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Free foreclosure help in Florida

Free help is available in Florida at every stage, and who you call first depends on where you are in the process. Start with the organization that matches your situation below. You never have to pay a company to talk to your servicer, apply for a modification, or claim surplus money. If a deadline is running, such as the 20 days to answer a lawsuit, call the same day.

Free HUD counselor: (800) 569-4287

Reviewed against Florida law and official sources on October 11, 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Ask for help in Florida

Free. A person replies with the options and official help that fit. Messages about a scheduled sale are answered first.

For example: a sale date, what your servicer has told you, or what changed in your income. Please do not include your loan number, Social Security number or bank details.

Free, and there is nothing to buy. A person reads your message and replies by email, or by phone if you leave a number. We never ask for a fee and we do not sell your details. See the privacy policy.

Who to call first, by situation

  • You are not behind yet but expect trouble

    Before you miss a payment

    Call your servicer using the number on your mortgage statement and ask what hardship options exist. A HUD-approved housing counselor can review your budget for free. The Florida Attorney General: Tips for Avoiding Mortgage Foreclosures page explains what to ask and what to avoid.

  • You are behind but have no court papers

    Within days of a missed payment or default letter

    Send your servicer a complete application for help in writing and keep copies. A HUD-approved housing counselor can help you put it together. Check the Florida Housing Finance Corporation homeowner pages and your city or county housing office for any local assistance; the state Homeowner Assistance Fund is closed.

  • You were served with a summons and complaint

    Immediately; you have 20 days to answer

    Use Florida Law Help: Find a Provider to reach the free legal aid office for your county, and read Florida Law Help: Foreclosures for what an answer must contain. If you do not qualify for legal aid, The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service can connect you with a local lawyer for a 30-minute consultation for no more than $25. Florida Courts: Self-Help Programs lists local court self-help centers that can explain filing procedures.

  • A sale date has been set

    The same day you learn of it

    Call legal aid through Florida Law Help: Find a Provider or a licensed attorney about a motion to move the sale or other options, and call your servicer about any pending application. Check the sale status with your county clerk of court, who runs the auction.

  • Your servicer is not following the rules

    As soon as the problem happens

    Write down dates, names and what was said, and send your servicer a written complaint. You can file a complaint about a state-licensed mortgage lender, broker or servicer with the Florida Office of Financial Regulation: Submit a Complaint. A legal aid office or attorney can tell you whether the problem is a defense in your court case.

  • A foreclosure rescue company contacted you

    Before you sign or pay anything

    Under Florida law a foreclosure-rescue consultant cannot collect any fee until every promised service is done, and you can cancel within 3 business days. Do not sign over your deed. Report pressure or upfront fees to the Florida Attorney General: Mortgage Fraud hotline at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM.

    Fla. Stat. § 501.1377

Official and nonprofit help in Florida

None of these charge homeowners for foreclosure help.

Need a private foreclosure lawyer?

License-checked lawyers who represent homeowners, by area:

Florida Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF)

Florida's HAF program is closed. The state closed registration on July 30, 2022, and described the program as ended in December 2022. The U.S. Treasury states that the federal HAF period ended on September 30, 2026 and states can no longer pay HAF assistance. Florida Housing's earlier Hardest-Hit Fund programs are also closed. Some city and county housing offices offer foreclosure prevention help with state SHIP funds; what is offered and whether money is available differs by county, so ask your local housing office.

Check the program’s current status

Common questions in Florida

Where can I get a free foreclosure lawyer in Florida?

Florida's legal aid offices are organized by region. Florida Law Help has a Find a Provider search that shows the office serving your county, and its foreclosure guide explains the process. Legal aid has income limits and cannot take every case, so call as soon as you are served.

Is Florida's Homeowner Assistance Fund still taking applications?

No. Florida closed registration on July 30, 2022, and the state described the program as ended in December 2022. The U.S. Treasury states that the federal program period ended on September 30, 2026. Florida Housing's earlier Hardest-Hit Fund programs are closed too, so ask your city or county housing office about local help.

What does the Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service cost?

The Florida Bar's page says you can receive a 30-minute consultation for no more than $25. The phone line is 800-342-8011, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fees after that first consultation are between you and the lawyer.

How do I report a foreclosure rescue scam in Florida?

Call the Florida Attorney General's fraud hotline at 1-866-9-NO-SCAM or file a complaint online. Florida's law on foreclosure-rescue consultants, section 501.1377, bans fees before all services are completed, and each violation can bring a fine of up to $15,000.

Step by step

More on foreclosure in Florida

Understand the process

What is happening and how much time there is.

Weigh your options

What can stop it, and what happens if it goes ahead.

Get help now

Who to call, and what to do when a sale is scheduled.

Back to the Florida overview

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Sources for this page

  1. Florida Statutes chapter 702, Foreclosure of Mortgages and Statutory Liens (2026)
  2. Florida Statutes chapter 45, including §§ 45.031 to 45.035 (judicial sales, redemption, surplus) (2026)
  3. Fla. Stat. § 95.11, Limitations other than for the recovery of real property
  4. Fla. Stat. § 501.1377, Violations involving homeowners during the course of residential foreclosure proceedings
  5. Florida Law Help: Foreclosures
  6. Duval County Clerk of Courts: Foreclosure (defendant information, sales, cancellation, writ of possession)
  7. Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Administrative Order 12-02-B (statewide managed mediation program terminated December 19, 2011)
  8. Florida Department of Economic Opportunity: HAF program accomplishments (December 29, 2022)
  9. U.S. Treasury: Homeowner Assistance Fund (period of performance ended September 30, 2026)
  10. Florida Housing: Florida's Hardest-Hit Fund (all programs closed)
  11. Florida Housing: State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program
  12. Florida Attorney General: Mortgage Fraud