MDPL is providing a form for interested condominium unit owners or their authorized representatives to request an inspection of official records of their condominium associations pursuant to Florida Statute s. 718.111(12). The purpose of the form is to provide a convenient way for unit owners to request to inspect official records of their condominium associations, with the hope that unit owners are better able to educate themselves on the condition and safety of their buildings.
This right to inspect the records includes the right to make or obtain copies at the reasonable expense of the member or their authorized representatives. The association may also provide these documents electronically and if provided on a computer screen only, then the records must be available to be printed upon request. Additionally, associations are required to allow members or their authorized representatives to use any technology capable of scanning or taking photographs, to make an electronic copy of the official records in lieu of the associations providing members or their authorized representatives with copies of the records, and associations may not charge members or their authorized representatives for the use of portable devices.
The law requires that the records of condominium associations shall be made available to unit owners within 45 miles of the condominium properties or within the counties in which the condominium properties are located within 10 working days after receipt of written requests by condominium boards or their designees.
A unit owner who is denied access to official records is entitled to the actual damages or minimum statutory damages, and if the unit owner prevails in an enforcement action the owner will be entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees from the person in control of the records who, directly or indirectly, knowingly denied access to the records.
We recommend that the request should be delivered in a manner that will provide you with delivery confirmation, such as USPS certified mail, priority mail, express mail, FedEx or UPS.
Fla. Stat. s. 718.111(12), governing condominium associations’ official records, can be viewed at the following link: click here.
Download the Form
This project is supported in part by the Allen and Joyce Reed Public Interest Law Fellowship at Nova Southeastern University. Our Legal Fellow for 2021 is Lauren Pusateri-Woods and our supervisor is MDPL Board Member and attorney Stuart Reed, Esq. Mr. Reed is principal of Law and Mediation LLC.
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