Residential & Non-Residential Evictions Unlawful Detention*

Simple answer is, it depends. The entire eviction process could be as quick as 10 days, or it could last a month or longer. 

There are certain time periods that are fixed by the rules of procedure and Florida Law. For example you need to post a 3 day notice and only after 3 business days, if the tenant still does not pay, can you start the eviction process. 

After you file your case, and serve the tenant, the tenant has 5 business days to respond to the complaint. 

In the simplest evictions, an uncontested eviction, only after the 5 days has expired, and if the tenant does not respond you can ask the court to issue a default and for a writ of possession. 

Contested evictions are usually take longer. The Court may order a mediation to occur, or set the case for a final hearing. With contested evictions, there are too many possibilities for a simple answer.

However, generally, for the tenant to even be permitted to defend the case and “buy time” Florida Law requires the tenant to deposit disputed rent amounts into the Court Registry. If the amount due is disputed, the Court may set a hearing to determine the rent to be deposited. 

When the Court sets a hearing, of any type, it usually provides the parties at least 10 days notice, which delays an ultimate resolution. 

There are generally 2 components to expenses with an eviction. 

1. The Attorneys Fees for the attorney’s work,  AND
2. Costs – amounts paid to others as a part of the eviction process (clerk filing fees, clerk summons fees, process server and courier fees, etc.)

We have a straight forwarding pricing model. $525 flat fee for the base eviction fee (uncontested), plus

$200 flat fee for each hearing, mediation, trial we attend. 

Costs including clerks fees, and process server fees are generally around $580. 

A typical eviction is as follows:

$525 Base Fee

$300 Fee to Attend One Hearing or Mediation

$295 Filing Fees

$260 Process Server (for initial service fees, to deliver writ of possession, and to layout fees for Writ of Possession $90)

TOTAL $1280.00

Typical Range: $1000-1500 Total Fees and Costs

Always read the fine print and terms.

Usually ultra low offers i.e. $195 for uncontested evictions, impose an hourly rate in the event the eviction is contested (even possession only evictions.) Since most evictions are contested in some form or another, those other firms know that their fees will not be limited to $195, but they will start billing you at an hourly rate.

We do not bill hourly rates for contested possession evictions.

We charge a base rate ($525) for all evictions whether contested or not, and then have flat rates ($200) per hearing, trial, or mediation for contested events.

There are no surprises in our billing. 

Even more, we pride ourselves in providing quality legal services and to quickly respond same day (if not within the hour) to move the next step of your eviction forward. 

The Eviction process is similar to a game of hot potato. To move an eviction forward we always need to get your case to the next step. When its our turn to act, we act fast, motions for default our filed at the earliest possible time, we respond to the court and motions as quickly as possible so that we are not the ones contributing to the length of time your case takes to finish. 

If you own the property in your individual name (not as a corporation or LLC) you can file your eviction pro se, or without an attorney. However, you should have some familiarity with the Court system to do this, or this could be a longer and painful process than it would otherwise be with an experienced attorney. 

Under Florida Law, Corporate Entities, including LLC’s, need an attorney to represent them in Court.