Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay resources for selling a house that needs work
Written by Valentina DazaPublished August 26, 2026
If you are selling a Tampa Bay house that needs work, start with the official clerk and court doors, not a sales call. Hillsborough Clerk files residential evictions at 800 E Twiggs Street. Florida Courts Help has a landlord eviction interview you can file with the clerk. For a lawyer, use the county bar referral or one of the four Tampa rent lawyers below. If the house will finance and you can wait, list with a local agent.
Key points
- Start with Hillsborough Clerk and Florida Courts Help, not a sales call.
- The county bar referral is a screened 30-minute door if you need a lawyer and do not have one.
- Four Tampa rent lawyers have a live Florida Bar number and a Google Maps rating. WrightDavis is a licensed manager, not an eviction mill.
- If the house will finance and you can wait, list with a local agent.
Official doors first
If you own a Tampa or Hillsborough house that needs work, and people still live there, start with the official clerk and court pages. Those doors do not charge you for a sales pitch.
The Hillsborough Clerk is the official county court clerk. If you own a Tampa or Hillsborough house that needs work, and people still live there, this is the real filing door. You come here to file a residential eviction. The office is at 800 E Twiggs Street in downtown Tampa. The clerk cannot give legal advice.
Florida Courts Help is official statewide court help. A homeowner selling a house with people still in it can use it to get the court form before paying a lawyer. You complete a DIY landlord eviction interview, then file that packet with the local clerk.
Florida Statutes Chapter 83 is the Florida rent law. Read it when you need the actual statute the clerk pages rest on. It is the statewide landlord-tenant law, not a blog summary.
Bay Area Legal Services is legal aid. Help is free if you qualify. They decide if they can take the case. Their rent page is written for tenants, so do not treat them as the seller eviction lawyer. Use them if you may qualify for free civil help. Their site also lists homeownership and foreclosure.
The Hillsborough County renters and landlords rights page is a county explainer. It puts the county rules in plain words and points you to legal aid and the county bar. Use it when you want the county's own summary before you file or hire.
Hillsborough County Bar lawyer referral
The Hillsborough County Bar Association referral is a screened lawyer referral. It is not your lawyer. Call (813) 221-7780. The printed fee is $35 for 30 minutes. The page lists landlord and tenant. Use this when you need a lawyer and do not have one.
Four Tampa rent lawyers
Four Tampa lawyers have a live Florida Bar number and a Google Maps rating. They are not the only lawyers in town. Mixed-practice firms also do other work.
Jeffrey P. Lieser at Lieser Skaff is a Tampa lawyer for landlord-tenant and evictions. Call if people are still in the house and you need that work. They also do other legal work. One public review is about a commercial tenant, so say if yours is a regular house. Florida Bar 29164. Google Maps 4.9 from 57 reviews. The office is at 403 N Howard Ave, Tampa.
Alicia Regina Seward at Seward Law Office is a Tampa lawyer for landlord, HOA, leases, and evictions. Call if you need help from the lease through a filing. The Florida Bar printed an Admonishment on September 8, 2021, reference 202010337. Read the Bar profile before you hire. Google Maps 4.1 from 91 reviews. The office is at 5401 W Kennedy Blvd Suite 100, Tampa. One review: Exceptional work by Seward Law firm to protect our company rentals.
Daniel Joseph Bonardi at Bonardi and Uzdavinis is a Tampa lawyer. The firm says landlord-tenant is the foundation. They also do personal injury. Call if you want that mix. Florida Bar 1027977. Google Maps 4.7 from 47 reviews. The office is at 7416 Monika Manor Dr, Tampa. One review: Bonardi & Uzdavinis LLP provided outstanding legal service from start to finish.
Sarah Elizabeth Peart at Peart Law Office is a Tampa lawyer with a dedicated landlord-tenant page. Call if you want a shop that is mainly rent cases. Florida Bar 29398. Google Maps 4.1 from 108 reviews. The office is at 10150 Highland Manor Dr Ste 200-135, Tampa. One review: Incredibly pleased with Bryan and Sarah. They took the time to actually look into my issue and give a well thought out response.
One licensed Tampa property manager
WrightDavis Property Management is a licensed Tampa property manager, license CQ1039676, Current and Active. BBB customer reviews are 4.72 from 65. That is the customer-review score, not a letter grade. Use them if you need a manager while you decide to sell. Do not treat them as an eviction mill.
If the as-is path is the one that is left
If the lease is clean, tenants will allow showings, and the house will finance, list with a local agent. That is usually the better path.
If the as-is path is the one that is left, use /get-offer/. No is a complete answer.
Common questions
Where do I start if tenants are still in the house?
Start with Hillsborough Clerk if the house is in Hillsborough. That is the official filing door. Use Florida Courts Help if you want the court form before you pay a lawyer. Use the county bar referral if you need a lawyer and do not have one. This page also lists four Tampa rent lawyers. Bay Area Legal Services is free if you qualify. Their rent page is written for tenants.
Can you name a Tampa landlord-tenant lawyer?
Yes. Four Tampa lawyers on this page have a live Florida Bar number and a Google Maps rating. You can also call the Hillsborough County Bar Association referral at (813) 221-7780. The fee printed on that page is $35 for 30 minutes. That referral is not your lawyer.
What is the Seward Admonishment?
The Florida Bar printed an Admonishment for Alicia Regina Seward on September 8, 2021, reference 202010337. Read the Bar profile before you hire.
Who is WrightDavis?
WrightDavis is a licensed Tampa property manager, CQ1039676, Current and Active. BBB customer reviews are 4.72 from 65. Use them if you need a manager while you decide to sell. Do not treat them as an eviction mill.
Will the clerk tell me what to file?
No. The clerk is the official filing door. The clerk cannot give legal advice. Ask the Hillsborough County Bar Association referral, or a lawyer you already have.
Do I have to request an offer?
No. You do not have to use the form to read this page. If the house will finance and you can wait, list with a local agent. If the as-is path is the one that is left, use /get-offer/.
Additional helpful resources
- Hillsborough Clerk, residential eviction
This is the official Hillsborough County court clerk. If you own a Tampa or Hillsborough house that needs work, and people still live there, this is the real filing door. You come here to file a residential eviction, not to get a sales call. The office is at 800 E Twiggs Street in downtown Tampa. The clerk cannot give legal advice.
https://www.hillsclerk.com/eviction
- Florida Courts Help, landlord eviction interview
This is official statewide court help. A homeowner selling a house with people still in it can use it to get the court form before paying a lawyer. You complete a DIY landlord eviction interview, then file that packet with the local clerk.
https://www.flcourts.gov/Courts-System/florida-courts-help/diy-florida
- Florida Statutes Chapter 83
This is the Florida rent law. If you are selling a Tampa or Hillsborough house with people still in it, read this when you need the actual statute the clerk pages rest on. It is the statewide landlord-tenant law, not a blog summary.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0083/0083.html
- Bay Area Legal Services
This is legal aid. Help is free if you qualify. They decide if they can take the case. Their rent page is written for tenants, so do not treat them as the seller eviction lawyer. Use them if you may qualify for free civil help. Their site also lists homeownership and foreclosure.
https://bals.org/help/landlord-tenant-eviction
- Hillsborough County renters and landlords rights
This is a Hillsborough County explainer. It puts the county rules in plain words for an owner selling a house that needs work. It points you to legal aid and the county bar. Use it when you want the county's own summary before you file or hire.
https://hcfl.gov/residents/property-owners-and-renters/renters-and-landlords/renters-and-landlords-rights-and-responsibilities
- Hillsborough County Bar Association lawyer referral
This is a screened lawyer referral. It is not your lawyer. Call (813) 221-7780. The printed fee is $35 for 30 minutes. The page lists landlord and tenant. Use this when you own a Tampa or Hillsborough house that needs work, people still live there, and you need a lawyer and do not have one.
https://hillsbarlrs.com/
- Jeffrey P. Lieser, Lieser Skaff
Jeffrey P. Lieser is a Tampa lawyer for landlord-tenant and evictions. Call if people are still in the house and you need that work. They also do other legal work. One public review is about a commercial tenant, so say if yours is a regular house. Florida Bar 29164. Google Maps 4.9 from 57 reviews. 403 N Howard Ave, Tampa.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lieser+Skaff/@27.94797,-82.4826913,17z
- Alicia Regina Seward, Seward Law Office
Alicia Regina Seward is a Tampa lawyer for landlord, HOA, leases, and evictions. Call if you need help from the lease through a filing. The Florida Bar printed an Admonishment on September 8, 2021, reference 202010337. Read the Bar profile before you hire. Google Maps 4.1 from 91 reviews. 5401 W Kennedy Blvd Suite 100, Tampa. One review: Exceptional work by Seward Law firm to protect our company rentals.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Seward+Law+Office,+P.A./@27.9458578,-82.5339718,17z
- Daniel Joseph Bonardi, Bonardi and Uzdavinis
Daniel Joseph Bonardi is a Tampa lawyer. The firm says landlord-tenant is the foundation. They also do personal injury. Call if you want that mix. Florida Bar 1027977. Google Maps 4.7 from 47 reviews. 7416 Monika Manor Dr, Tampa. One review: Bonardi & Uzdavinis LLP provided outstanding legal service from start to finish.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bonardi+%26+Uzdavinis,+LLP/@28.041506,-82.5646098,17z
- Sarah Elizabeth Peart, Peart Law Office
Sarah Elizabeth Peart is a Tampa lawyer with a dedicated landlord-tenant page. Call if you want a shop that is mainly rent cases. Florida Bar 29398. Google Maps 4.1 from 108 reviews. 10150 Highland Manor Dr Ste 200-135, Tampa. One review: Incredibly pleased with Bryan and Sarah. They took the time to actually look into my issue and give a well thought out response.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Peart+Law+Office,+P.A./@27.9840718,-82.3334579,17z
- WrightDavis Property Management
This is a licensed Tampa property manager, license CQ1039676, Current and Active. BBB customer reviews are 4.72 from 65. That is the customer-review score, not a letter grade. Use them if you need a manager while you decide to sell a house that needs work. Do not treat them as an eviction mill.
https://www.myfloridalicense.com/LicenseDetail.asp?id=42D346AD04B10922C38D0C113CCA651E
