Can a condominium association deny an owner the right to rent his unit if his assessments are unpaid

The short answer is:  “it depends” – because the board can deny a lease only if the authority to approve or deny a lease is stated in the declaration or bylaws.

718.104(5) of the Florida Condominium Act states that the Declaration as originally recorded or as amended may include covenants and restrictions concerning the use, occupancy and transfer of units.    Thus, if  leasing a unit is not subject to prior approval or otherwise restricted  in the Declaration (or in the Bylaws, an ...

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Is your condominium’s right of approval enforceable?

Most condominium declarations contain a right of approval. In general terms, they typically state no sale, lease or other transfer of a unit is permitted without prior written approval of the Association.  But most declarations do not specify the grounds, if any, upon which denial is permitted.  Most are very open-ended; for example, “grounds for disapproval include but are not limited to the account being delinquent.”  Thus, what is the limit of the association’s authority to approve or disapprove, or ...

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The Legalities of Association Fines

I’ve seen associations that do not comply with the law that empowers them to “fine” owners. So here are some of the legalities of association fines in Florida:
1). Was the fine imposed by the President, the Board, the Manager, or the violations committee? The Board must levy the fine and the committee must either approve or reject it.
2) Was a fine included as part of a lien on your property? If so, did you know:
a) condos cannot ...

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Associations cannot impose a fine without prior, proper notice to the owner

On July 8, 2012, the Association’s attorney sent a Notice to the unit owners of a violations committee meeting “regarding the Association’s intent to levy fines” due to their dog’s frequent barking. The notice stated the hearing was to be on July 16. On July 16, the violations Committee met and imposed two fines in the amount of $100.00 each per day for 10 days for a continuing violation, for a total of $2,000.00. The owners did not attend the ...

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