Tag Archives: in-house management

Florida Statute 718.111(12): Unit Owner Access to Florida Condominium Association Official Records

Posted on March 8, 2014 | 57 Comments

A reader recently asked how frequently a unit owner has a right to view the official records. In this person’s case there was a unit owner requesting official record documents on a weekly basis. This question prompted the following post on unit owner official records access.

Every Florida condominium association is required by law to maintain official records. An overview of what constitutes official records is provided here with a more detailed overview of financial records here. Florida Statutes 718.111(12)(b) and 718.111(12)(c) provide unit owners the right to view and make copies of official records; however, aside from very basic guidelines, the association remains responsible for creating reasonable rules surrounding the frequency, time, location, notice and manner of unit owner record inspections. Because associations are left to construct official record inspection rules, I recommend (as I always do) that the board create and distribute a policy around official records access. In general, it is my opinion that the more official records transparency the better; is a great way to earn unit owner trust.

This post will review the access provisions laid out in the Florida Statutes and provide general guidelines on constructing a reasonable official records access policy.

Florida Statute Guidelines

  • Official records must be maintained within the state for 7 years
  • Official records must be made available within 5 days of a unit owner’s written request
  • Official records must be available to unit owners within the condo’s county (or within 45 miles if the county boarder is more than 45 miles from the condominium)
  • Official records must be open to inspection at reasonable times
  • Associations may charge a reasonable expense for copies of official records
  • Associations may approve reasonable rules surrounding frequency, time, location, notice & manner of inspections
  • Unit owners who are denied access to the official records 10+ days after a written request are eligible for damages no lesser than $50 per day and reimbursement of any attorney’s fees.
  • Unit owners may take photos of official records with a camera, phone or other electronic device.
  • The association must maintain copies of the declaration, articles of incorporation, bylaws, rules & regulations, frequently asked question & answer sheet and most recent year-end financial report on the condominium property for unit owners and prospective purchasers. The association may charge its actual costs of preparing these documents.
  • The following documents are protected and NOT available to unit owners: (1) documents protected by lawyer-client privilege; (2) information associated with the sale of a unit; (3) homeowner medical records and other confidential information such as Social Security Numbers; (4) association security information (e.g., passwords); and (5) personnel records (if the association has employees).

NOTE: Personnel records include items such as the health records, W-4s and performance reviews. This records exemption does not include salary details of the employee as this information should be readily available in the association’s budget.

 

Official Records Storage

Before an association can establish reasonable rules around unit owner access to official records, the board must have a good handle on how/ where official records are stored. Associations that are self-managed or in-house managed have much more control over the storage of their official records than do professionally managed associations. As I discussed in length in my post on management transitions, I strongly recommend that boards of professionally managed associations complete official records “audits” from time to time to ensure proper records maintenance. I also recommend that boards provide guidelines to their management companies on how they would like their records organized and stored. Here are a few recommendations:

  1. If the association has an on-site office or lobby, consider keeping a computer with all official records on it for unit owners to review at any time.
  2. If the association has a website, keep the association’s key records (e.g., financial statements, meeting minutes, agendas, budgets, reserve studies, insurance information) on the website for unit owners to access at their convenience. This also provides a web-based backup of the official records so there is no concern about them being destroyed due to theft or natural disaster.
  3. Keep binders with hard copies of all frequently requested records on property or at the manager’s office. A simple way to do this is to have a binder for each key item.
  4. Store any hard copy records that will be accessed infrequently (e.g., copies of checks, invoices from prior years) in a professional storage facility designed to withstand hurricane force winds.

 

Official Records Access Policy

Given that the Florida Statutes provide associations with the flexibility to create reasonable rules surrounding official records access, I believe establishing a policy is prudent in that it specifically informs management how to proceed and ensures consistent unit owner treatment. Of course, if your association has its official records readily available on property or electronically for unit owner viewing at their convenience, the majority of this policy becomes irrelevant. If unit owners in your community are frequently asking for official records documents and your records are primarily in hard copy, it may be worth contracting to have all of your records scanned and made available via the web. From personal experience, the time saved by directing every official records request to one website is well worth the upfront cost.

I would recommend that every official records access policy include the following:

Governing Documents, FAQ Sheet & Year-end Financial Report: While the Florida Statutes specifically say “copies” of these documents must be available on property, the association should focus instead on compliance with the spirit of the law. If the association would like to keep paper copies of these documents on property, that’s great. If that doesn’t make sense for your association, I believe the following options also comply with the law: (1) making the documents available on a website, (2) making them available on a CD/ thumb drive, (3) emailing them to the requestor.

 The policy should specify how these documents will be provided to unit owners/ potential buyers and any costs associated with these documents. The law specifically states the association may charge actual costs of these documents. If they are available via website or email, there should be no charge. If available via hard copy, CD, or thumb drive, the association should charge whatever amount the manager or document preparation services (e.g., Kinkos) charges the association. For self-managed associations completing printing work in-house, a cost of $.10 – $.15 per page for black and white or $.50 for color is reasonable. This range should cover your paper, ink and printer wear and tear. If creating CDs or thumb drives in-house, the cost should reflect the actual cost of the CD or thumb drive.

 Copying Fees: For official records excluded from #1, the association may charge a reasonable fee for copies, CDs or thumb drives of these records. I don’t see this as much different than actual cost given that it seems unreasonable for the association to make a profit (even if a small one) on official record distribution. As mentioned above, unit owners should charge the exact cost charged to them by the manager or other professional preparing the records. For self-managed associations, the cost guidelines mentioned in #1 remain reasonable though the association may charge an additional amount for time spent making copies so long as the amount is defendable.

 Viewing Location:  The policy should specify where unit owners may view the records. There may be multiple locations. For example, meeting minutes, budgets and monthly financials may be available on the association’s website while copies of contracts and invoices are available at the management company’s office.

 Frequency of Requests:  The policy should specify how frequently a unit owner may request records and clarify that any requests in excess of the frequency limitations will not be accepted. There is no right choice: daily may be too burdensome on the association but quarterly may be too limiting for the unit owner. It may be worthwhile here to distinguish between how frequently a unit owner may request electronic records (i.e., those that can be easily emailed) and how frequently they may request viewing of hard copy records.  These specifics will entirely depend on how your property is managed and how records are stored.

Viewing Times: The policy should specify when documents are available for review. For those available on the web, there is no limitation on viewing time. For all other documents, viewing times may be by appointment during the management company’s business hours.

Making a Request: This section should indicate how the unit owner makes a request. It should specify who the unit owner contacts and what information to provide. I would recommend associations require unit owners to select specific records or groups of records (e.g., 2009-2011 budgets, March 13, 2013 invoice from Joe Plumber). This avoids the “I’d like to see all your records” requests which are nearly impossible to accommodate. Generally these requests arise if a unit owner feels the association is hiding something. All requests should be in writing (mail or email). The policy may also require the unit owner to provide his/ her availability over coming days (if applicable).

Request Response: This section should indicate how and when the association will respond. The law states that documents must be made available within 5 days of a written request. Do not read this to mean that in all circumstances the documents must be in the hands of the requestor within 5 days. If the association has the requested documents available electronically, they should certainly be emailed within 5 days. However, for hard copy documents, the association should respond as promptly as possible (I’d recommend within 1 business day) and offer reasonable viewing time(s) that fall within the 5 days window.

 

As I recommend with all policies, the association’s attorney should review the policy before it is finalized. Further, the board should re-review and re-approve the policy annually to ensure continued compliance with applicable law.

Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Emily

Emily Shaw is a condominium homeowner in Tampa, Florida and a Director of VERA Property Management, a firm providing full-service community association management in the Tampa Bay Area as well as consulting, financial and legal services to all Florida community associations. 

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Your Florida Condominium Association’s Collections Policy and Procedures

Posted on August 3, 2013 | 14 Comments

One of the most important responsibilities of condominium associations is to actively collect maintenance fees from each homeowner. To avoid various legal and reputational issues, Boards of Directors must be sure that the process the association uses to collect maintenance fees is consistently applied. Many associations prefer to leave the majority of their collection efforts to their attorney; however, with a thorough collections policy in place, the Board of Directors (or the property’s manager) can easily handle the majority of the association’s collection efforts, which, in turn, can materially reduce the association’s collection-related expenses.

The association’s documents (i.e. Declaration and Bylaws), along with Florida Statutes Chapter 718, provide various collection methods for Boards to use in an effort to keep past-due maintenance fees to a minimum. These tools provide the foundation for successful collection efforts and will be discussed in detail below. We will only be focusing on past due maintenance fees in this blog post and will not be talking about fines, utility bills or any other monetary obligations of homeowners to associations.

I strongly recommend that prior to implementing a new collections policy, the Board have the association’s legal counsel review the policy. Further, I recommend the Board update and re-approve this policy annually to ensure continued compliance with Florida Statutes.

Maintenance Fees

The collections policy should specify how frequently (i.e. monthly, quarterly) and on what date (typically the first day of the month or quarter) maintenance fees are due.

Late Fees and Interest

Most associations’ declarations or bylaws outline whether or not late fees and interest can be charged to homeowners that have accrued past due maintenance fees. If your documents silent on the amount of interest that can be charged, Florida Statute 718.116(3) specifies that interest should accrue at 18% per year. Further, 718.116(3) allows for a late fee for each delinquent payment of up to the greater of $25 or 5% of the monthly/ quarterly maintenance fee.

The Board should determine when and how they will apply interest and late fees to a delinquent homeowner. More specifically, by what date each month must the homeowner have paid their monthly maintenance fee, in full, to avoid accruing a late fees and interest? Will interest begin accruing immediately upon the homeowner’s account becoming delinquent (i.e. after their first missed payment) or will the association wait unit some later date (e.g. after the account becomes 90 days past due) to begin accruing interest? The relative difficulty of properly calculating and accounting for accrued interest should be considered when making these decisions.

The Board should also determine a procedure for waiving late fees and interest in certain situations. For example, the Board may include in its policy that the late fees and interest associated with a homeowner’s first delinquent payment may be waived upon request of the homeowner but that all other late fees and interest may not be waived. Or, they may decide that late fees and interest will never be waived except as part of a settlement or payment plan approved by the Board (we will discuss this more below). Again, it is very important that these rules be applied consistently. The Board must take care not to provide special treatment to certain homeowners based on personal relationships.

Delinquency and Pre-Lien Letters

The association’s strongest weapon against maintenance fee delinquency is their right to lien and foreclose on a unit if the homeowner fails to make maintenance fee payments when due. As such, the lien and foreclosure process should be included in the collections policy.

When a homeowner fails to make a maintenance fee payment when due, the homeowner’s account becomes delinquent and most associations will send a letter to the homeowner informing them of the past due balance on their account (including all late fees and interest accrued) and the next steps the association will take in the event the homeowner fails to pay. This letter should include a copy of the homeowner’s ledger (supplied from the association’s accounting program) and a date by which the homeowner must pay all past due amounts to avoid additional fees. The collections policy should specify when these letters are sent (i.e. how many days after the homeowner’s account becomes delinquent) and through what method(s) they are communicated (e.g. email, USPS).

As required by FL Statute 718.121(4), the association must provide a notice of intent to file a lien (f.k.a. pre-lien) to the homeowner. This notice should also comply with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The above mentioned delinquency letter may serve as the association’s pre-lien letter or the association may send a separate letter to the homeowner. If you would prefer to send a second letter as your pre-lien notice, the collections policy should specify when these letters are sent (generally some point in the second month of delinquency) and through what method(s) they are communicated (e.g. certified mail, return receipt requested as required by FL Statutes).

Lien Filing and Foreclosure

If delinquency and pre-lien letters failed to encourage a delinquent homeowner to cure the past due balance on their account, the association may choose to have their attorney file a lien on the unit. Filing a lien (which is only good for one year) is a prerequisite to foreclosure. If the association has chosen not to foreclose on any units, it may not be worth accruing the attorney’s fees to file a lien. The collections policy should state when the association will direct its attorney to file a lien against a unit (generally when the homeowner is more than 90 days delinquent), and what information should be provided to the attorney at that time.

Whether or not to foreclose a lien (which typically results in the association taking title to the delinquent unit) should be discussed on a case-by-case basis with the association’s attorney as there are many factors to consider including whether the unit is owner-occupied, rented or abandoned, and if there is a mortgage foreclosure case in process. Most importantly, the association should consider if they intend to rent the unit after they have taken title to it through foreclosure. While acting as a landlord can be time consuming for associations, the rental income earned often more than covers the past due fees owed by the old homeowner. The collections policy should outline the broad scenarios in which the association would foreclose on a unit.

Amenities Restrictions

Florida Statute 718.303(4) allows associations to suspend a homeowner’s (and their tenants’ and guests’) right to use the common elements of the property if the homeowner is more than 90 days delinquent in paying their maintenance fees. When possible, associations should use this to their advantage by restricting the homeowner’s access to the property’s pool, gym, clubhouse, car wash, laundry facilities or any other amenities the property offers. For occupied units (and particularly for rented units where the tenant is restricted from using the amenities), this inconvenience can often be enough to encourage homeowners to pay their past due balance. The collections policy should specify which amenities would be restricted as well as how and when they would be restricted. According to FL Statute 718.303(6), the Board must vote to suspend a homeowner’s right to use the common elements at a Board meeting and must notify the homeowner of the amenities restriction via mail or hand delivery.

Lease Restrictions and Rent Garnishment

If a property’s declaration or bylaws allows the Board to approve or deny a proposed lease of a unit, FL Statute 718.116(4) allows Boards to deny a proposed lease of a unit due to a homeowner being delinquent in the payment of maintenance fees. Preventing homeowners from leasing their units is a very important tool for associations and, if allowed by the property’s documents, should be included the collections policy. The policy should specify when a homeowner becomes ineligible to lease their unit, how they are informed of their inability to lease their unit, and what will happen if a unit is leased by a homeowner that is ineligible to lease their unit.

Rent garnishment is the association’s primary weapon against homeowners with past due maintenance fees that are renting their units. Florida Statute 718.116(11)a allows the association to demand that the tenant make lease payments directly to the association until all past due maintenance fees have been paid. Further, if the tenant refuses to make payments to the association, the association may sue for eviction of the tenant. The collections policy should specify when the association will attempt to rent garnish and the process for doing so (the FL Statutes provide specific details on how the tenant and homeowner must be informed). Further, the collections policy should specify when the association would begin eviction proceedings should the tenant fail to make lease payments to the association.

The leasing section of the collections policy should be reinforced by a separate and distinct Leasing Policy (to be discussed is a separate blog post).

Voting Rights

Florida Statute 718.303(5) allows associations to suspend a homeowner’s voting rights if the homeowner is more than 90 days delinquent in paying their maintenance fees. This particular restriction does not tend to do much to encourage homeowners to pay past due balances as those with past due balances tend not to care enough to vote. However, it is worthwhile for the association to include suspending homeowners’ voting rights in their collections policy as the association may reduce the total number of votes necessary to constitute a quorum of the membership by the number of voting rights suspended. This can be a difference maker if the association is struggling to obtain enough votes for their annual meeting, for amendments to the association’s documents, or for any other vote. Similarly to the common elements restriction, according to FL Statute 718.303(6), the Board must vote to restrict voting rights at a Board meeting and must notify the homeowner of the voting restriction via mail or hand delivery.

Payment Plans

If a homeowner has accrued past due maintenance fees and would like to avoid having the association foreclose on their unit, they may wish to establish a payment plan with the association. While each payment plan approved by the Board may be customized for each homeowner, the collections policy should establish the basic guidelines for when the Board may consider a payment plan, how the homeowner should request a payment plan, how a payment plan is approved, who (the association or its attorney) will receive the payment plan installments, whether or not late fees and interest continue to accrue during the implementation of the payment plan, and what will happen if the homeowner fails to abide by the payment plan (typically foreclosure). The collections policy may also want to specify that the Board will not accept any payment plans that reduce the total amount owed by the homeowner.

 Settlements

A homeowner with past due maintenance fees may wish to come to a settlement with the association where by they would negotiate with the association some reduction in the amount owed. This typically occurs when the homeowner is looking to sell their unit. The Board will typically negotiate settlements on a case-by-case basis but some basic guidelines can be included in the collections policy including when the Board may consider a settlement, how the homeowner should request a settlement and how a settlement is approved. As I have mentioned before, consistency is key. Whatever the logic the Board choses to use in determining if a settlement is acceptable, they should be sure to apply that same logic to all homeowners and not allow personal feelings enter into the decision making process.

Repayment Order

The collections policy should specify how payments are applied to a homeowner’s past due balance. More specifically, Florida Statute 718.116(3) specifies that payments should first be applied to interest, then to late fees, then to attorney’s fees and costs associated with collection, and then to the delinquent maintenance fees.

Verbal Communications

The collections policy may want to specify the situations in which a member of the Board or the association’s manager will actively reach out (via phone or email) to a homeowner with past due maintenance fees in an attempt to encourage the homeowner to pay. An appropriate time to do this may be prior to the Board voting to lien and foreclose on the property as there is no point in accruing additional legal fees if the homeowner is planning to make payment in full in the coming days or weeks. Further, it may be wise for a representative of the association to offer the homeowner a payment plan, as the homeowner may not have realized this was an option. In my experience, actively communicating with homeowners makes collection efforts more successful.

This post addressed all of the key components of a quality collections policy. If your Board does not have a collections policy, I strongly recommend this be an agenda item at an upcoming Board meeting. If you have any questions or would like our assistance in drafting a collections policy for your property, feel free to reach out to us.

Ryan

Ryan is a Florida condo owner and a director of VERA Property Management, a condominium and homeowners’ association management and consulting firm. VERA will gladly draft a Collections Policy (including delinquency letters, pre-lien letters, rent demand letters and all other relevant notices) for your Association based on the desires of the Board, your association’s declaration and bylaws, as well as the Florida Statutes.  Please contact us today for a quote!

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Finding the Middle Ground between a Professional Management Company and Self-Management

Posted on June 24, 2013 | 6 Comments

Many condominium association Board members find themselves in what seems like a no-win situation: unhappy with professional management companies but unsure if they have the experience or available time to completely self-manage their communities. What options does the Board have in between these two extremes?

In fact, there are innumerable ways that a Board can manage a condominium association. Boards should not be afraid to think outside the box and create a management structure tailored to both the needs of the property, and the availability and knowhow of the members. In this post, we will look at three commonly used structures that Boards can consider.

Self-Management + Accounting Firm and Legal Counsel

Condo association accounting (includes bookkeeping, issuing checks, processing maintenance fee payments, producing routine financial statements, maintaining financial records etc.) is one of the most time-consuming and detailed aspects of condominium association management. Chapter 718.111(13) of the Florida Statutes has specific guidelines on how association financials should be maintained and I think it goes without saying that erroneous accounting can create many problems for association Boards. Unless the Board has a member with material accounting experience that is willing to dedicate between 5 and 20 hours per week (depending on property size) completing the duties mentioned above, it is wise to consider hiring an accounting firm familiar with condominium association accounting to handle this aspect of management.

When an association is self-managed, the Board members are left to handle the collection efforts related to delinquent maintenance fees. For smaller, close knit communities, this can create difficulties when Board members have to collect from friends. Further, it is very important that an aggressive and consistently implemented collections policy be established as increases in delinquencies (and subsequent reductions in maintenance fee revenue for the association) can make properly managing the condominium very difficult for the Board. As such, a self-managed association may consider contracting with a condominium association attorney to handle all collection efforts from delinquency letters (can also be handled by an accountant), to lien placement, to foreclosure, to rent garnishment, to eviction. The attorney and accountant will likely work together in handling collection efforts as the attorney will need homeowner financial ledgers from the accountant to prove delinquency. Both vendors should provide routine reports (at least monthly) to the Board outlining the status of collection efforts and the association’s financial position. If a well-formed process is implemented, these two vendors can take a significant burden off of the Board members’ shoulders and allow them to focus their efforts on the many other aspects of condo management.

Self-Management + In-House Administrator

The Board of a self-managed condominium association may feel comfortable handling all of the major aspects of managing their property but may not be able to commit the time necessary to address the daily needs of residents, vendors, prospective buyers, etc. In this case, it may be wise to hire an administrator as an employee of the Association. This administrator could work from an office on the property, if available, or even from their home. The number of hours worked per week and the administrator’s job description can be customized by the Board. Responsibilities would likely include responding to association phone calls and emails, maintaining the association’s records, sending all resident communications on behalf of the Board, coordinating property projects, updating the association’s website, etc. A sample of a job description for condominium association management personnel is provided below.

While a property administrator can be a huge benefit to self-managed condominium Boards, there are many things that need consideration prior to an association hiring an employee for the first time. Here are some of the highlights:

  • Will the employee be salaried or paid hourly?
  • How with the association handle payroll? Will it be completed internally or will a payroll service be utilized?
  • Will the association offer benefits such as health and disability insurance?
  • Is the association obligated to have worker’s compensation insurance and what will it cost?
  • If salaried, how many sick days and paid vacation days will the employee have?
  • During days that the employee is not working, who will handle management of the association? A Board member or perhaps a temp?
  • Which Board member will the employee report to? How frequently will performance reviews occur?
  • Will there be a severance package if the Board terminates the employee?

 In-House Community Association Manager (CAM)

Many condominium association Boards would prefer more control over the daily management of their property than they would have with a professional management company. However, due to a variety of reasons, true self-management is not an option. These Boards may consider hiring a licensed community association manager (CAM) directly as an employee. All of the issues related to hiring an employee discussed above (payroll servicing, employment taxes, benefits, time off/ sick days, etc.) are relevant in this scenario as well. If the Board feels capable of handing these items, an in-house CAM can be the best of both worlds, allowing the Board to directly oversee the management of the community while having a knowledgeable professional dedicated full-time to property.

 

Before hiring an administrator or CAM, it is important to develop a job description to ensure that whoever the Board hires will be able to adequately fill the role. To assist in this effort, I have created a sample job description for a CAM that would handle essentially ALL aspects of managing a condominium including all administrative duties. This should serve as a starting point and should be tailored to your community and the Board’s specific needs.

Community Association Manager Job Description

 Knowledge of the Law and Board Guidance:

  • Maintain strong knowledge of Florida’s Condominium Statutes and advise the Board of Directors (“BOD”) regarding them
  • Participate in all continuing education requested by the BOD
  • Have in depth knowledge of the condominium documents (Declaration, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations) and advise the BOD regarding them
  • Ensure that the Association is operating with the guidelines of the Florida Statutes and the condominium documents at all times

Performance Reviews:

  • Meet weekly with the Board President to discuss the week’s work and the next week’s priorities
  • Meet quarterly with the Board President to discuss performance and improvement opportunities
  • Meet annually with the Board President to discuss year-end performance and compensation increases

Record Maintenance:

  • Keep track and inform the BOD of relevant Association dates including contract expirations, insurance maturities, CD maturities, tax and annual report filing due dates and any other information deemed relevant by the BOD
  • Maintain a property maintenance log
  • Maintain a violations log
  • Maintain an owner and tenant database to include all relevant information including electronic communication consent forms. Consistently work to ensure all information is accurate and contact information is available for every owner/ resident
  • Maintain organized vendor and unit files
  • Ensure that all of the official records of the Association are maintained in accordance with Florida Statutes. Provide official records to unit owners upon request.
  • Maintain the Association’s website to include all relevant property information for owners and residents

Finances (my be handled by an accountant):

  • Complete all bookkeeping duties for the Association’s finances and backup all information appropriately
  • Provide the BOD monthly financial statements. Items to be included will be decided by the BOD.
  • Bring checks to the Association’s bank as necessary
  • Compile Association invoices weekly to be approved by the President of the BOD
  • Cut checks weekly to be signed by the manager and the Treasurer of the BOD
  • Maintain appropriate reserve balances in the Association’s accounts and make recommendations regarding reserve investments
  • Prepare the annual budget for the Association in accordance with Florida Statutes
  • Provide financial statements to the unit owners as required by Florida Statutes

Meetings:

  • Prepare agendas for each BOD meeting and post according to Florida Statutes.
  • Attend all meetings of the BOD and prepare the meeting location appropriately
  • Prepare packets for each BOD meeting. Items to be included will be decided by the BOD
  • Provide management report at each meeting to provide updates on projects, contracts coming up for renewal and any other pertinent information
  • Complete meeting minutes within 5 days of the meeting
  • Prepare all required communications and proxies for residents as required by Florida Statutes

Unit Owner Delinquencies (may be handled by an attorney):

  • Send out delinquency and pre-lien letters as necessary
  • Contact delinquent owners to discuss options including payment plans
  • Advise the BOD on next steps for delinquent units
  • Fulfill estoppels requests and provide accurate delinquent amounts to the Association’s attorney
  • Maintain a log of delinquent units including, but not limited to: owner name, amount owed, status of bank foreclosure case, recommendations on next steps
  • Provide updates to the BOD at monthly meetings

After-Hours Emergencies: Answer all after-hours emergency calls promptly

Property Issues/ Projects/ Contracts:

  • Conduct  daily property walks and address any noted issues
  • Complete thorough weekly property walks and maintain a list of items which need improvement
  • Ensure all contracts are being fulfilled
  • Collect bids for property vendor contracts and projects as directed by the BOD. Meet with each vendor in person and discuss all relevant aspects of the contract/project before providing bids to the BOD
  • Take the lead on all property projects and provide routine updates to the BOD
  • Effectively communicate key issues to the BOD and contact the appropriate Board member when issues arise

Owners & Residents:

  • Handle all resident issues within the guidelines of the various property policies, the condominium documents and the Florida Statutes
  • Ensure all owners are informed of key property events and ensure that communications are timely, thorough, proof read, and utilize a format approved by the Secretary.
  • Ensure all Association policies are being followed
  • Enforce fines for those residents in violation of Association rules
  • Send out property newsletters on a routine basis
  • Maintain working keys for entry into each unit

Association Office (relevant if the CAM will be working from an office on property)

  • Maintain consistent business hours at the Association Office (as decided  by the BOD)
  • Greet all visitors to the Association Office during business hours and address their concerns/ needs within the guidelines of the Association policies, the condominium documents and Florida Statutes
  • Maintain all areas of the Association Office in a neat and organized fashion
  • Ensure there are sufficient office supplies (paper, ink etc.) on hand at all times
  • Ensure Association Office is locked/ secured prior to leaving daily

Rentals (relevant if the Association has title to any units):

  • Address all needs of the Association’s tenants
  • Maintain security deposits in a separate, non-interest bearing account
  • Find new tenants when units are vacant
  • Complete background searches and credit checks on potential tenants
  • Execute leases within the guidelines of the property’s leasing policy

As always, I am available if you have any questions.

Emily

emily@flcondoassociationadvisor.com

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