If you own a rental property in Florida, today is the day that a new law goes into effect. Owners of rental property consisting of 5 or more units (including hotels) will have to conduct background checks of all employees, and will have to keep a log of everyone who is given a key to rental units and requires that the key be returned once the work in that unit is complete.
This law is a response to a 19 year old woman that was murdered by the maintenance man of her apartment complex. Even if this law had been in place then, it would have prevented nothing. The maintenance man had no criminal history.
Also, nothing in the law prevents a person with murderous intent from making a copy of the key and then using that copy six months later.
Stupid, useless law that accomplishes nothing.
9 Comments
Matthew · January 1, 2023 at 9:32 am
This is only another example of the ridiculous, almost pathological, notion that given any tragic event, a new law can be devised to ensure that “this never happens again”. Typically, the new law or rule, labored over by committees, councils, attorneys etc. for months, ends up just like this one. Not only useless, but one that adds a layer of expense and record keeping for everyone involved.
No doubt the legislative geniuses that came up with this nonsense held a presser where they patted themselves on the back until they all needed PT.
Meanwhile they could have spent all that time and effort on an actual worthwhile project.
WDS, Zone 1 · January 1, 2023 at 9:53 am
HNY! Seems kinda one sided, can you perform a background check on potential tenants?
Rob · January 1, 2023 at 10:16 am
Continuing on with our belief that licensure is only for revenue generation and for control, I wonder how much revenue this “law” will generate for the local courthouses?
Steve S6 · January 1, 2023 at 10:30 am
So are you allowed to raise rent to cover the costs of the b/g checks? Or can you just add sesame and a warning label?
Anonymous · January 1, 2023 at 12:47 pm
I have mixed feelings. There’s a space between “100% effective” and “useless,” and something isn’t useless because it’s not 100% effective. It may be that the person in the index case didn’t have a record — but there are plenty of examples of assaults and killings where people *did* have records and used their job to get access to a victim’s house. Would you want someone repeatedly convicted of burglary to be installing your home security system?
It is possible to get around almost any safeguard. Security is layered, not based on one factor.
To me, it’s a little like locking your car. Will locking your car stop someone from breaking in? Of course not. It makes it marginally harder. But what it *does* do is make it easier to break into the unlocked car next to yours. And a lot of these criminals prefer low hanging fruit.
A lot of victim selection follows the same pattern. I’ve talked to a couple of killers. They were very careful about who they chose to abduct, how they did it, and where they did it. And if taking some measure means that they choose someone else, then that’s great. And if a measure means it’s just a little harder all around, or makes it just a little less likely that they will get away with it without being caught, that’s better.\
So, yeah, some guy can get a key made. But some won’t want to bother. And some won’t want to be seen getting a key made in a store surveillance video.
I don’t see a rights-related downside, and the hassle factor is pretty small.
BobF · January 1, 2023 at 1:10 pm
A shining example of how stupid lawmakers think the rest of the population is. If they took the text home and read it to their of-age-to-think children they’d be laughed out of the room. Come to think of it, maybe that should be the first test of any proposed paper.
joe · January 1, 2023 at 5:18 pm
another useless feel good law passed by those in power to show you, hey I’m working for you… even though like your said, won’t do shit to stop someone determined to commit a crime if that is their intent…
paracelsus · January 1, 2023 at 5:30 pm
another meaningless law putting the onus for verification upon the owner/landlord.
Danny · January 1, 2023 at 6:24 pm
If only the 19-year-old woman had been aware – and blown off the guy’s head with a shotgun. Or run a knife up into his heart.
I just wish every woman would realize that females are capable of power moves. Women (and I mean feminine, beautiful women) have – and naturally desire – command. And they can lay to waste any asshole that comes along. If only they prepare themselves accordingly.
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