Adjust Text Lease For Free

Texting has become so common in real estate transactions. Clients text their agents, and agents text each other regarding showings and offers. What no one really thinks about are those text messages creating binding contracts. According to a recent court case, text messages can be legally binding in real estate deals.

Should you use a text message as a legal document? This ruling states that as long as text messages satisfy the necessary conditions required of a bilateral contract in offer, consideration, capacity, and acceptance, they can be considered legally enforceable.

Text messaging leaves an electronic record of dialogue that can be entered as evidence in court. Like other forms of written evidence, text messages must be authenticated in order to be admitted (see this article on admissibility by Steve Good).

One of the basic laws of contracts is that both sides have to follow a valid contract that has already been entered into.If, however, there are terms in the original lease agreement that allow for texting to be considered as legal written notice, then texting is indeed legally binding.

Can a landlord change the lease after it is signed? No. Landlords cannot make changes to the lease after either party signs it. If the tenant agrees to add in some changes, both parties will need to sign the agreement again to ensure it is legally valid.

No. Text messaging does not equate to proper notice under Section 83.56(3), Florida Statute (2015).

A text message is not a legally recognized notice to vacate so you can ignore it. The notice would start the day you receive the proper legal notice in writing.