Florida Statutes 721.09 – Reservation agreements; escrows
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(1)(a) Prior to filing the filed public offering statement with the division, a seller shall not offer a timeshare plan for sale but may accept reservation deposits and advertise the reservation deposit program upon approval by the division of a fully executed escrow agreement and reservation agreement properly filed with the division.
Attorney's Note
Under the Florida Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Felony of the third degree | up to 5 years | up to $5,000 |
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 721.09
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Contract: means any agreement conferring the rights and obligations of a timeshare plan on the purchaser. See Florida Statutes 721.05
- Developer: includes :(a)1. See Florida Statutes 721.05
- Division: means the Division of Florida Condominiums, Timeshares, and Mobile Homes of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. See Florida Statutes 721.05
- Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
- Escrow account: means an account established solely for the purposes set forth in this chapter with a financial institution located within this state. See Florida Statutes 721.05
- Escrow agent: includes only:
(a) A savings and loan association, bank, trust company, or other financial institution, any of which must be located in this state and any of which must have a net worth in excess of $5 million;(b) An attorney who is a member of The Florida Bar or his or her law firm;(c) A real estate broker who is licensed pursuant to chapter 475 or his or her brokerage firm; or(d) A title insurance agent that is licensed pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 721.05- 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.
- Filed public offering statement: means a public offering statement that has been filed with the division pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 721.05
- 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.
- offer: means the solicitation, advertisement, or inducement, or any other method or attempt, to encourage any person to acquire the opportunity to participate in a timeshare plan. See Florida Statutes 721.05
- Public offering statement: means the written materials describing a single-site timeshare plan or a multisite timeshare plan, including a text and any exhibits attached thereto as required by ss. See Florida Statutes 721.05
- Purchaser: means any person, other than a developer, who by means of a voluntary transfer acquires a legal or equitable interest in a timeshare plan other than as security for an obligation. See Florida Statutes 721.05
- Purchaser public offering statement: means that portion of the filed public offering statement which must be delivered to purchasers pursuant to…. See Florida Statutes 721.05
- Seller: means any developer or any other person, or any agent or employee thereof, who offers timeshare interests in the ordinary course of business. See Florida Statutes 721.05
- timeshare plan: includes :
(a) A "personal property timeshare plan" which means a timeshare plan in which the accommodations are comprised of personal property that is not permanently affixed to real property; and(b) A "real property timeshare plan" which means a timeshare plan in which the accommodations of the timeshare plan are comprised of or permanently affixed to real property. See Florida Statutes 721.05(b) Reservations shall not be taken on a timeshare plan unless the seller has an ownership interest, leasehold interest, or legal option to purchase or lease of a duration at least equal to the duration of the proposed timeshare plan, in the land upon which the timeshare plan is to be developed.(c) If the timeshare plan subject to the reservation agreement has not been filed with the division under s. 721.07(5) or s. 721.55 within 180 days after the date the division approves the reservation agreement filing, the seller must immediately cancel all outstanding reservation agreements, refund all escrowed funds to prospective purchasers, and discontinue accepting reservation deposits or advertising the availability of reservation agreements.(d) A seller who has filed a reservation agreement and an escrow agreement under this section may advertise the reservation agreement program if the advertising material meets the following requirements:1. The seller complies with the provisions of s. 721.11 with respect to such advertising material.2. The advertising material is limited to a general description of the proposed timeshare plan, including, but not limited to, a general description of the type, number, and size of accommodations and facilities and the name of the proposed timeshare plan.3. The advertising material contains a statement that the advertising material is being distributed in connection with an approved reservation agreement filing only and that the seller cannot offer an interest in the timeshare plan for sale until a filed public offering statement has been filed with the division under this chapter.(2) Each executed reservation agreement shall be signed by the developer and shall contain the following:(a) A statement that the escrow agent will grant a prospective purchaser an immediate, unqualified refund of the reservation deposit upon the written request of either the purchaser or the seller directed to the escrow agent.(b) A statement that the escrow agent may not otherwise release moneys unless a contract is signed by the purchaser, authorizing the transfer of the escrowed reservation deposit as a deposit on the purchase price. Such deposit shall then be subject to the requirements of s. 721.08.(c) A statement of the obligation of the developer to file a filed public offering statement with the division prior to entering into binding contracts.(d) A statement of the right of the purchaser to receive the purchaser public offering statement required by this chapter.(e) The name and address of the escrow agent and a statement that the escrow agent will provide a receipt.(f) A statement that the seller assures that the purchase price represented in or pursuant to the reservation agreement will be the price in the contract for the purchase or that the price represented may be exceeded within a stated amount or percentage or a statement that no assurance is given as to the price in the contract for purchase.(3)(a) The total amount paid for a reservation shall be deposited into a reservation escrow account.(b) An escrow agent shall maintain the accounts called for in this section only in such a manner as to be under the direct supervision and control of the escrow agent.(c) The escrow agent may invest the escrowed funds in securities of the United States Government, or any agency thereof, or in savings or time deposits in institutions insured by an agency of the United States Government. The interest generated by any such investments shall be payable to the party entitled to receive the escrowed funds or other property.(d) The escrowed funds shall at all reasonable times be available for withdrawal in full by the escrow agent.(e) Each escrow agent shall maintain separate books and records for each timeshare plan and shall maintain such books and records in accordance with good accounting practices.(f) Any seller or escrow agent who intentionally fails to comply with the provisions of this section regarding deposit of funds in escrow and withdrawal therefrom is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, or the successor of any of such sections. The failure to establish an escrow account or to place funds therein as required in this section is prima facie evidence of an intentional and purposeful violation of this section.