By Anita Byer, Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk Florida condominium associations are now required to complete a structural integrity reserve study for buildings that are three or more stories high. This new requirement was enacted during a special legislative session in response to last year’s Champlain...
By Anita Byer, Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk Did you know that multiple changes to Florida’s Condominium Act went into effect July 1, 2021? As a result, board members have an obligation to find out if and how these new and amended laws may affect their...
Florida’s Condominium Act has a new notice requirement. This may come as welcome news to probably no board members, but it involves the collection of past due assessments, so it’s important. Beginning July 1, 2021, condominium associations may not demand or collect attorney’s fees related...
Florida’s new emotional support animal law makes it unlawful to discriminate in the provision of housing to a person with a disability or disability-related need for an emotional support animal. As of July 1, 2020, a person with a disability or a disability-related need for...
The Florida Legislature is looking to combat condominium election and voting fraud during the 2020 Regular Legislative Session. In 2017, a Miami-Dade County Grand Jury found that election fraud was a major problem for condominium residents and recommended criminal penalties for those engaging in fraudulent activity. This year, Florida...
Abandoned units can be a big problem for condominium associations. What if an abandoned unit has a water leak, mold or faulty wiring? Fortunately, Florida’s Condominium Act provides associations with a powerful solution. Regardless of any authority provided in the condominium documents (declaration, bylaws, etc.), the association board may, in its...
Condominium associations are often approached by unit owners or tenants requesting an accommodation to have a service animal, even though the animal itself, either because of its species or size, violates an association’s pet policy. Though it’s not always easy to tell the difference between...
Condominium boards often hire community association managers to help manage and oversee their association's affairs. However, since community association managers often handle critical and complex matters, it's important to choose the right one. The first step to confirming the qualifications and experience of a community association...
Sometimes a condominium association needs to enter an owner's unit, which is why Florida's Condominium Act gives associations an irrevocable right of access. This right of access may only be used during reasonable hours to perform needed maintenance and repairs or to prevent damage to...
For many condominiums and homeowners' associations, the end of the calendar year is also the end of the fiscal year. This means that associations should be well on their way to completing their statutorily required financial reports. Unless a different date is specified in the bylaws,...