From Hialeah to Homestead, if a landlord anywhere in Miami-Dade kept your security deposit, we fight to get it back — with no fees unless we win.
Miami-Dade is Florida’s most populous county, and no two rental markets inside it look quite the same. A studio off the beach in Miami Beach, a townhome in Doral, a single-family rental in Kendall, and a high-rise in Aventura all carry very different price tags — but tenants in every one of those communities run into the same problem when a deposit disappears without explanation. Hoffman Legal represents renters across the entire county, including Miami, Hialeah, Coral Gables, Homestead, North Miami, Cutler Bay, and Miami Gardens, not just the city center.
That county-wide reach matters because landlords sometimes assume a tenant in a smaller municipality won’t push back. They are wrong. Wherever you live in Miami-Dade, one law governs your deposit — Florida Statute 83.49 — and we apply it the same way for a renter in Florida City as we do for one in Brickell. You do the living; we do the legal work.
Florida’s security deposit rules are statewide, and they apply identically in every Miami-Dade municipality.
Whether you rented in Hialeah or Aventura, a landlord who makes no deductions must return your full deposit within 15 days. To keep any portion, they must mail an itemized claim by certified mail within 30 days.
One court serves the whole county. Deposit disputes from every city are filed in the Miami-Dade County Court, and claims of $8,000 or less go through its small claims division.
A landlord in Coral Gables or Doral who blows the 30-day notice window — or sends a vague claim — forfeits the right to impose a claim on your deposit under Florida law.
When a tenant prevails, Florida law generally requires the landlord to pay the tenant’s reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs — the same in Homestead as in North Miami.
Tell us where you rented — any city in Miami-Dade. We review your lease, your move-out, and any deduction notice at no cost and tell you honestly whether your claim is strong.
We gather your photos, texts, receipts, and payment records and pinpoint exactly where your landlord violated Statute 83.49, no matter which municipality they operate in.
We send a formal demand letter that landlords across Miami-Dade take seriously. Most disputes settle here — quickly and in your favor.
If the landlord won’t do the right thing, we’re ready to file in Miami-Dade County Court and pursue every dollar you’re owed.
You pay nothing unless we win. The consultation is always free.
Full bilingual representation for the county’s English- and Spanish-speaking renters.
Speak with a real attorney, not a call center — day or night.
Handle your entire case by phone, email, or video from anywhere in the county. You never have to come to us.
No. Florida Statute 83.49 is a statewide law, so the same protections apply whether you rented in Hialeah, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Doral, Homestead, Kendall, Aventura, North Miami, Cutler Bay, or Miami Gardens. We handle deposit claims for tenants in every municipality across Miami-Dade County.
There is one county court. Deposit disputes from across Miami-Dade are filed in the Miami-Dade County Court, and claims of $8,000 or less are heard in its small claims division. Your city’s name on the lease doesn’t change where the case is filed — and in practice, most of our cases settle before any filing is needed.
Usually not. Landlords anywhere in the county cannot deduct for ordinary wear and tear — faded paint, light carpet wear, and routine cleaning are normal turnover costs the landlord absorbs, not yours. If the itemized notice reads like a standard make-ready list, you likely have grounds to challenge it.
If your landlord did send a timely itemized notice, you have 15 days to object in writing. More broadly, Florida gives you a five-year statute of limitations on claims arising from a written lease, so even an older dispute may still be actionable. The sooner you call, the easier it is to gather records from your former unit anywhere in the county.
Hoffman Legal represents tenants across Florida. Explore our other service areas: