Posted on 12/18/2023 7:36:03 AM PST by devane617
Florida condo owners are about to get hit by the perfect financial storm. With insurance rates already going up as much as 300% for some buildings along with recent changes to the Florida Condominium Act and new changes going into effect in 2025, many are going to face tough times in the coming months and year.
I’ll tell you one thing that REALLY ticked me off about my complex. The association (ie owners) OWN a unit (worth roughly 700k) that they let the manager live in for free. He doesn’t pay dues or rent. He gets paid to manage the complex, as well as a separate payment to mow the lawn, clean the pool, perform certain maintenance jobs. He’s also a licensed RE broker so he makes commissions on sales and rentals at this complex as well as others around the island. He also gets paid to renovate people’s units that engage him.
When I asked the president of the association via email about this arrangement he responded by copying the manager to tell me this was a good arrangement!
The arrangement you described could well involve kickbacks between the manager and key members of the association board.
Here is a good discussion of the issue here:
https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/suspicion-of-kickback-to-board-members-2084860.html
I think the odds of a kickback arrangement are above 50-50 based on the facts you presented.
Even after you left you could still file suit against the association board—go through the discovery process—and see what is there.
You might find an attorney that would be willing to do this on a contingency basis (they only get paid a percentage of what you win).
It may not interest you—but if the anger is still burning you can go for it.
One more hint: do not contact other members of the condo—in fact don’t talk to anyone about it except for your lawyer.
You do not want them to see you coming...that gives them time to lawyer up, shred documents etc. If they are slimy enough to steal money they are certainly slimy enough to cover up evidence that they stole money.
*“Perhaps $50k’s worth to clean up the mess...”
I see lots of this here. Either no insurance or very little.*
it may be better to go without.
I absolutely believe there are kickbacks and I believe it continued with the funding of the composite sea wall. The board would NOT consider the less expensive and more reliable rock revetment option, completely screwing ownership. I believe it was due to palm greasing from the engineer.
They WILL get what’s coming therefore I’m not throwing good money to legal fees to hold them to account. Leaves a very bad taste in my mouth to even talk about it.
Oh, she did, huh?
So long ago, and, so far away.
She IS one of my fave drummers, btw.
On the day that I was born, the angels got together and decided to create a dream called me…
NB truth be told, my hometown honey shot me down at Xmas 1970 and I listened to this mournfully for weeks. She’s old and fat now, but so am I, so I guess it all evens out.
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