THE PILOT PROGRAM

"HOW TO CATCH A THIEF"

(SPANISH VERSION)

THE SUCCESS STORY!

Another Way To Catch A Thief:

IRS GUIDELINES


Condominium Crimes Screening Checklist and Unit Owner Resource Guide

 

  

 

 Law Enforcement Meets State Regulators and Condominium Ombudsman to Provide Direction and Assistance to Unit Owners


In response

to rising concerns from condominium unit owners regarding

alleged misuse of funds by Boards of Directors and Community Association Managers, members of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) met with the representatives from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Office of the Condominium Ombudsman (OCO) in order to conduct a Condominium Awareness Seminar for many South Florida law enforcement agencies.  With guidance from the DBPR, this Condominium Awareness seminar resulted in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement issuing a checklist for affected unit owners to follow in order to resolve their complaints more efficiently. 

   

This guide is designed to assist the unit owner in filing

complaints regarding alleged fraud or financial impropriety by a member  or members of a board of directors or by a community association manager.

The Office of the Condominium Ombudsman will act as a liaison to review and evaluate whether the complaint is administrative, civil or criminal in nature.

So, you’re first question is probably, “What is an Ombudsman?”, followed quickly

by, “Who is the Ombudsman?

An Ombudsman, as granted authority in Section 718.5012 Florida Statutes, generally acts as a liaison between unit owners, board members, boards of directors, community association managers and other affected parties in order for them to understand their rights and responsibilities. The legislature requires that the ombudsman acts as a neutral resource to those involved.

Currently, Danille Carroll is the Florida ombudsman for Condominiums, with a satellite office located at the North Broward Regional Service Center, 1400 West Commercial Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. The phone number is 954-202-3234. 

What follows is the checklist that DBPR and FDLE have developed in order

to better assist the ombudsman in determining how and where your complaint should be filed. Please read through it carefully and provide all the information that is requested (attach additional sheets if necessary).

   

How to File a Complaint with the Condominium Ombudsman:

Mail this completed form and copies of any documentation to:

Office of the Condominium Ombudsman, 1400 W. Commercial Boulevard,

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309


THE PILOT PROGRAM IS ONLY FOR MIAMI-DADE -- IN THE MOMENT!

 

CONDO CRIMES SCREENING CHECKLIST

 

 Name:___________________________  Contact Number(s): (        )                                                     

Address:__________________________  (         )                                                                                  

Are you a condo unit owner? Yes  No        Address / Unit #: ______________________________   

What is the name of the condominium?                                                                                                      

What is the address of the condominium?                                                                                                  

What is the name of the Condominium Association?                                                                                  

What position do you hold regarding this Association? (director, officer, unit owner, etc…)

Association Board of Directors:                   Names and contact numbers

                       President:                                                                      (         )                                        

               Vice President:                                                                      (         )                                       

                       Secretary:                                                                      (         )                                       

                       Treasurer:                                                                      (         )                                       

Does the Condominium have a community association manager?  Yes          No 
Name/contact number:                                                                                  (        )                                    
Have you brought your complaint to the Board of Directors?        Yes           No 

     If so, when, where, and what was their response?                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                               

 

Have you submitted a Condominium / Cooperative Complaint Form to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Land Sales, Condominiums and Mobile Homes (DBPR)?

        YES           No
If so, please enclose a copy of the complaint and answer the following questions: 
Name and contact number of DBPR Representative(s): 
                                                                                                                        (        )                            
                                                                                                                        (        )                            
               
What is the status of the complaint filed with DBPR?                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                              

 

Have you previously contacted the Ombudsman?      Yes       No

 

What is the name of the person you feel is responsible for the alleged financial wrongdoing? If they are a condominium officer, please include their position. 
                                                                                                                                                             
Have you made a request pursuant to Florida State Statute 718.111(15)(c) to inspect the records? 

     YES           No

Have your reviewed the financial records of the condominium to identify evidence of financial wrongdoing? 

     YES           No

What was the result of your review / request?                                                                                          

Please list any evidence of what you believe to be any financial wrongdoing? (checks, contracts, invoices, receipts, bank records, etc…) 

                                                                                                                                                              

 

Please list any witness who can provide evidence of the financial wrongdoing. List names, contact information and the substance of their knowledge. 

                                                                                                                                                             
Has any audit or accounting been done to confirm these allegations? If so, please include a copy of the financial statements.
   YES           No

 

Please do not submit this form until you have sufficient documentation to support your allegations. Do not expect immediate results. Investigations are complicated and take time to facilitate. Thank you for your patience.


PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THIS FORM INTO YOUR WORD PROGRAM FOR PRINTOUT!

KEEP THIS SECTION 

FOR YOUR RECORDS

Introduction State Representative

Julio Robaina

Listen to the AUDIO

The reverse side of this section contains useful information that you should retain for future reference.
Use the space provided below to record information relating to the allegations reported to the Office of the Condominium Ombudsman at 1400 W. Commercial Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309, telephone number 954-202-3234.


Date      Person contacted       Phone      Number
                                                                               

                                                                               

                                                                                
Other Notes:

                                                                                

 

                                                                                

Unit Owner Resource Guide

Aventura Police Dept.
(305) 466-8989

Miami-Dade Police Dept.
(305) 4-POLICE
(305) 476-5423

Bal Harbour Police Dept.
(305) 866-5000

Bay Harbor Islands Police Dept. (305) 866-6242

Miami Shores Police Dept.                (305) 759-2468

Biscayne Park Police Dept.    (305) 893-7490

North Bay Village Police Dept.    (305)758-2626
.

Coral Gables Police Dept.       (305) 442-1600

North Miami Police Dept.           (305) 891-8111

Cutler Bay Police Dept.       (305) 234-4237

North Miami Beach Police Dept.   (305) 949-5500 / 5599

City of Doral Police Dept.     (305)593-6699

Opa-Locka Police Dept.             (305) 953-2877

El Portal Police Dept.          (305) 795-7870

Palmetto Bay Police Dept.         (305) 259-1270

Hialeah Police Dept.            (305) 687-2525

Pinecrest Police Dept.                 (305) 234-2100

Hialeah Gardens Police Dept.     (305) 558-3333

South Miami Police Dept.              (305) 663-6301

Homestead Police Dept.        (305) 247-1535

Sunny Isles Beach Police Dept.      (305) 947-4440

Key Biscayne Police Dept.              (305) 365-5555

Surfside Police Dept.                   (305) 861-4862

Miami Police Dept.                   (305) 579-6640

Sweetwater Police Dept.               (305) 552-9900

Miami Beach Police Dept.               (305) 673-7900

Virginia Gardens Police Dept.              (305) 871-3141

Miami Lakes Police Dept.               (305) 698-1500

West Miami Police Dept.                (305) 266-0530

Aventura Police Dept.
(305) 466-8989

Bal Harbour Police Dept.
(305) 866-5000

Miami-Dade Police Dept.
(305) 4-POLICE
(305) 476-5423

Bay Harbor Islands Police Dept. (305) 866-6242

Miami Shores Police Dept.

(305) 759-2468

Biscayne Park Police Dept.

(305) 893-7490

North Bay Village Police Dept.

(305)758-2626

Coral Gables Police Dept.

(305) 442-1600

North Miami Police Dept.(305) 891-8111

Cutler Bay Police Dept.

(305) 234-4237

North Miami Beach Police Dept.   (305) 949-5500 / 5599

North Miami Beach Police Dept.   (305) 949-5500 / 5599

North Miami Beach Police Dept.   (305) 949-5500 / 5599

North Miami Beach Police Dept.   (305) 949-5500 / 5599

North Miami Beach Police Dept.   (305) 949-5500 / 5599

North Miami Beach Police Dept.   (305) 949-5500 / 5599

City of Doral Police Dept.

(305)593-6699

Opa-Locka Police Dept.             (305) 953-2877

Opa-Locka Police Dept.  

(305) 953-2877

El Portal Police Dept.

(305) 795-7870

Palmetto Bay Police Dept.

(305) 259-1270

Hialeah Police Dept.

(305) 687-2525

Pinecrest Police Dept.

(305) 234-2100

Hialeah Gardens Police Dept. (305) 558-3333

South Miami Police Dept.

(305) 663-6301

Homestead Police Dept.

(305) 247-1535

Sunny Isles Beach Police Dept. (305) 947-4440

Key Biscayne Police Dept.

(305) 365-5555

Surfside Police Dept.

(305) 861-4862

Miami Police Dept.

(305) 579-6640

Sweetwater Police Dept.

(305) 552-990

Miami Beach Police Dept.

(305) 673-7900

Virginia Gardens Police Dept (305) 871-3141

Miami Lakes Police Dept.

(305) 698-1500

West Miami Police Dept.

(305) 266-0530

EDUCATION SEMINAR

Former Condo Ombudsman

Danille Caroll 

Watch VIDEO

 

Jon Peet -- Department of Business and Professional Regulation

Watch the VIDEO

Part I

Part II

Part III

OTHER RESOURCES:

    

Violation of Condominium Laws Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation 1-800-226-9101 ext 2

Discrimination/

Harassment

Florida Commission on Human Relations   850-488-7082 
Emergency assistance  FEMA -- Florida Emergency Information   800-621-3362
Veterans 

Florida Department

of Veterans Affairs 
US Department of Veterans Affairs  

800-342-3557

727-319-7408 

Insurance Department of Financial Services   800-227-8676

Emergencies

Community  Service 

Broward Community Service 
Miami-Dade Community Service 
Florida Emergency Information 

954-831-4000


305-468-5900


800-342-3557

Consumer Complaints     800-435-7352
Contractor complaints 

Department of Business

and Professional 
Regulation  (DBPR)

  850-487-1395 
Elder assistance  Department of Elder Affairs  800-963-5337 

Additionally, the Condominium Ombudsman may be able to provide assistance with a broad range of topics. The Ombudsman may be contacted at 954-202-3234.


THE PANEL Q & A (VIDEOS)

Bill Raphan -- Office of the

Condominium Ombudsman

Watch the VIDEO
Part I

Part II

Part III


 

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

HOME