreements, and estate planning.

The $550 is a starting flat fee and the site does not break out county filing or sheriff costs, so confirm the all-in figure for the county involved. The firm also notes that self-help evictions are not allowed in Florida and that a landlord should have a locksmith and people to move belongings on hand when the sheriff executes the writ.

Best for

Florida landlords, property managers, and apartment or mobile home community owners who need evictions filed at a predictable flat fee. Tenants are not represented.

What they do

Residential tenant evictions
Commercial and retail evictions
Mobile home property evictions
Section 8 and community association evictions
Unlawful detainer and ejectment actions
Removal of squatters and holdover occupants
Evictions involving tenants in bankruptcy
Security deposit claims and landlord distress writs
Claims for rental property damage and money owed

Details

Attribute	Value
Offices	Plantation, FL, Fort Lauderdale, FL, West Palm Beach, FL, Boynton Beach, FL, Miami, FL, Miami Lakes, FL, Orlando, FL, Clearwater, FL
How they charge	Flat-fee tenant evictions from $550, with a stated 30-day goal and weekly status reports.

What stands out

Flat eviction fees start at $550, with a stated goal of completing a case within 30 days.
States it has handled over 20,000 successful evictions.
Sends a weekly summary report on each case and serves all of Florida.
Lists offices in Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Miami, Miami Lakes, Orlando, and Clearwater.
Publishes a free help centre of eviction notices, sample leases, inspection checklists, and rental applications.

Common questions

What happens if a tenant will not leave after the judgment?: The sheriff of the county where the property sits is hired to execute a writ of possession and remove the tenant. The firm advises having a locksmith present, since the sheriff will not break down the door, and people ready to move the tenant's belongings to the property line. Once the removal is done the landlord is not liable for what happens to those items, and a tenant who returns is a trespasser.
Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities instead?: No. Self-help evictions are not allowed. Florida landlords and property managers must use the court process; changing locks, cutting off utilities, or otherwise unreasonably interfering with a tenant's access to the property is not permitted.