Records Inspections

Records Inspection Request Responsibilities

A Florida condominium association must follow strict, statute‑driven procedures when owners request to inspect official records. The board of directors holds the legal duty under Chapter 718, while the property manager (CAM) performs the operational work needed to meet those duties. Here is the complete, statute‑grounded breakdown of who is responsible for what.

The board is legally responsible for ensuring records are maintained and produced within statutory deadlines, and the property manager is operationally responsible for organizing, storing, and delivering those records so the board stays in compliance.

Florida Statute 718.111(12) and DBPR rules require: (1) Seven‑year retention of official records, organized for inspection, (2) Availability within 45 miles of the condo or within the same county, (3) Inspection within 10 working days after receiving a written request, (4) No purpose required — owners can inspect for any reason, (5) Electronic access allowed, but must be properly maintained, and (6) Good‑faith obligation to recover lost/destroyed records. These are operational duties, not casual administrative tasks — and they must be executed flawlessly.

A property manager should handle records inspections because Florida’s legal framework requires professional‑grade recordkeeping, rapid response, controlled access, and strict compliance. Boards simply do not have the infrastructure, continuity, or expertise to meet these obligations without exposing the association to legal and financial risk.

Board Responsibilities (Legal & Fiduciary)

Statutory compliance — The board is legally responsible for ensuring records are maintained, accessible, and produced within the 10‑day deadline. Missing deadlines is a statutory breach.
Fiduciary oversight — Directors must act in good faith and ensure records systems are adequate, organized, and secure.
Policy adoption — The board must adopt procedures for handling requests, redaction, scheduling, and supervision.
Website compliance — Condos with 25+ units must maintain a records website (contracts, budgets, financials, SIRS, milestone reports). The board is responsible for ensuring compliance.
Protection of exempt records — The board must ensure personnel files, medical records, and certain owner data are not improperly disclosed.
Responding to DBPR inquiries — The board must respond to DBPR investigations related to records access.

Property Manager Responsibilities (Operational & Administrative)

Request logging — CAMs track the date requests are received to ensure the 10‑day statutory clock is met.
Record organization — Managers maintain searchable, categorized records (financials, minutes, contracts, insurance, SIRS, milestone reports).
Scheduling inspections — CAMs coordinate owner appointments, supervise access, and ensure no protected information is disclosed.
Website maintenance — CAMs upload required documents and maintain digital access logs.
Redaction & document preparation — CAMs prepare records for inspection, ensuring exempt information is removed.
Reconstruction of missing records — If records are lost or incomplete, CAMs assist in reconstructing them (a statutory obligation).
Operational continuity — CAMs provide year‑round consistency despite board turnover.

Why both roles matter

Florida treats records access as a core owner right, and the DBPR actively enforces compliance. The board holds the legal liability, but the manager performs the day‑to‑day work needed to avoid violations. Most associations delegate the entire process to the CAM because:

The board is legally responsible for compliance with Florida’s records‑inspection laws, while the property manager is responsible for executing the systems, organization, scheduling, and document handling that allow the board to meet those legal obligations. Both roles are essential: the board carries the liability, and the manager carries the workload.

The volume of records is large and growing (SIRS, milestone inspections, engineering reports).
The deadlines are strict.
The consequences of mistakes are significant (damages, arbitration, DBPR complaints).

UCO Reporter Legal Articles

Q and A with Attorney Mark D. Friedman, B.C.S. (Renters)

Florida Condo Records Inspection Policy Example

Florida Condo Records Inspection Policy