A Motion for Determination of Rent is used when a landlord claims you owe rent but the amount is disputed, incorrect, inflated, or includes unlawful charges. Florida law requires the court to determine the proper rent amount before an eviction for nonpayment can proceed. This motion asks the judge to review the rent demand and decide what, if anything, must be deposited into the court registry.

You should use this motion if the landlord’s rent demand includes fees, late charges, utilities, damages, or other amounts that are not legally considered rent, if the amount claimed is incorrect, if you partially paid rent, if the landlord refused payment, or if conditions in the unit reduce the fair rental value. This motion is also appropriate when you need the court to set the registry amount before the case can move forward.

Before starting the Motion Wizard, gather your county and court location, your case number, the amount of rent the landlord claims is owed, the amount you believe is actually owed (if any), and any reasons the rent amount is disputed. You do not need legal citations or legal writing experience.

To create your motion, click “Create Your Motion (Florida)” to launch the Motion Wizard. You will answer simple questions about the landlord’s rent demand, what charges are being disputed, whether payments were made or refused, and whether habitability issues exist. Answer honestly—no legal language is required. The wizard automatically applies Florida law and formats your motion to request a judicial determination of rent.

Once completed, review your motion carefully. The motion will ask the court to determine the correct rent amount, set the proper registry deposit, and prevent eviction from moving forward until that determination is made. After reviewing, sign the motion by printing and signing or applying a valid electronic signature.

File the signed motion with your court’s e-filing portal and serve the landlord or landlord’s attorney as required. Timing is critical—this motion should be filed promptly, as failure to address the rent registry can lead to serious consequences.

After filing, the court may set a hearing to determine rent, issue an order setting the registry amount, or allow additional time to deposit funds. The eviction case cannot proceed until the rent amount is determined and any required deposit is addressed.

This motion is powerful because it forces the court to separate lawful rent from unlawful charges, protects tenants from inflated or improper demands, and ensures eviction does not proceed based on disputed or incorrect amounts. It preserves your defenses and places the burden on the landlord to justify the rent claimed.

You are not refusing to pay rent—you are asking the court to determine what is legally owed. Once this motion is filed, the law is working for you.