Landlords lay off staff, run late on mortgage payments after months without rental income

LAKELAND, Fla. - Many landlords are cringing after Florida’s governor again extended the moratorium on evictions and foreclosures.

It was originally imposed to give people a break who are having a hard time because of COVID-19. But after nearly five months without rent coming in, and the moratorium being extended through September 1, property owners are having a hard time paying their own bills.

DJ Delgado, of Bosum Properties in Lakeland, says so many of her tenants are not paying, she had to lay off her assistant.

“I have been losing sleep over it. It has been very stressful,” Delgado told FOX 13.

She says other landlords are in much worse shape.

"If they have a mortgage, and their tenants not paying rent, it puts them in arrears, or can put them in arrears,” she said.

Natasha Mizell, who just got an eviction notice, appreciates being protected by the moratorium.

“For the ones that’s out there that is having a hard time getting a job or getting the hours that they need, I think it’s very helpful,” Mizell said.

Eventually, when the moratorium ends, a judge will decide who will be evicted and who won’t. That may take a while because the courts are expected to be clogged with cases.

The moratorium does not relieve renters of their responsibility to pay. It only prevents them from being kicked out for non-payment. When the extensions finally end, they can still be evicted for non payment.