(1) Any person who, in reasonable reliance upon any material statement or information that is false or misleading and published by or under authority from the developer in advertising and promotional materials, including, but not limited to, a prospectus, the items required as exhibits to a prospectus, brochures, and newspaper advertising, pays anything of value toward the lease of a cooperative parcel located in this state shall have a cause of action to rescind the contract or collect damages from the developer for his or her loss prior to the closing of the transaction. After the closing of the transaction, the lessee shall have a cause of action against the developer for damages under this section from the time of closing until 1 year after the date upon which the last of the events described in paragraphs (a)-(d) shall occur:

(a) The closing of the transaction;

Terms Used In Florida Statutes 719.506

  • Common areas: includes within its meaning the following:
    (a) The cooperative property which is not included within the units. See Florida Statutes 719.103
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Cooperative: means that form of ownership of real property wherein legal title is vested in a corporation or other entity and the beneficial use is evidenced by an ownership interest in the association and a lease or other muniment of title or possession granted by the association as the owner of all the cooperative property. See Florida Statutes 719.103
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Developer: means a person who creates a cooperative or who offers cooperative parcels for sale or lease in the ordinary course of business, but does not include the owner or lessee of a unit who has acquired or leased the unit for his or her own occupancy, nor does it include a condominium association which creates a cooperative by conversion of an existing residential condominium after control of the association has been transferred to the unit owners if, following the conversion, the unit owners will be the same persons. See Florida Statutes 719.103
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
  • Unit: means a part of the cooperative property which is subject to exclusive use and possession. See Florida Statutes 719.103
(b) The first issuance by the applicable governmental authority of a certificate of occupancy or other evidence of sufficient completion of construction of the building containing the unit to allow lawful occupancy of the unit. In counties or municipalities in which certificates of occupancy or other evidences of completion sufficient to allow lawful occupancy are not customarily issued, for the purpose of this section evidence of lawful occupancy shall be deemed to be given or issued upon the date that such lawful occupancy of the unit may first be allowed under prevailing applicable laws, ordinances, or statutes;
(c) The completion by the developer of the common areas and such recreational facilities, whether or not the same are common areas, which the developer is obligated to complete or provide under the terms of the written contract or written agreement for purchase or lease of the unit; or
(d) In the event there shall not be a written contract or agreement for sale or lease of the unit, then the completion by the developer of the common areas and such recreational facilities, whether or not the same are common areas, which the developer would be obligated to complete under any rule of law applicable to the developer’s obligation.

Under no circumstances shall a cause of action created or recognized under this section survive for a period of more than 5 years after the closing of the transaction.

(2) In any action for relief under this section or under s. 719.503, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney’s fees.