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Q: My homeowners association inconsistently enforces its rules. Rules often overlooked include bans regarding permissible animals and owning chickens on the property – none of which have been properly enforced. The association issued a new owner a violation notice, even though other homeowners have been keeping chickens. Does this set a precedent for how these […]

Q: I am in the process of selling my condominium unit and recently come across the term “estoppel certificate,” but I’m not quite sure what it means. Could you provide an explanation on exactly what kind of information is included on an estoppel certificate and just how much it typically costs to get one? I’d […]

Q: It recently came to light that one of our board members has an ongoing dispute with another unit owner, resulting in the unit owner taking out a restraining order against the board member. This is very concerning. Shouldn’t this result in the board member being removed from the board of directors of our association? […]

Q: My condominium association has a five-member board of directors. At our upcoming annual meeting, there will not need to be an election as there are three open seats and three candidates. However, the question has arisen as to how to conduct the organizational meeting to be held following the annual meeting where the board […]

Q: Our homeowners’ association board only lets residents speak at board meetings after taking a vote. They can only speak for 3 minutes in total. My understanding is that the residents should be able to speak before the vote, and they can speak for 3 minutes per item on the agenda. What is the rule […]

Q: Recently, my condominium association authorized a major construction project. The contract for the work is several million dollars in value. The board of directors voted to move forward with their preferred contractor and authorize the president to sign. Isn’t this the type of contract that must be voted on by the owners? (O.V., via […]

Q: My condominium association will be having its annual meeting soon, which will include an election for members to the board of directors. Some of our board members have served for numerous years, and I understood that there are now term limits on the number of years a board member could serve. What is the […]

Q: I was recently elected to the board of my condominium association. I thought we had to follow Florida’s sunshine laws, but our long-time president said this is not true. She claims we can meet whenever we want as long as no votes are taken, or assessments are not going to be made. Is this […]

Q: My homeowners’ association recently sent me a notice stating that I had to remove a number of tree stumps in my back yard. The stumps are from trees that were removed following Hurricane Irma. Nothing has changed since those trees were cut down over five years ago. I don’t understand why my association is […]

Q: My wife and I live in a condominium unit in Florida. The unit is owned by my wife, in her name only. However, I would like to run for the board of directors. Does Florida law state that a spouse of a unit owner has the right to serve on the board? (E.B., via […]

Q: We have an owner in our condominium community who refuses to pay the current monthly assessment. Each month, she sends a check based on our budget from 2 years ago. She says she has not received a copy of the proposed budget 14 days ahead of time for the past two years as she […]

Q: Can the board of a homeowners’ association hold “Zoom only” meetings and not permit Owners to attend? (M.M., via e-mail) A: Subject to certain exceptions, I do not believe a board can circumvent the “sunshine laws” by using “remote only” meetings. There are exceptions in the law which permit board meetings to be closed. […]