468.4334 Professional practice standards; liability; community association manager requirements; return of records after termination of contract.—
(1)(a) A community association manager or a community association management firm is deemed to act as agent on behalf of a community association as principal within the scope of authority authorized by a written contract or under this chapter. A community association manager and a community association management firm shall discharge duties performed on behalf of the association as authorized by this chapter loyally, skillfully, and diligently; dealing honestly and fairly; in good faith; with care and full disclosure to the community association; accounting for all funds; and not charging unreasonable or excessive fees.
(b) If a community association manager or a community association management firm has a contract with a community association that is subject to s. 553.899, the community association manager or the community association management firm must comply with that section as directed by the board.
(2)(a) A contract between a community association and a community association manager or a contract between a community association and a community association management firm may provide that the community association indemnifies and holds harmless the community association manager and the community association management firm for ordinary negligence resulting from the manager or management firm’s act or omission that is the result of an instruction or direction of the community association. This paragraph does not preclude any other negotiated indemnity or hold harmless provision.
(b) Indemnification under paragraph (a) may not cover any act or omission that violates a criminal law; derives an improper personal benefit, either directly or indirectly; is grossly negligent; or is reckless, is in bad faith, is with malicious purpose, or is in a manner exhibiting wanton and willful disregard of human rights, safety, or property.
(3) A community association manager or community association management firm that is authorized by contract to provide community association management services to a homeowners’ association shall do all of the following:
(a) Attend in person at least one member meeting or board meeting of the homeowners’ association annually.
(b) Provide to the members of the homeowners’ association the name and contact information for each community association manager or representative of a community association management firm assigned to the homeowners’ association, the manager’s or representative’s hours of availability, and a summary of the duties for which the manager or representative is responsible. The homeowners’ association shall also post this information on the association’s website or application required under s. 720.303(4)(b). The community association manager or community association management firm shall update the homeowners’ association and its members within 14 business days after any change to such information.
(c) Provide to any member upon request a copy of the contract between the community association manager or community association management firm and the homeowners’ association and include such contract with association’s official records.
(4) A community association manager or a community association management firm shall return all community association official records within its possession to the community association within 20 business days after termination of a contractual agreement to provide community association management services to the community association or receipt of a written request for return of the official records, whichever occurs first. A notice of termination of a contractual agreement to provide community association management services must be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, or in the manner required under such contractual agreement. The community association manager or community association management firm may retain, for up to 20 business days, those records necessary to complete an ending financial statement or report. If an association fails to provide access to or retention of the accounting records to prepare an ending financial statement or report, the community association manager or community association management firm is relieved from any further responsibility or liability relating to the preparation of such ending financial statement or report. Failure of a community association manager or a community association management firm to timely return all of the official records within its possession to the community association creates a rebuttable presumption that the community association manager or community association management firm willfully failed to comply with this subsection. A community association manager or a community association management firm that fails to timely return community association records is subject to suspension of its license under s. 468.436, and a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for up to 10 business days, assessed beginning on the 21st business day after termination of a contractual agreement to provide community association management services to the community association or receipt of a written request from the association for return of the records, whichever occurs first. However, for a timeshare plan created under chapter 721, the time periods provided in s. 721.14(4)(b) apply.
History.—s. 2, ch. 2014-146; s. 2, ch. 2022-269; s. 1, ch. 2023-203; s. 1, ch. 2024-221; s. 1, ch. 2024-244.
