Owner Guide · Seasonal Maintenance · Palm Beach County, FL
Quick Answer
Florida rentals run on four maintenance seasons: spring preparation (March–May), summer heat and rain (June–August), peak and late hurricane season (September–November), and the dry season (December–February). The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, per the National Hurricane Center. What changes each season is not only the task list but who handles it: the owner, the tenant, a licensed vendor, or the association. Put those assignments in the lease before the season starts.
By Jean Taveras, Broker-Owner, Atlis Property Management · Updated October 2026
Most seasonal maintenance advice is written for places with snow. In Palm Beach County, there is no winterizing, no gutter freeze, and no furnace to fire up. Instead, the year turns on heat, humidity, rain, and a six-month hurricane season, and the work that matters in May is different from the work that matters in January.
This guide is not a month-by-month checklist; our guide to creating a maintenance schedule for long-term rentals already lays out the 12-month calendar. It is not about which systems matter most; our guide to the role of preventative maintenance covers the five Florida systems that decide your repair bills. And for the money side, see how to budget for property maintenance in Florida. This post answers a narrower question: what changes from season to season, and who should handle each piece.
Two Weather Seasons, Four Maintenance Seasons
South Florida has two weather seasons, wet and dry, and one hazard season layered on top. According to the National Hurricane Center, the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and the peak of the season is September 10, with most activity occurring between mid-August and mid-October. For a rental owner, that splits the year into four working seasons, each with its own focus and its own bottleneck.
| Maintenance season | Months | Focus | Common bottleneck |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring preparation | March to May | Storm readiness, roof, trees, air conditioning before the heat | Getting on vendor schedules before June |
| Summer | June to August | Air conditioning, humidity, drainage, lawn and irrigation | Air conditioning contractors in peak demand |
| Peak and late season | September to November | Storm watch, post-storm checks, repairs | Contractors and materials after a storm |
| Dry season | December to February | Exterior projects, paint, sealants, bigger repairs | Scheduling around occupied homes |
The bottleneck column is the reason seasonal planning pays. The same roof inspection or tree trimming that is easy to book in April can be hard to book in August, and nearly impossible in the days after a storm. Seasonal maintenance is mostly about moving work into the season when it can be done well.
Who Handles What: Owner, Tenant, Vendor, Association
Seasonal tasks fail most often because nobody was assigned to them. The owner assumed the tenant would change the filters; the tenant assumed the landlord would put up the shutters; the association was supposed to trim the trees. Write the assignments down.
| Seasonal task | Usually assigned to | Where it should be written |
|---|---|---|
| Air conditioning service and condensate line | Owner, through a licensed HVAC vendor | Maintenance plan; lease confirms access |
| Air filter changes | Tenant or owner, by agreement | Lease, with size and frequency |
| Lawn and irrigation | Tenant, owner, or association | Lease and association documents |
| Storm shutters or panels | Owner or tenant, by agreement | Lease and a written storm plan |
| Roof, exterior, and structure | Owner, or association for many condos | Association documents; owner maintenance plan |
| Pest and termite control | Owner, or by written agreement | Lease and service contract |
| Reporting leaks and storm damage | Tenant reports; owner repairs | Lease, with one reporting channel |
Florida law sets the baseline. Florida Statute §83.51(1) requires the landlord to comply with applicable building, housing, and health codes and keep structural components in good repair and plumbing in reasonable working condition, and it allows those obligations to be altered or modified in writing for a single-family home or duplex. Under §83.52, tenants must keep their part of the premises clean and sanitary and use the plumbing, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems in a reasonable manner. In a condo or many HOA communities, the association handles roofs, exteriors, or landscaping, so read the documents before you assign a task to yourself or your tenant. This is general information, not legal advice.
Spring Preparation (March to May): Get Ahead of June 1
Spring is the most valuable season of the year for a Florida landlord, because everything done now is cheaper and easier than the same work done in August. The goal is to enter June with the home storm-ready and the air conditioning ready for months of heavy use.
- Storm protection. Confirm shutters, panels, and every piece of hardware are on site, labeled, and working. If the tenant is responsible for putting them up, walk them through it now. Owner and tenant should both know the plan.
- Roof and gutters. Have a roofer look at flashing, vents, and any lifted or damaged areas, and clear gutters and downspouts before the rains.
- Trees and yard. Trim limbs near the roof and remove dead branches. In association communities, check whether the association or the owner is responsible first.
- Air conditioning. Schedule service, including the condensate drain line, before summer demand peaks.
- Documentation. Photograph the exterior and interior with dates. Those photos are your baseline if you ever need to show storm damage.
Our hurricane prep guide for South Florida landlords and our guide to hurricane insurance and shutters cover the storm plan and the policy questions in detail.
Summer (June to August): Heat, Humidity, and Early Storms
Summer shifts the focus indoors. The air conditioner runs hard, and in this climate it controls moisture as well as temperature. A system that fails in July is a habitability problem and a moisture problem at the same time, and the tenant will feel it within hours.
- Respond to air conditioning calls first. Have a vendor relationship in place before the first hot week, not after.
- Watch for moisture. Ask tenants to report drips at the air handler, ceiling stains, and musty smells immediately. Our guide to dealing with mold issues in Florida rentals covers the response.
- Drainage and irrigation. Heavy afternoon rain finds every low spot. Check that water moves away from the foundation, and adjust irrigation so the system is not adding water the rain already supplied.
- Vacant homes. Keep the air conditioning on to control humidity and schedule regular walk-throughs.
Summer is also when tenants report problems by text at night. A single reporting channel, answered quickly, prevents small leaks from becoming summer-long repairs. Plan any non-emergency visits under §83.53, which requires at least 24 hours' notice for repairs, between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Peak and Late Season (September to November): Storm Watch and Recovery
With the season's peak in September, early fall is when preparation either pays off or does not. The work here is mostly about readiness and fast follow-up.
- Before a storm: confirm with the tenant who is installing shutters or panels, ask them to bring in loose outdoor items, and make sure everyone has the reporting channel and the location of the main water shutoff and electrical panel.
- After a storm: check on the tenant first, then the home. Look at the roof, ceilings, windows, sliders, fences, and trees, and photograph everything before cleanup begins.
- Within days: dry anything that got wet, start repairs in order of safety, and keep receipts and photos together for any insurance claim.
- Late in the season: as November 30 approaches, list what was damaged or deferred and schedule it for the dry season.
Our mid-season guide, hurricane season mid-point check, explains how to read the forecast updates that arrive during the season.
Dry Season (December to February): Projects and Planning
The dry season is the time for exterior work that needs dry days and predictable schedules. It is also the season to look back at the year and plan the next one.
- Exterior paint and sealants. Sun and salt air break down caulk, paint, and sealants around windows and doors. Repair them while the weather is dry.
- Deferred storm repairs. Finish whatever was patched during the season.
- Larger projects. Fencing, driveway work, and replacements are easier to schedule now. Coordinate with tenants and give proper notice.
- Seasonal residents and vacancies. Winter is when many seasonal residents return, which affects leasing and showing schedules. Our guide to seasonal rental management in Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens covers that side.
- Plan the spring. Book the roofer, tree trimmer, and air conditioning service for March and April now.
Common Mistakes Florida Landlords Make With Seasonal Maintenance
- Waiting until June. Storm prep in late spring competes with every other owner in the county. Book it in March or April.
- Leaving shutters unassigned. If the lease does not say who puts them up, nobody will when it matters.
- Turning off the air conditioning in a vacant home. In summer, humidity can do more damage than the electric bill saves.
- Skipping the before photos. Without dated pictures, proving what a storm damaged becomes much harder.
- Assuming the association covers it. Read the documents. Many associations handle some exteriors, not all.
- Treating every season the same. A fixed annual visit misses the months when the risk is actually highest.
How Atlis Handles Seasonal Maintenance
Atlis coordinates maintenance through licensed and insured vendors and runs every request through 24/7 AI-assisted triage, so an air conditioning failure in July or a storm leak in September reaches the right vendor at any hour. Owners see what was done, and invoices pass through with no maintenance markup. Read more about our maintenance services and our eight written guarantees.
From Our Files
Seasonal planning starts with knowing the home, so every takeover begins with three property walks. The forensic walk documents the home's condition room by room with dated photos. The systems walk checks the air conditioning, water heater, plumbing, electrical panel, and shutoffs. The owner walk reviews what we found and sets priorities. Those dated photos become the before pictures for storm season, and the systems walk tells us what each season's work should focus on for that particular home.
Our results across the business: a 21-day average lease-up, a 74% renewal rate, and 98%+ of rent collected monthly. Management is full service only at 5 to 9 percent of collected rent with a $200 monthly minimum, and there are no management fees on vacant units.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should Florida landlords do seasonal maintenance?
Plan around four maintenance seasons rather than the calendar's four. Spring, March through May, is preparation before the Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1. Summer, June through August, is heat, rain, and early storms. September through November covers the peak of the season and its end on November 30. December through February is the dry season and the best window for larger exterior projects. Each season changes what you inspect, who does the work, and how quickly vendors can respond.
Who is responsible for seasonal maintenance in a Florida rental, the landlord or the tenant?
Both, and the lease should say exactly who does what. Florida Statute §83.51(1) requires the landlord to comply with applicable building, housing, and health codes and keep structural components and plumbing in good repair, and those obligations may be altered or modified in writing for a single-family home or duplex. Section 83.52 requires tenants to keep their part of the premises clean and sanitary and to use systems such as air conditioning reasonably. Items like filters, lawn care, and storm shutters should be assigned by name in the lease.
When is hurricane season in Florida?
According to the National Hurricane Center, the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. NHC also notes that the peak of the season is September 10, with most activity occurring between mid-August and mid-October. For a landlord, that means preparation work belongs in spring, before contractors and supply stores get busy, and the most important watch period falls in the early fall. Our hurricane guides cover insurance, shutters, and the storm plan in more detail.
Do I need to notify my tenant before seasonal maintenance visits?
Usually, yes. Florida Statute §83.53 allows a landlord to enter for repairs upon reasonable notice, which the statute defines as at least 24 hours, at a reasonable time between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The landlord may enter at any time for the protection or preservation of the premises, and the statute lists other circumstances such as tenant consent or an emergency. Bundling seasonal checks into a single scheduled visit reduces disruption and makes the notice simple. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should I do with a vacant rental during hurricane season?
A vacant home needs someone assigned to it. Before the season, confirm shutters or panels and their hardware are on site, clear the yard of loose items, and photograph the interior and exterior. During the season, keep the air conditioning running to control humidity, schedule regular walk-throughs, and have a named person ready to secure the home if a storm approaches. After any storm, check the roof, ceilings, windows, and fences, and photograph what you find before cleanup begins.
How does Atlis handle seasonal maintenance?
Atlis coordinates maintenance through licensed and insured vendors and runs requests through 24/7 AI-assisted triage, so a storm leak or a failed air conditioner reaches the right vendor quickly at any hour. Owners see what was done, with invoices that pass through with no maintenance markup. Management is full service only at 5 to 9 percent of collected rent with a $200 monthly minimum and no management fees on vacant units. Our eight written guarantees are available to review before you sign.
Every season in South Florida brings its own work. If you would like help building a seasonal plan for your rental, or handing it off entirely, we would be glad to talk.
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About the Author
Jean Taveras is the Broker-Owner of Atlis Property Management (FL Brokerage CQ1071712), a boutique, broker-led residential management firm headquartered on PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens. Atlis manages single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and small multifamily across Palm Beach County and backs every account with eight written guarantees. Questions about a specific property: 561.473.3664 or info@atlispm.com.
