Neighbor feud at condo heats up

Nearly 60 code complaints filed

FORT LAUDERDALE — A feud among owners at Vantage View Condominiums could land a lot of unneighborly neighbors in hot water with the city.

Since September, the city has received almost 60 anonymous code complaints against individual unit owners accused of doing remodeling work without a permit. The 40-year-old, 21-story structure at 2841 N. Ocean Blvd. has 174 units.

“In my time as mayor, it is the most complaints I’ve seen in any one building, and the highest percentage of complaints,” Mayor Jack Seiler said. “There’s a lot of people in the building that are upset at other people, and they’re turning them all in.”

So far, city code enforcers have brought cases against four units and are requiring their owners to get the work properly inspected and permitted.

All of the complaints — mostly for bathroom and kitchen remodels but some for air conditioning units — will be investigated, said city spokesman Chaz Adams. He said the city counts on neighbors being the city’s eyes and ears.

It is not clear what sparked the feud, but some say it centers on the performance of the condo board and management company.

Judy Llewellyn, whose unit was the first to be cited by code officers, said she takes full responsibility for not knowing that permits were required when she remodeled her bathroom.

But Llewellyn, who says the city action could cost her $4,000 or more, called the flood of code complaints against others “a witch hunt.”

Unit owner Robert Moskal disagrees. He said he doesn’t know who was behind all of those complaints to the city, but he has filed his own complaint with the state against the board and management company.

“If an electrical fire starts, it’s affecting the whole building,” he said.

Indeed, uninspected construction work can endanger neighbors who share walls and common space, said Donna Berger, an attorney who specializes in condo law.

That’s why the city imposes penalties, fines and in some cases orders the unpermitted work torn out. It doesn’t matter whether it was a previous owner who did the remodeling.

Condo board president John Finucane admits some — but not all — of the units that are the subject of complaints had unpermitted work done.

Commissioner Dean Trantalis questioned the motives of those turning in their neighbors.

“To have that many, clearly there’s an orchestrated effort to wreak havoc upon the unit owners,” he said.

“To have that many, clearly there’s an orchestrated effort to wreak havoc upon the unit owners.” Dean Trantalis, Broward County commissioner

LARRY BARSZEWSKI/STAFF Vantage View condominiums in Fort Lauderdale is the site of a dispute that has led to almost 60 complaints.