Posted on by

FLORIDA CONDO LAW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

After writing about Florida Condo Law for the past 17 years, my annual New Year’s Resolutions to all unit owners, managers and board members is my favorite column. Sometimes Florida Condominium Law and Chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes needs to be put aside for some common sense solutions. I hope you will agree with some of the following New Year’s Resolutions:

  1. For those board members and managers who spend their time looking for unit owner violations – get a life.
  2. Try saying thank you to those board members that volunteer their time.
  3. If you think things are so bad, volunteer your time and help out.
  4. Before running to a lawyer – try working it out – it’s cheaper.
  5. The management company takes direction from the board not owners.
  6. To the one owner who always has to speak at every meeting – please zip it.
  7. To the board member who thinks he or she can do whatever you want – vote him or her out.
  8. Before signing a contract – let your attorney review it.
  9. Rules and Governing Documents are meant Not to be broken.
  10. If you do not like following rules – do not live in an association.
  11. If you do not like your fellow neighbor or owner – can you pretend to?
  12. To vendors who want you to sign a contract immediately – say goodbye.
  13. To owners who like loud music or loud T.V. – shut your windows.
  14. To smokers who smoke in their units – shut your windows.
  15. Before you defame someone – make sure you are prepared to be sued.
  16. Don’t just ask a vendor for references – call some of them.
  17. To the person who always disrupts a meeting – give it a rest.
  18. If you are speaking for more than 5 minutes – ask yourself if anyone cares.
  19. To the “Condo Commando” – you need to be recalled – kicked off the board.
  20. If you came to Florida to retire – try acting like it.
  21. If an owner is violating the documents – try first sending a nice letter rather than one from an attorney.
  22. To those owners who think everyone on the board is getting a kick-back – just admit it that you want a piece of the pie.
  23. To the owner who thinks he or she can do whatever they want – move back up north where you came from.
  24. To the board member who will not let unit owners see the official records – sooner or later you will get caught.
  25. To the board member who uses association money for their own personal use – get use to living behind metal bars.
  26. A Manager works for the board not as your personal slave.
  27. When you are rudely complaining to the association manager – do you know what he or she is thinking about you while you are talking?
  28. Remember sometimes the way you say it is more important than what you say.

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year and I look forward to hearing from you in 2012.