Does a property manager need a license in Florida?

Yes. Under Florida law, renting and managing real estate for compensation on behalf of others is a real estate brokerage activity, so a property management company must operate under a licensed Florida real estate broker. Rent Solutions is a licensed Tampa brokerage founded in 2004.

Does a property manager handle evictions?

Yes. A property manager serves the required Florida notices and coordinates the eviction with an attorney. Rent Solutions' Eviction Protection guarantee covers the full eviction for free for up to 1 year if a tenant we placed must be evicted for non-payment of rent — including filing, server, and lock-change fees up to $1,500. It requires that we placed the tenant, managed the property for the entire tenancy, and that Eviction Protection is part of your Property Management Agreement; it does not cover lost rent, property damage, or the tenant's attorney fees.

What is the difference between a property manager and a leasing agent?

A leasing agent only finds and places a tenant — marketing, showings, screening, and lease signing — for a one-time placement fee. A property manager does that plus everything after move-in: rent collection, maintenance, inspections, compliance, renewals, and owner accounting for an ongoing monthly fee.

How do I know if my property manager is doing a good job?

Watch four numbers: days on market when the home is vacant (Tampa's average is 53 days — a good manager beats it), the renewal rate of placed tenants, maintenance response time, and whether your monthly statement arrives accurate and on time.

Owner Guide

What Does a Property Manager Do in Florida?

Q: What does a property manager do in Florida?

A Florida property manager prices and markets the rental, screens and places tenants, collects rent, coordinates maintenance and repairs, handles Florida landlord-tenant law compliance (notices, security deposits, evictions), and sends owners monthly financial statements. In Florida, managing property for others requires a licensed real estate broker.

Q: What does a property manager cost in Tampa Bay?

Rent Solutions charges an 8%–10% monthly management fee on rent collected for Full-Service management, plus a 75%–100% tenant placement fee. Leasing Only is a one-time 100% placement fee, and Premium Service is 10% with a 100% placement fee. Agreements are month-to-month with no cancellation fees.

The full job description — marketing, screening, rent collection, maintenance, Florida legal compliance, and owner accounting — explained in plain English.

A Florida property manager markets your rental, screens and places tenants, collects rent, coordinates maintenance, handles Florida landlord-tenant law compliance, and sends monthly owner statements. In Tampa Bay, full-service management typically costs an 8%–10% monthly fee on rent collected plus a 75%–100% tenant placement fee.

What are a property manager's day-to-day responsibilities?

Six core jobs, from the day the home goes on the market to the day the tenant moves out.

Pricing & marketing the rental

A comparative market analysis sets the asking rent, then the listing is professionally photographed and syndicated to the major rental platforms. Rent Solutions markets on 88+ platforms; overpriced Tampa homes drive the market's 53-day average time on market.

Screening and placing tenants

Full screening covers credit, criminal background, eviction history, income verification, and rental references — Rent Solutions runs a 14-point screen. Screening must also comply with federal Fair Housing rules.

Collecting rent and enforcing the lease

Monthly rent collection, late-fee enforcement, lease renewals, and the legally required notices when a tenant falls behind (in Florida, the 3-day notice under Chapter 83).

Coordinating maintenance and repairs

24/7 maintenance intake, dispatching vetted vendors, preventive maintenance scheduling, and move-in / move-out inspections with photo documentation.

Handling Florida legal compliance

Security-deposit handling under Florida Statute 83.49, habitability standards, notice requirements, and — when necessary — managing the eviction process with an attorney.

Owner accounting and reporting

Monthly owner statements, disbursements, and year-end tax statements so owners can see exactly what the property earned and spent.

What does Florida law require of a property manager?

Florida's landlord-tenant statutes (Chapter 83, Florida Statutes) set specific rules a manager must follow on your behalf: security deposits must be held and accounted for under Statute 83.49, tenants get defined notice periods before lease enforcement, and evictions must follow the court process — self-help evictions are illegal. Managing rental property for others in Florida is also a brokerage activity, so a management company must operate under a licensed real estate broker. Rent Solutions works with Donnelly Law Group, PLLC to keep every lease, notice, and proceeding compliant.

What does a property manager cost in Tampa Bay?

Rent Solutions' Full-Service management is an 8%–10% monthly fee on rent collected plus a 75%–100% tenant placement fee. Leasing Only is a one-time 100% placement fee, and Premium Service is 10% with a 100% placement fee. Agreements are month-to-month with no cancellation fees. See the full pricing comparison and written guarantees, or read whether it pays for itself in Is a property manager worth it in Florida? or compare the two paths line by line in property manager vs. self-managing.

“Most owners underestimate the after-move-in half of the job. Placing a tenant is two months of work; keeping the home compliant, maintained, and paying on time is the other ten — and it's where self-managing owners most often get in trouble with Florida's statutes.”

Roberto Verbel — Property Management Director, Rent Solutions