Tenant move out issues - Florida

[KrisTina Muia]

Long post warning! Owner of 3 rentals, multiple years. Never faced this, amazingly enough! Tenants on year lease went month to month, no problem. There is a $50 increase when going m2m that they did pay 1st month. No big deal, as I gave tenants 60 day notice 1st month {move out date Feb 8} but said I wouldn't charge them the $50 increase each month if they could be out Feb 1st. They sent text a few weeks later {in Dec} that they'd be moving Feb 1st & to give a good review to next LL. They also requested an early walk thru for damages as they had issues with last LL who kept their deposit until they got a lawyer friend involved {who happens to be my lawyer & friend & who they listed as a reference on their application}. Explained I can do a quick informal one but was really just going in to look at broken dishwasher & I have no intent to screwing them like they said last LL did. It needs to be cleaned & empty but I wouldn't be able to do official till they were out. Also explained that had a friend staying there for Superbowl, coming in the 4th. No problems. On afternoon of Feb 1st, they move out the belongs they wanted, leaving house filthy & various items, broken furniture, bags of trash, clothing & dishes inside house & in overflowing trash & recycling bins & on carport, according to neighbor who checked thru window to see if they were out. I texted asking when they were returning to get rest of things & cleaning. They responded that they have until the 8th according to my lease. I responded, that wasn't the agreement, showed them their message of move out date Feb 1st & they hadn't paid increase or thru Feb 8th. They actually only paid thru Jan 31st & I was gracious enough to give them access on the 1st. They gave me kick back that they had to 8th but then sent text saying they'd handle by midnight. Cleaning would be booked "sometime this week" & their dad would fix broken screen on porch sometime as well. I said I would be ok with that as long as it was ready be the 3rd but had not been to property yet. Night of 1st I get there & they'd thrown everything left behind in front of driveway, filled trash, recycling & yard waste bins with said shoes, clothes, furniture & dishes & the house was UTTERLY filthy - they had obviously NEVER cleaned. I'd had terrazzo floors redone a year before they moved in & last tenant hadn't left a mark. If course, I don't expect that but the ground in dark dirt outlines of their furniture showed complete lack of cleaning. Dog hair & beard shavings, fridge disgusting, mold on window sills behind plantation shutters covered in layers of dust - everywhere. Damage to walls, holes, broken slider lock, dog poop all over the yards, blah blah blah. Next morning {2nd Feb} trash from overflowing cans blown all over the block. Let them know based on their handling of this, I couldn't trust them to keep their word & would hire cleaners, trash hauling of what isn't picked up by the city & screen repair. They came back with: cleaner will be there that day to asses & clean Thursday & they'd be back to fix screen - but they have till the 8th! Hm. Ok, pay thru the 8th & that's fine. Quickly becomes passive aggressive & says I agreed to cleaning & fixing of screens & asked when would they get deposit back! I responded I am not comfortable with them coming back onto the property & would finalize deposit within time allowed by law. They then mention their lawyer - my lawyer! Lol!! Cleaner no showed so I had others come - one who said it was too dirty to get done by the 3rd. Another who said she'd do it but it was obvious to her it looked like it had never been swept in the 1 yr 3 months they were there. I worked along side her for 8 hrs to get it move out clean - I'm not talking MY kind of clean, just what was listed on lease as move out clean. Lease also states property would be "kept in clean order & repair" & "dog waste picked up" 

Questions - am I responsible to dispose of trash left that isn't picked up by city or can I charge against their deposit? they claim trash is "normal when a tenant moves out".

Back slider door lock was broken but he said he let me know so he's not responsible. It wasn't broken when he moved in & was unable to get fixed when covid came on. At the time he said no problem, they are there 24/7 & don't lock it because dog goes in & out thru there. Because he alerted me & it wasn't fixed, am I left holding the cost? 

Cleaning was $225. Is there a $ limit to a cleaning fee? They believe its too much & won't pay as they had cleaners booked but I won't let them clean. 

After cleaning floors it is obvious the excessive damage will need a professional to clean. These floors were spotless so it's 100% their negligence. They claim normal wear & tear. How can I prove its not?? 

Can I charge for poop pick up? It's everywhere! 

Thanks so much for reading all this & any advice!