Condo Q&A

Tampa Florida: Can Our Condo Association Charge a Move-In Fee?

Written by Roger Chase | Mon, Jun 1, 2009 @ 09:22 PM

Question : I live in a condo complex and serve as a director for the homeowners' association. Every time a new owner moves in, we have to change all our office records, issue new keys to the security gate and repaint hallway walls that have been scuffed up by movers To offset the cost of doing all this, we've been thinking about charging future buyers in the complex a $100 or $200 fee before they're allowed to move in. Would this be legal?

Answer : Probably. A growing number of condo associations across the country are charging "movein" fees to help defray the cost of doing all the work that's involved when someone new moves in.

Before you and your fellow board members enact a move-in charge, however, you should talk to the association's attorney and property managers. If a future buyer challenges the fee, it might be hard to collect if the association can't justify it.

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Tampa, Florida