Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Bathtub Problem
Ice Maker Supply Line Leak
One of the most difficult problems "to find" during our weekly inspections is a leaking ice maker water supply line. Even though the water main had been turned OFF in a Stonebridge home, apparently the pool service people were periodically turning the water main ON in order to maintain water levels and that's how the problem began. Because they're located behind the refrigerator it's impossible to discover this problem until the problem has advanced to the point where it becomes obvious with water on the floor or as was the case of this house a stain began to show on the wall on the opposite side of the refrigerator. The top right photo was taken behind the refrigerator and the bottom photo right was taken of the wall on the opposite side of the refrigerator which was how we discovered the problem. Fortunately we found the problem shortly after it began to show and the rug was easily cleaned with no longlasting stain. To prevent this occurring again we turned OFF the supply line and in the future, the owner will have to turn it back ON when they arrive for the season and OFF when they leave.Ants Galore
This past summer we came across yet another "ant invasion" that baffled us. One of our clients had left a tightly sealed glass cannister atop her kitchen counter and somehow the sugar attraction was
so great that ants were able to find their way insde with little trouble. After cleaning up the mess we put her entire cannister set inside the refrigerator well out of the way of any further access to ants. How they were able to get inside the cannister and where they came from is one of the ongoing mysteries of Florida living but it's also a reminder to always store dry goods in the refrigerator whenever you leave for the season.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Who Pays for Water Damage
The following is an article by Rob Samouce who writes a column on LEGAL MATTERS that I read Sunday December 4th in the naples Daily News. I wanted to share it with anyone interested in finding out who foots the cost of damge to a condominium as a result of water damage. Read on....
Due to many changes in the Florida Statutes affecting condominium associations in recent years, now is probably a good time to review who is responsible for the cost of repairing and/or replacing condominium property damaged by water leaks.
The insurance provisions contained in Section 718.111(11)(f) and (j), Florida Statutes were changed dramatically.
Paragraph (f) now provides that all condominium association insurance policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2009 must provide primary coverage for: "All portions of the condominium property as originally installed or replacement of like kind and quality, in accordance with the original plans and specifications" plus any properly approved material alterations to the common elements or association property.
However, Paragraph (f) also states that the association policy "must exclude all personal property within the unit or limited common elements, and floor, wall and ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water heaters, water filters, built-in cabinets and counter tops, and window treatments, including curtains, drapes, blinds, hardware, and similar window treatment components, or replacements of any of the foregoing which are located within the boundaries of the unit and serve only such unit. Such property and insurance thereupon is the responsibility of the unit owner.
Paragraph (j) provides that: "Any portion of the condominium property, that must be insured by the association against property loss pursuant to paragraph (f) which is damaged, shall be reconstructed, repaired or replaced as necessary by the association as a common expense."
Some exceptions are then listed in paragraph (j) such as if the damage was caused by the negligence of the owner or if the owner failed to timely reports the property loss to the association which damage or loss would then be the responsibility of the owner rather than the association.
A particular condominium association's members may vote by the approval of a majority of the total voting interests to opt-out of the provisions of paragraph (j) for the allocation of repair or reconstruction expenses and instead allocate repair or reconstruction expenses in the manner provided in the declaration as originally recorded or amended.
Any association voting to opt-out must record a notice in the public records of the county evidencing the opt-out and once opted-out an association could always vote to reverse the out-out effectively opting back in.
So, if an association has not voted to opt-out of paragraph (j) and a water leak occurs as a result of an insurable event such as a pipe break or storm damage and there was no provable negligence by anyone, the association is going to be responsible for the cost of replacing all damaged drywall in and around the unit.
Many association's insurance policies have a $5,000 deductible for water leaks, so the association will end up having to pay out of pocket up to $5,000 for drywall repair.
Many association's declarations provide that the owner is responsible for maintaining all portions of his unit and the boundaries of the units are usually the unfinished surfaces of the perimeter walls. In such cases, the owner is responsible for the maintenance of the interior drywall but unless the members have voted to opt-out of paragraph (j), the association will still have to pay for the interior drywall damage repairs because these drywalls are also insured by the association policy because they are portions of the condominium property as originally installed.
If the owners have voted to opt out of paragraph (j) and the Declaration provides that the owners are responsible for maintaining interior unit drywalls, then the owners will be responsible for the cost or repair of the damage to the interior drywalls rather than the association.
Some associations prefer to vote to opt-out of paragraph (j) in order to make their owners more responsible in preventing water leaks as the individual owners will then have a larger stake in the costs of repair from water leaks.
The question also arises as to who is responsible for the cost of "dry out" of the unit. The statutes are pretty silent on this issue.
However, because the dry out benefits both the unit owner and the association in mitigating the amount of damage to both the owner's property and the association's property, the cost of dry out is usually split proportionally between the owner and the association as to the amount of benefit obtained by each.
There are some other ways to prevent water damage in the first place. We find some of the best methods to do so is to amend the Declaration of Condominium with approval of the members to put strict negligence on the owners for the cost of all damage caused by a water leak if they do not replace their water heaters (within 10 years), utilize steel-lined washing machine hoses, replace dishwashers (within 14 years), contract for ongoing air-conditioning maintenance service, or fails to turn off the main water valve to the unit if the unit will be unoccupied for 48 hours or more.
The above are general guidelines as to how water leak damage costs may usually play out after a leak. However, because the individual facts causing leaks vary greatly, it is best to consult with your association's attorney after a leak occurs to determine exactly how the costs will be shared in a particular instance.
For additional information, visit http://www.smglawfirm.com/.
Due to many changes in the Florida Statutes affecting condominium associations in recent years, now is probably a good time to review who is responsible for the cost of repairing and/or replacing condominium property damaged by water leaks.
The insurance provisions contained in Section 718.111(11)(f) and (j), Florida Statutes were changed dramatically.
Paragraph (f) now provides that all condominium association insurance policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2009 must provide primary coverage for: "All portions of the condominium property as originally installed or replacement of like kind and quality, in accordance with the original plans and specifications" plus any properly approved material alterations to the common elements or association property.
However, Paragraph (f) also states that the association policy "must exclude all personal property within the unit or limited common elements, and floor, wall and ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water heaters, water filters, built-in cabinets and counter tops, and window treatments, including curtains, drapes, blinds, hardware, and similar window treatment components, or replacements of any of the foregoing which are located within the boundaries of the unit and serve only such unit. Such property and insurance thereupon is the responsibility of the unit owner.
Paragraph (j) provides that: "Any portion of the condominium property, that must be insured by the association against property loss pursuant to paragraph (f) which is damaged, shall be reconstructed, repaired or replaced as necessary by the association as a common expense."
Some exceptions are then listed in paragraph (j) such as if the damage was caused by the negligence of the owner or if the owner failed to timely reports the property loss to the association which damage or loss would then be the responsibility of the owner rather than the association.
A particular condominium association's members may vote by the approval of a majority of the total voting interests to opt-out of the provisions of paragraph (j) for the allocation of repair or reconstruction expenses and instead allocate repair or reconstruction expenses in the manner provided in the declaration as originally recorded or amended.
Any association voting to opt-out must record a notice in the public records of the county evidencing the opt-out and once opted-out an association could always vote to reverse the out-out effectively opting back in.
So, if an association has not voted to opt-out of paragraph (j) and a water leak occurs as a result of an insurable event such as a pipe break or storm damage and there was no provable negligence by anyone, the association is going to be responsible for the cost of replacing all damaged drywall in and around the unit.
Many association's insurance policies have a $5,000 deductible for water leaks, so the association will end up having to pay out of pocket up to $5,000 for drywall repair.
Many association's declarations provide that the owner is responsible for maintaining all portions of his unit and the boundaries of the units are usually the unfinished surfaces of the perimeter walls. In such cases, the owner is responsible for the maintenance of the interior drywall but unless the members have voted to opt-out of paragraph (j), the association will still have to pay for the interior drywall damage repairs because these drywalls are also insured by the association policy because they are portions of the condominium property as originally installed.
If the owners have voted to opt out of paragraph (j) and the Declaration provides that the owners are responsible for maintaining interior unit drywalls, then the owners will be responsible for the cost or repair of the damage to the interior drywalls rather than the association.
Some associations prefer to vote to opt-out of paragraph (j) in order to make their owners more responsible in preventing water leaks as the individual owners will then have a larger stake in the costs of repair from water leaks.
The question also arises as to who is responsible for the cost of "dry out" of the unit. The statutes are pretty silent on this issue.
However, because the dry out benefits both the unit owner and the association in mitigating the amount of damage to both the owner's property and the association's property, the cost of dry out is usually split proportionally between the owner and the association as to the amount of benefit obtained by each.
There are some other ways to prevent water damage in the first place. We find some of the best methods to do so is to amend the Declaration of Condominium with approval of the members to put strict negligence on the owners for the cost of all damage caused by a water leak if they do not replace their water heaters (within 10 years), utilize steel-lined washing machine hoses, replace dishwashers (within 14 years), contract for ongoing air-conditioning maintenance service, or fails to turn off the main water valve to the unit if the unit will be unoccupied for 48 hours or more.
The above are general guidelines as to how water leak damage costs may usually play out after a leak. However, because the individual facts causing leaks vary greatly, it is best to consult with your association's attorney after a leak occurs to determine exactly how the costs will be shared in a particular instance.
For additional information, visit http://www.smglawfirm.com/.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Grande Finale???...I sure Hope so!!!
Just when I thought things would quiet down a bit because most of our clients have already returned to Florida for the winter months, I was met with an unpleasant suprise when I checked a unit in Forest Glen the other day. I turned the key, opened the door and was met with what looked like a swimming pool that was obviously in the wrong place. Water, water, water...everywhere. See photo #1. Needless to say my heart dropped to my feet!!! How could this happen? We always have the water main turned OFF so I knew we had done ou
r job so it had to be coming from outside the condo. After doing some preliminary investigating I was unable to determine where the water was coming from so I immediately contacted Tropical Isles Property Management and the Association Building President and advised them that we needed to get a plumber, Fire Sprinkler people and lawn maintenance people there ASAP to help determine the source of the problem. Once they arrived it was the plumber who discovered that a water main supply pipe to the upstairs unit was in fact leaking from under the building slab/foundation and was rising up through an inside wall in the guest bedroom. See photo #2. I notified the o
wner and contacted a Disaster Restoration Company and they are currently in the process of getting the unit back to it's original condition...removing all the carpeting, drying the place out with no less than 16 commercial blower/dryers. See photo #3. and doing what needs to be done as required by Florida Code. This experience is just one more reminder that having insurance on your condo is, not only Florida Law but also essential because the unit owner is responsible for any and all claims inside the walls of their unit regardless of who may or may not have been at fault! As for POM, it turned out to be just another day at the office!!!
r job so it had to be coming from outside the condo. After doing some preliminary investigating I was unable to determine where the water was coming from so I immediately contacted Tropical Isles Property Management and the Association Building President and advised them that we needed to get a plumber, Fire Sprinkler people and lawn maintenance people there ASAP to help determine the source of the problem. Once they arrived it was the plumber who discovered that a water main supply pipe to the upstairs unit was in fact leaking from under the building slab/foundation and was rising up through an inside wall in the guest bedroom. See photo #2. I notified the o
wner and contacted a Disaster Restoration Company and they are currently in the process of getting the unit back to it's original condition...removing all the carpeting, drying the place out with no less than 16 commercial blower/dryers. See photo #3. and doing what needs to be done as required by Florida Code. This experience is just one more reminder that having insurance on your condo is, not only Florida Law but also essential because the unit owner is responsible for any and all claims inside the walls of their unit regardless of who may or may not have been at fault! As for POM, it turned out to be just another day at the office!!!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Dead Palmetto Bug Solution???
Here's a photo of the dead palmetto bugs we swept up in a client's house in Lely Resort last summer. Needless to say we had "pest control in to spray several times but these pests just continued to showup. This year was quite different...our client placed bay leaves all around the house, kitchen, bathroom etc. and this year we have NOT seen one dead palmetto bug. Don't ask us how it works, we just know that it does.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Damage to the Inside of Your Condominium
Recently I sent the following letter to Richard White who authors a column on Condominium/Homeowner issues in the Naples Daily News. The following is the question I sent to him and the answer he sent back to me. If you've ever had a question about who's responsible for damage to the inside of your condo, read on....
Dear Richard,
A client of mine recently experienced a sewer backup in their first floor condominium. They immediately contacted the property management company and after a bit of haggleing the management company agreed to send out a plumber to assess the cause of the problem. Since my clients unit is unoccupied in the summer and the water main is turned off the problem obviously was the rersult of water useage/backup from the occupied upstairs unit. When the plumber arrived, he found that the outside/common line was the cause of the problem and his repair cost was absorbed by the association.
Unfortunately the sewage backed up through the kitchen sink and overflowed onto the tile floor in the kitchen and living room so this hazzardous material which included fecal matter had to be cleaned up.The association contacted FireService and were given a cleanup estimate which the association rejected as too expensive and then told my client that they are responsible for cleanup inside their unit even though it was caused from the outside common line.
Question: Is the owner responsible for a cleanup that was caused by a clogged outside/common sewer line?......or is the association responsible for getting their unit back to it's original condition?
Signed
Sonny Gutro
Peace of Mind
Here is Richard White's reply....
I deeply regret the delay in answering your question. I receive huge numbers of questions as my syndicated column is published weekly in several papers and magazines.In fact, I receive well over 500 questions per week. Since I can only put less than 1% of these questions there are just too many to answer in the column. I have other business and personal activities that prevent me from timely answers. Keep in mind that your question only communicates one side or a part of the problem and since I am remote, it is difficult to provide a final answer. Most questions can be answered by reading your association’s documents and statutes. I cannot provide legal advice and this communication cannot be used for any support of legal assistance as an opinion or recommendation. For legal advice, contact a qualified attorney. My writings are copyrighted protected and created comments rights are retained. If you find my column interesting, please send a letter or email to the Editor of the news paper. You can be the influence to continue my column. You can also help support the column with a small donation with a PayPal click and use any credit card at: www.TalkWithCAM.com. Or, mail to Richard White, 6039 Cypress Gardens Blvd, #201, Winter Haven, FL 33884-4115. (Small contributions are greatly appreciated as I will use the funds for equipment and supplies)
Here is his answer to my question....
The unfortunate fact is that you are responsible for any damage to your personal property and that includes your unit regardless of the source of the damage. The condominium law say that all condominium owners must/should carry insurance. This is an insurance claim.
Mr. White attached an article to the E-mail he sent me saying that he wrote it many years back on a situation where he was the property manager. If you want a copy of the article he's referring to call us at 239-450-1699 and we'll send you a copy.
He continued with the following caveat...
You should read your documents to see what they say about utility or sewer lines. This section will determine who repairs (unclogs) the sewer line. Regardless of who pays to fix the drain, you are still responsible for the repairs to you apartment.
Dear Richard,
A client of mine recently experienced a sewer backup in their first floor condominium. They immediately contacted the property management company and after a bit of haggleing the management company agreed to send out a plumber to assess the cause of the problem. Since my clients unit is unoccupied in the summer and the water main is turned off the problem obviously was the rersult of water useage/backup from the occupied upstairs unit. When the plumber arrived, he found that the outside/common line was the cause of the problem and his repair cost was absorbed by the association.
Unfortunately the sewage backed up through the kitchen sink and overflowed onto the tile floor in the kitchen and living room so this hazzardous material which included fecal matter had to be cleaned up.The association contacted FireService and were given a cleanup estimate which the association rejected as too expensive and then told my client that they are responsible for cleanup inside their unit even though it was caused from the outside common line.
Question: Is the owner responsible for a cleanup that was caused by a clogged outside/common sewer line?......or is the association responsible for getting their unit back to it's original condition?
Signed
Sonny Gutro
Peace of Mind
Here is Richard White's reply....
I deeply regret the delay in answering your question. I receive huge numbers of questions as my syndicated column is published weekly in several papers and magazines.In fact, I receive well over 500 questions per week. Since I can only put less than 1% of these questions there are just too many to answer in the column. I have other business and personal activities that prevent me from timely answers. Keep in mind that your question only communicates one side or a part of the problem and since I am remote, it is difficult to provide a final answer. Most questions can be answered by reading your association’s documents and statutes. I cannot provide legal advice and this communication cannot be used for any support of legal assistance as an opinion or recommendation. For legal advice, contact a qualified attorney. My writings are copyrighted protected and created comments rights are retained. If you find my column interesting, please send a letter or email to the Editor of the news paper. You can be the influence to continue my column. You can also help support the column with a small donation with a PayPal click and use any credit card at: www.TalkWithCAM.com. Or, mail to Richard White, 6039 Cypress Gardens Blvd, #201, Winter Haven, FL 33884-4115. (Small contributions are greatly appreciated as I will use the funds for equipment and supplies)
Here is his answer to my question....
The unfortunate fact is that you are responsible for any damage to your personal property and that includes your unit regardless of the source of the damage. The condominium law say that all condominium owners must/should carry insurance. This is an insurance claim.
Mr. White attached an article to the E-mail he sent me saying that he wrote it many years back on a situation where he was the property manager. If you want a copy of the article he's referring to call us at 239-450-1699 and we'll send you a copy.
He continued with the following caveat...
You should read your documents to see what they say about utility or sewer lines. This section will determine who repairs (unclogs) the sewer line. Regardless of who pays to fix the drain, you are still responsible for the repairs to you apartment.
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