u/AccomplishedBend9555

I've rented the same apartment in Florida for almost 10 years. I've always paid on time, never had eviction issues, and recently gave proper 60-day notice because I'm finally moving into a better place.

Here’s where things get confusing:

I originally signed a lease years ago and then signed yearly renewal addendums after that. The last signed addendum renewed the lease through January 22, 2026. That addendum also referenced an “option of renewing” through January 2027 at a higher rent amount.

However, NO separate 2026 renewal/addendum was ever actually signed or executed after January 2026. I simply continued paying rent monthly in 2026, and the landlord continued accepting it.

The lease has a liquidated damages / early termination clause equal to 2 months’ rent (about $2,600+). Since I gave notice, the landlord hasn’t mentioned the fee yet, but based on her behavior during the move-out process, I’m concerned she may try to enforce it.

My question is:

In Florida, if no new 2026 lease renewal was actually signed, but rent continued being accepted after the prior lease term expired, does this more likely become a month-to-month tenancy? Or could the landlord still successfully argue that the future renewal term through 2027 was already binding because it was referenced in the prior addendum?

Just looking for opinions or experiences from anyone familiar with Florida landlord/tenant situations.

Looking for advice from anyone familiar with Florida landlord/tenant situations and security deposit disputes.

I’ve been in this apartment almost 10 years. Most of the appliances/fixtures seem like they’re from the late 90s or early 2000s. After I gave notice to move out, the landlord’s entire attitude changed immediately. I originally gave around 30 days notice, then changed it to a full 60 days specifically to cooperate and avoid any early termination issues. Even then, she started pushing for basically two full months of rent instead of just prorating the final month difference. Now I’m worried she’s going to try taking the security deposit out of every old thing in the apartment.

Examples:

-Ancient carpet -Broken transition strips that literally deteriorated over time, frayed carpet edges -Brittle/fractured refrigerator shelf plastic -Very old fridge/stove -General wear after nearly a decade -Paint that I originally painted when moving in almost 10 years ago

Nothing here is new or modern condition-wise. Most of it seems fully depreciated at this point. From what I understand, Florida landlords can’t charge full replacement value for items that are already beyond normal useful life expectancy, and normal wear and tear is different from negligence/damage. I’m documenting everything before move-out. What are the realistic odds a landlord actually pursues small claims court over disputed wear-and-tear deductions? And do judges generally factor in depreciation/common sense on very old apartments?