FLORIDA STATUES 718 CONDOMINIUMS
 PART III 
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF ASSOCIATION (ss. 718.301-718.303)

718.301  Transfer of association control. 
718.302  Agreements entered into by the association. 
718.3025  Agreements for operation, maintenance, or management of condominiums; specific requirements. 
718.3026  Contracts for products and services; in writing; bids; exceptions. 
718.303  Obligations of owners; waiver; levy of fine against unit by association. 



718.301  Transfer of association control.-- 
(1)  When unit owners other than the developer own 15 percent or more of the units in a condominium that will be operated ultimately by an association, the unit owners other than the developer shall be entitled to elect no less than one-third of the members of the board of administration of the association. Unit owners other than the developer are entitled to elect not less than a majority of the members of the board of administration of an association: 
(a)  Three years after 50 percent of the units that will be operated ultimately by the association have been conveyed to purchasers; 
(b)  Three months after 90 percent of the units that will be operated ultimately by the association have been conveyed to purchasers; 
(c)  When all the units that will be operated ultimately by the association have been completed, some of them have been conveyed to purchasers, and none of the others are being offered for sale by the developer in the ordinary course of business; 
(d)  When some of the units have been conveyed to purchasers and none of the others are being constructed or offered for sale by the developer in the ordinary course of business; or 
(e)  Seven years after recordation of the declaration of condominium; or, in the case of an association which may ultimately operate more than one condominium, 7 years after recordation of the declaration for the first condominium it operates; or, in the case of an association operating a phase condominium created pursuant to s. 718.403, 7 years after recordation of the declaration creating the initial phase, 
whichever occurs first. The developer is entitled to elect at least one member of the board of administration of an association as long as the developer holds for sale in the ordinary course of business at least 5 percent, in condominiums with fewer than 500 units, and 2 percent, in condominiums with more than 500 units, of the units in a condominium operated by the association. Following the time the developer relinquishes control of the association, the developer may exercise the right to vote any developer-owned units in the same manner as any other unit owner except for purposes of reacquiring control of the association or selecting the majority members of the board of administration. 
(2)  Within 75 days after the unit owners other than the developer are entitled to elect a member or members of the board of administration of an association, the association shall call, and give not less than 60 days' notice of an election for the members of the board of administration. The election shall proceed as provided in s. 718.112(2)(d). The notice may be given by any unit owner if the association fails to do so. Upon election of the first unit owner other than the developer to the board of administration, the developer shall forward to the division the name and mailing address of the unit owner board member. 
(3)  If a developer holds units for sale in the ordinary course of business, none of the following actions may be taken without approval in writing by the developer: 
(a)  Assessment of the developer as a unit owner for capital improvements. 
(b)  Any action by the association that would be detrimental to the sales of units by the developer. However, an increase in assessments for common expenses without discrimination against the developer shall not be deemed to be detrimental to the sales of units. 
(4)  At the time that unit owners other than the developer elect a majority of the members of the board of administration of an association, the developer shall relinquish control of the association, and the unit owners shall accept control. Simultaneously, or for the purposes of paragraph (c) not more than 90 days thereafter, the developer shall deliver to the association, at the developer's expense, all property of the unit owners and of the association which is held or controlled by the developer, including, but not limited to, the following items, if applicable, as to each condominium operated by the association: 
(a)1.  The original or a photocopy of the recorded declaration of condominium and all amendments thereto. If a photocopy is provided, it shall be certified by affidavit of the developer or an officer or agent of the developer as being a complete copy of the actual recorded declaration. 
2.  A certified copy of the articles of incorporation of the association or, if the association was created prior to the effective date of this act and it is not incorporated, copies of the documents creating the association. 
3.  A copy of the bylaws. 
4.  The minute books, including all minutes, and other books and records of the association, if any. 

5.  Any house rules and regulations which have been promulgated. 
(b)  Resignations of officers and members of the board of administration who are required to resign because the developer is required to relinquish control of the association. 
(c)  The financial records, including financial statements of the association, and source documents from the incorporation of the association through the date of turnover. The records shall be audited for the period from the incorporation of the association or from the period covered by the last audit, if an audit has been performed for each fiscal year since incorporation, by an independent certified public accountant. All financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and shall be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, as prescribed by the Florida Board of Accountancy, pursuant to chapter 473. The accountant performing the audit shall examine to the extent necessary supporting documents and records, including the cash disbursements and related paid invoices to determine if expenditures were for association purposes and the billings, cash receipts, and related records to determine that the developer was charged and paid the proper amounts of assessments. 
(d)  Association funds or control thereof. 
(e)  All tangible personal property that is property of the association, which is represented by the developer to be part of the common elements or which is ostensibly part of the common elements, and an inventory of that property. 
(f)  A copy of the plans and specifications utilized in the construction or remodeling of improvements and the supplying of equipment to the condominium and in the construction and installation of all mechanical components serving the improvements and the site with a certificate in affidavit form of the developer or the developer's agent or an architect or engineer authorized to practice in this state that such plans and specifications represent, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, the actual plans and specifications utilized in the construction and improvement of the condominium property and for the construction and installation of the mechanical components serving the improvements. If the condominium property has been declared a condominium more than 3 years after the completion of construction or remodeling of the improvements, the requirements of this paragraph do not apply. 
(g)  A list of the names and addresses, of which the developer had knowledge at any time in the development of the condominium, of all contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers utilized in the construction or remodeling of the improvements and in the landscaping of the condominium or association property. 
(h)  Insurance policies. 
(i)  Copies of any certificates of occupancy which may have been issued for the condominium property. 
(j)  Any other permits applicable to the condominium property which have been issued by governmental bodies and are in force or were issued within 1 year prior to the date the unit owners other than the developer take control of the association. 
(k)  All written warranties of the contractor, subcontractors, suppliers, and manufacturers, if any, that are still effective. 
(l)  A roster of unit owners and their addresses and telephone numbers, if known, as shown on the developer's records. 
(m)  Leases of the common elements and other leases to which the association is a party. 
(n)  Employment contracts or service contracts in which the association is one of the contracting parties or service contracts in which the association or the unit owners have an obligation or responsibility, directly or indirectly, to pay some or all of the fee or charge of the person or persons performing the service. 
(o)  All other contracts to which the association is a party. 
(5)  If, during the period prior to the time that the developer relinquishes control of the association pursuant to subsection (4), any provision of the Condominium Act or any rule promulgated thereunder is violated by the association, the developer is responsible for such violation and is subject to the administrative action provided in this chapter for such violation or violations and is liable for such violation or violations to third parties. This subsection is intended to clarify existing law. 
(6)  The division has authority to adopt rules pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act to ensure the efficient and effective transition from developer control of a condominium to the establishment of a unit-owner controlled association. 

718.302  Agreements entered into by the association.-- 
(1)  Any grant or reservation made by a declaration, lease, or other document, and any contract made by an association prior to assumption of control of the association by unit owners other than the developer, that provides for operation, maintenance, or management of a condominium association or property serving the unit owners of a condominium shall be fair and reasonable, and such grant, reservation, or contract may be canceled by unit owners other than the developer: 
(a)  If the association operates only one condominium and the unit owners other than the developer have assumed control of the association, or if unit owners other than the developer own not less than 75 percent of the voting interests in the condominium, the cancellation shall be by concurrence of the owners of not less than 75 percent of the voting interests other than the voting interests owned by the developer. If a grant, reservation, or contract is so canceled and the unit owners other than the developer have not assumed control of the association, the association shall make a new contract or otherwise provide for maintenance, management, or operation in lieu of the canceled obligation, at the direction of the owners of not less than a majority of the voting interests in the condominium other than the voting interests owned by the developer. 
(b)  If the association operates more than one condominium and the unit owners other than the developer have not assumed control of the association, and if unit owners other than the developer own at least 75 percent of the voting interests in a condominium operated by the association, any grant, reservation, or contract for maintenance, management, or operation of buildings containing the units in that condominium or of improvements used only by unit owners of that condominium may be canceled by concurrence of the owners of at least 75 percent of the voting interests in the condominium other than the voting interests owned by the developer. No grant, reservation, or contract for maintenance, management, or operation of recreational areas or any other property serving more than one condominium, and operated by more than one association, may be canceled except pursuant to paragraph (d). 
(c)  If the association operates more than one condominium and the unit owners other than the developer have assumed control of the association, the cancellation shall be by concurrence of the owners of not less than 75 percent of the total number of voting interests in all condominiums operated by the association other than the voting interests owned by the developer. 
(d)  If the owners of units in a condominium have the right to use property in common with owners of units in other condominiums and those condominiums are operated by more than one association, no grant, reservation, or contract for maintenance, management, or operation of the property serving more than one condominium may be canceled until unit owners other than the developer have assumed control of all of the associations operating the condominiums that are to be served by the recreational area or other property, after which cancellation may be effected by concurrence of the owners of not less than 75 percent of the total number of voting interests in those condominiums other than voting interests owned by the developer. 
(2)  Any grant or reservation made by a declaration, lease, or other document, or any contract made by the developer or association prior to the time when unit owners other than the developer elect a majority of the board of administration, which grant, reservation, or contract requires the association to purchase condominium property or to lease condominium property to another party, shall be deemed ratified unless rejected by a majority of the voting interests of unit owners other than the developer within 18 months after unit owners other than the developer elect a majority of the board of administration. This subsection does not apply to any grant or reservation made by a declaration whereby persons other than the developer or the developer's heirs, assigns, affiliates, directors, officers, or employees are granted the right to use the condominium property, so long as such persons are obligated to pay, at a minimum, a proportionate share of the cost associated with such property. 
(3)  Any grant or reservation made by a declaration, lease, or other document, and any contract made by an association, whether before or after assumption of control of the association by unit owners other than the developer, that provides for operation, maintenance, or management of a condominium association or property serving the unit owners of a condominium shall not be in conflict with the powers and duties of the association or the rights of the unit owners as provided in this chapter. This subsection is intended only as a clarification of existing law. 
(4)  Any grant or reservation made by a declaration, lease, or other document, and any contract made by an association prior to assumption of control of the association by unit owners other than the developer, shall be fair and reasonable. 
(5)  It is declared that the public policy of this state prohibits the inclusion or enforcement of escalation clauses in management contracts for condominiums, and such clauses are hereby declared void for public policy. For the purposes of this section, an escalation clause is any clause in a condominium management contract which provides that the fee under the contract shall increase at the same percentage rate as any nationally recognized and conveniently available commodity or consumer price index. 
(6)  Any action to compel compliance with the provisions of this section or of s. 718.301 may be brought pursuant to the summary procedure provided for in s. 51.011. In any such action brought to compel compliance with the provisions of s. 718.301, the prevailing party is entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees. 

718.3025  Agreements for operation, maintenance, or management of condominiums; specific requirements.-- 
(1)  No written contract between a party contracting to provide maintenance or management services and an association which contract provides for operation, maintenance, or management of a condominium association or property serving the unit owners of a condominium shall be valid or enforceable unless the contract: 
(a)  Specifies the services, obligations, and responsibilities of the party contracting to provide maintenance or management services to the unit owners. 
(b)  Specifies those costs incurred in the performance of those services, obligations, or responsibilities which are to be reimbursed by the association to the party contracting to provide maintenance or management services. 
(c)  Provides an indication of how often each service, obligation, or responsibility is to be performed, whether stated for each service, obligation, or responsibility or in categories thereof. 
(d)  Specifies a minimum number of personnel to be employed by the party contracting to provide maintenance or management services for the purpose of providing service to the association. 
(e)  Discloses any financial or ownership interest which the developer, if the developer is in control of the association, holds with regard to the party contracting to provide maintenance or management services. 
(2)  In any case in which the party contracting to provide maintenance or management services fails to provide such services in accordance with the contract, the association is authorized to procure such services from some other party and shall be entitled to collect any fees or charges paid for service performed by another party from the party contracting to provide maintenance or management services. 
(3)  Any services or obligations not stated on the face of the contract shall be unenforceable. 
(4)  Notwithstanding the fact that certain vendors contract with associations to maintain equipment or property which is made available to serve unit owners, it is the intent of the Legislature that this section applies to contracts for maintenance or management services for which the association pays compensation. This section does not apply to contracts for services or property made available for the convenience of unit owners by lessees or licensees of the association, such as coin-operated laundry, food, soft drink, or telephone vendors; cable television operators; retail store operators; businesses; restaurants; or similar vendors. 

718.3026  Contracts for products and services; in writing; bids; exceptions.--
Associations with less than 100 units may opt out of the provisions of this section if two-thirds of the unit owners vote to do so, which opt-out may be accomplished by a proxy specifically setting forth the exception from this section. 
(1)  All contracts as further described herein or any contract that is not to be fully performed within 1 year after the making thereof, for the purchase, lease, or renting of materials or equipment to be used by the association in accomplishing its purposes under this chapter, and all contracts for the provision of services, shall be in writing. If a contract for the purchase, lease, or renting of materials or equipment, or for the provision of services, requires payment by the association on behalf of any condominium operated by the association in the aggregate that exceeds 5 percent of the total annual budget of the association, including reserves, the association shall obtain competitive bids for the materials, equipment, or services. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to require the association to accept the lowest bid. 
(2)(a)1.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, contracts with employees of the association, and contracts for attorney, accountant, architect, community association manager, timeshare management firm, engineering, and landscape architect services are not subject to the provisions of this section. 
2.  A contract executed before January 1, 1992, and any renewal thereof, is not subject to the competitive bid requirements of this section. If a contract was awarded under the competitive bid procedures of this section, any renewal of that contract is not subject to such competitive bid requirements if the contract contains a provision that allows the board to cancel the contract on 30 days' notice. Materials, equipment, or services provided to a condominium under a local government franchise agreement by a franchise holder are not subject to the competitive bid requirements of this section. A contract with a manager, if made by a competitive bid, may be made for up to 3 years. A condominium whose declaration or bylaws provides for competitive bidding for services may operate under the provisions of that declaration or bylaws in lieu of this section if those provisions are not less stringent than the requirements of this section. 
(b)  Nothing contained herein is intended to limit the ability of an association to obtain needed products and services in an emergency. 
(c)  This section shall not apply if the business entity with which the association desires to enter into a contract is the only source of supply within the county serving the association. 
(d)  Nothing contained herein shall excuse a party contracting to provide maintenance or management services from compliance with s. 718.3025. 

718.303  Obligations of owners; waiver; levy of fine against unit by association.-- 
(1)  Each unit owner, each tenant and other invitee, and each association shall be governed by, and shall comply with the provisions of, this chapter, the declaration, the documents creating the association, and the association bylaws and the provisions thereof shall be deemed expressly incorporated into any lease of a unit. Actions for damages or for injunctive relief, or both, for failure to comply with these provisions may be brought by the association or by a unit owner against: 
(a)  The association. 
(b)  A unit owner. 
(c)  Directors designated by the developer, for actions taken by them prior to the time control of the association is assumed by unit owners other than the developer. 
(d)  Any director who willfully and knowingly fails to comply with these provisions. 
(e)  Any tenant leasing a unit, and any other invitee occupying a unit. 

The prevailing party in any such action or in any action in which the purchaser claims a right of voidability based upon contractual provisions as required in s. 718.503(1)(a) is entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees. A unit owner prevailing in an action between the association and the unit owner under this section, in addition to recovering his or her reasonable attorney's fees, may recover additional amounts as determined by the court to be necessary to reimburse the unit owner for his or her share of assessments levied by the association to fund its expenses of the litigation. This relief does not exclude other remedies provided by law. Actions arising under this subsection shall not be deemed to be actions for specific performance.
(2)  A provision of this chapter may not be waived if the waiver would adversely affect the rights of a unit owner or the purpose of the provision, except that unit owners or members of a board of administration may waive notice of specific meetings in writing if provided by the bylaws. Any instruction given in writing by a unit owner or purchaser to an escrow agent may be relied upon by an escrow agent, whether or not such instruction and the payment of funds thereunder might constitute a waiver of any provision of this chapter. 
(3)  If the declaration or bylaws so provide, the association may levy reasonable fines against a unit for the failure of the owner of the unit, or its occupant, licensee, or invitee, to comply with any provision of the declaration, the association bylaws, or reasonable rules of the association. No fine will become a lien against a unit. No fine may exceed $100 per violation. However, a fine may be levied on the basis of each day of a continuing violation, with a single notice and opportunity for hearing, provided that no such fine shall in the aggregate exceed $1,000. No fine may be levied except after giving reasonable notice and opportunity for a hearing to the unit owner and, if applicable, its licensee or invitee. The hearing must be held before a committee of other unit owners. If the committee does not agree with the fine, the fine may not be levied. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to unoccupied units.