Lauderhill, FL Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Under Sec. 1.2, no owner-occupant or landlord may let a dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit that lacks basic equipment: every plumbing fixture, water pipe, waste pipe and gas line must be maintained in good, sanitary, working condition, bathroom and kitchen floors must be waterproof and nonabsorbent, and every occupied unit needs a stove with at least two top burners. Sec. 1.4 adds structural rules: foundations, exterior walls and roofs must stay weathertight, watertight and rodent-proof, free of cracks and holes, and able to carry normal loads; interior floors, walls and ceilings need the same rodent-proofing and structural soundness; windows and exterior doors must seal tight, and screens covering openable windows must be free of tears.

Stairways, porches, balconies and railings must be safe and load-rated under the South Florida Building Code, with broken railings replaced in comparable material. Multi-family owners must keep shared areas clean and exterminate pests that spread between units, while occupants handle pest problems confined to their own unit. The Finance and Support Services Department and the Planning and Redevelopment Department jointly act as the Enforcement Agency, and inspections of rental properties happen annually. A rental unit occupied under a single agreement in a building with two or more such units must have a legal rental agent or operator registered with the city. Federal housing quality standards at 24 CFR 982.401 apply on top of these local rules, and whichever standard is stricter controls.