Your Florida condo association maintains the common elements, such as the roof, structure, hallways and grounds. You are responsible for the inside of your unit, and when you're away, no one is watching for a slow leak or A/C failure. Home watch fills that gap and works with your association. Your declaration decides who does what.
This guide from True North Home Watch is for Naples, Marco Island and Bonita Springs condo owners who spend part of the year elsewhere. Our team brings more than 18 years of experience managing condominium associations, so we know how both sides of the door work. This is general information, not legal or insurance advice.
Key takeaways
- Florida Statute 718.113(1) makes the association responsible for maintaining the common elements, except limited common elements the declaration assigns to the unit owner.
- The association's master policy excludes items inside your unit that serve only that unit, such as floor, wall and ceiling coverings, fixtures, appliances and water heaters (Fla. Stat. 718.111(11)(f)).
- An owner can be responsible for damage to other units or common areas when it's caused by negligence or a failure to follow the declaration or rules (Fla. Stat. 718.111(11)(j)).
- HO-6 policies must include at least $2,000 of loss assessment coverage with a deductible of no more than $250 (Fla. Stat. 627.714).
- Ask your association who owns hurricane protection, and how vendors and visitors get access, before you leave.
Who maintains what in a Florida condo?
Chapter 718, the Florida Condominium Act, sets the framework. Under Fla. Stat. 718.113(1), maintenance of the common elements is the association's responsibility, except for any limited common elements the declaration assigns to the unit owner. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) tells owners to be familiar with the condominium documents and to comply with Chapter 718, the declaration, the bylaws and the association's rules.
In practice, your declaration and rules decide the details. Here's the general pattern, which varies from building to building:
| Area | Usually handled by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Roof, building structure, hallways, elevators, pool and grounds | Association | Common elements, funded through assessments |
| Balconies, lanais, assigned parking, sometimes windows and doors | Depends on your declaration | These can be limited common elements assigned to the owner |
| Floor, wall and ceiling coverings, fixtures, appliances, water heater, cabinets | Unit owner | Excluded from the association's property policy when inside the unit and serving only that unit |
| Plumbing, A/C equipment and finishes inside the unit | Usually the unit owner | Confirm where your declaration draws the line |
The line between "association" and "owner" often falls in surprising places, such as an A/C condenser, a window or a plumbing branch line, so read your declaration closely.
Why does a condo still need checking when I'm away?
The association maintains the building. It doesn't watch your unit. Florida Statute 718.111(5)(a) gives an association a right of access to each unit during reasonable hours when necessary for maintenance, repair or replacement of common elements, or to prevent damage to the common elements or a unit. That's a right to enter when there's a need, not a scheduled inspection of your home while you're gone.
Here's what tends to go wrong in a closed-up condo:
- Water leaks. A failed supply line, a leaking water heater or an overflowing ice-maker line can run for weeks. It may stain the ceiling of the unit below before anyone knows.
- A/C problems. If a unit stops cooling, indoor humidity climbs quickly in Southwest Florida. The EPA advises keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent.
- Moisture and mold. The EPA notes that if wet materials are dried within 24 to 48 hours of a leak, mold usually won't grow.
Our guides on managing humidity in a Florida home and smart water shut-off valves cover the prevention side. A home watch visit covers the checking side, and a visit is what catches a small drip while it's still small. See what a home watch visit includes for the full walkthrough.
How does HO-6 insurance fit in with the association's policy?
Two policies work together. The association insures the building and common areas under its master policy. Florida Statute 718.111(11)(f) says that policy must exclude personal property in the unit, and floor, wall and ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water heaters, water filters, built-in cabinets and countertops, and window treatments located within the unit and serving only that unit.
Your condo unit-owner policy (HO-6) fills in from there. The Florida Department of Financial Services says it provides some coverage for the structure but primarily covers your personal property and liability. It also includes loss assessment coverage, which pays your share of a covered loss to common property, and Florida requires at least $2,000 of it with a deductible of no more than $250 (Fla. Stat. 627.714).
Two points to raise with your agent:
- Liability for damage to others. Fla. Stat. 718.111(11)(j)1 makes a unit owner responsible for the cost of repair not paid by insurance when damage is caused by intentional conduct, negligence or failure to comply with the declaration or rules, including by family, tenants, guests or invitees.
- Extended absences. Ask how your policy treats a unit that sits empty for months. Our guide to vacant home insurance in Florida lists questions worth asking.
How do home watch and the association work together?
Your condo has more gatekeepers than a single-family home: a front desk, a guard gate, key fobs, elevator rules and a management company. A good home watch provider works within that system, not around it. Many buildings ask for some or all of the following:
- Your written authorization for a named visitor or vendor to enter
- A key or fob on file with management, or held by your provider
- Guest or vendor registration, sometimes with advance notice for each visit
- Rules about parking, elevators and loading areas
Requirements differ, so ask your management office what it needs and then share it with your provider. True North's concierge and vendor access services are built for this: with your approval, we let in the technician, cleaner or delivery driver you've authorized and confirm the visit to you, so you aren't relying on a message from the front desk.
Coordination runs both ways. If the association needs into your unit for a common-element repair, it helps if management already has a local contact to call.
What about hurricane shutters and storm prep in a condo?
Storm rules are different in a condo because so much is shared. Under Fla. Stat. 718.113(5), a board may, with the approval of a majority of voting interests, install hurricane protection or require unit owners to install it, adopting specifications that comply with building code. A board may not refuse an owner's installation or replacement of hurricane protection that conforms to those specifications. It may operate the protection without owner permission only when necessary to protect the condominium property.
What does that mean for you?
- Low-rise and garden-style condos: shutters, impact windows and lanai protection may be association-controlled or owner-installed. Find out which, and who opens and closes them.
- High-rise condos: the National Hurricane Center says winds at the top of a 30-story building will average about 20 mph, roughly one Saffir-Simpson category, higher than at the surface. Balcony doors and loose balcony items matter.
- Evacuation zones: Florida's coastal counties have zones based on storm surge risk, and the state's Know Your Zone tool lets you check your address.
Our hurricane-ready Naples checklist covers the basics, and True North's Hurricane Protection Package includes pre-storm and post-storm inspections, so you know what your unit looks like before and after the storm.
What should I settle with my association before I leave?
- Get a copy of your declaration, bylaws and rules, and note who maintains windows, doors, A/C and plumbing.
- Give management your local emergency contact and your home watch provider's details.
- Ask what's required to add a visitor or vendor to the access list, and whether the key or fob can be held locally.
- Ask who handles shutters or impact protection, and when.
- Review your HO-6 with your agent, including loss assessment limits and any policy conditions for an unoccupied unit.
- Locate your unit's water shut-off, and ask if your association has rules about using it.
See our Naples home watch page or pricing.
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Get a Free Quote Call (239) 301-8657What do Naples condo owners ask about home watch?
Does my condo association check inside my unit while I'm away?
Not as a routine service. Florida Statute 718.111(5)(a) gives the association a right of access to each unit during reasonable hours, when necessary for maintenance, repair or replacement of common elements, or as needed to prevent damage to common elements or to a unit. That right lets the association enter when a problem arises. It isn't a scheduled inspection of your home, so someone you trust still needs to look inside regularly.
Who pays if a leak from my unit damages the unit below?
It depends on the cause and on your governing documents. Under Florida Statute 718.111(11)(j), a unit owner is responsible for the cost of repairing property damage not paid by insurance proceeds when the damage is caused by the owner's or an occupant's intentional conduct, negligence or failure to follow the declaration or rules. Ask your agent and attorney how a leak claim would be handled.
What does a condo HO-6 policy cover, and what is loss assessment coverage?
The Florida Department of Financial Services says an HO-6 policy provides some coverage for the structure but primarily covers your personal property and liability. It also includes loss assessment coverage: at least $2,000, with a deductible of no more than $250, toward your share of a covered loss to shared property. Your association's master policy has its own scope, so compare the two with your agent.
Can True North get into my condo if there's a key fob, guard gate or building rules?
Yes, with your written authorization and within the association's process. Many buildings have procedures for adding a visitor or vendor to the access list or holding a key or fob. Ask your management office what it requires, share our details with them, and we'll follow the building's rules on entry, parking, elevators and vendor registration.
Who is responsible for hurricane shutters or impact windows in my condo?
It depends on your declaration and board policy. Under Florida Statute 718.113(5), a board may install hurricane protection or require unit owners to install it, adopting specifications that meet building code. It may not refuse an owner's installation that conforms to those specifications. Ask your association who installs, maintains, opens and closes it, and get the answer in writing.
Should I turn off the water to my condo when I'm away?
Many owners do, but first confirm your association's rules and where your unit's shut-off is. The EPA advises fixing plumbing leaks and drying wet areas as soon as possible, since mold usually won't grow if materials are dried within 24 to 48 hours. A shut-off valve reduces the risk, and regular home watch visits confirm nothing has dripped, stained or swelled in between.
Sources
- Florida Statutes 718.113: Maintenance; limitation upon improvement; display of flag; hurricane shutters
- Florida Statutes 718.111: The association (right of access; association insurance)
- Florida Statutes 627.714: Residential condominium unit owner coverage; loss assessment coverage
- Florida Department of Financial Services: Homeowners insurance overview (HO-6)
- Florida DBPR: Condominium unit-owner rights and responsibilities
- EPA: A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home
- National Hurricane Center: Eyewall wind profiles
- Florida Division of Emergency Management: Know your zone