I apologize in advance for how long this is going to take me to explain. We checked into an RV resort on August 1 in the Florida Keys which has about 95 percent of its residents as permanent. We had just finished pulling the travel trailer for 5 hours. The staff was very friendly upon check in, but we were never given a list of rules nor did we sign an agreement. This had been reserved for months. Our reservation was for 2 months. We pulled our trailer to the site and was showed where to park next to the unit. (as it turns out, where we were told to park was actually the neighbors spot. When he arrived a week later, he had to confront us very nicely about. He showed us where our spot really was and we moved our truck there. )
We connected everything got some rest and left to head back to our home a 4 hour drive away to get our boat the next day. When we came back with the boat, we were showed our spot in the marina and advised that we were the last spot at the end of the marina. We even mentioned that there was extra room in front of us,but were once again told we were the last spot.
The first few weeks were uneventful and we did enjoy ourselves. At some point around the 3rd week, we brought our lab to the Rv resort. We believe that this was the start of the problems. We were not planning to bring the dog at all, but after seeing other people there with dogs of the same size, we decided it would be okay. We went out on the boat to snorkel and look for lobster for a few hours. When we came back in, the dog started playing with another lab that was also off leash, and did a number two near the tiki area by the dock. My boyfriend immediately dug through a garbage can for something to pick it up with, he did and disposed of it.
The next day the manager of the resort told us to please keep the dog on leash and pick up after it. Which we did from that moment on. On the 29th of August, we went out in the boat for the day. When we came in there was a note on the trailer door stating that we were in violation of having an ice machine plugged in and functioning. It had been plugged in for nearly 3 weeks. They said it was a commercial unit and based on the rules and regulations and agreement, (that we never signed or received) we were not allowed to have. The machine runs on 110 and is plugged in at home and does not run constantly. It costs about 8 dollars a month at home to run. The monies that we paid for the stay, included the cost of electric, water and sewer. It was about double what the permanent guests pay, but they pay the utilities separate. We immediately went to the ice machine to turn it off, however the staff took it upon themselves to come on our lot and unplug it, without giving us a chance to do it ourselves.
So, that was Thursday. Friday, we went out in the afternoon to go fishing. When we came back, there was another boat at the end of the dock, which we were told was not a slip. We could not fit our boat in our slip, and could not access our line to tie up without removing their line, and moving their boat up about a foot. So, we did, headed back to the trailer, cleaned up and headed back to the common area to a gathering where they were doing karaoke. Before we could make it back to the common area, which is right at the dock, two men rushed up to us in a golf cart. One of the men in the passenger seat was the manager of the resort and did not utter a word. The one driving was a very large man, that very intimidatingly yelled at us about moving his boat. We found out later he was the husband of one of the ladies that work in the office. My boyfriend very cordially told him we could all go to to dock and see about fixing the situation. The gentleman who yelled at my boyfriend, eventually apologized after noticing that we were in fact in our spot. However, the manager never said anything.
At this point, we decided that there was no chance that we were going to stay for month two. Saturday, we went to the office to let them know that we wanted to pull our boat our and park it next to the trailer in our neighbors parking spot (which he gave us permission to do). We needed it next to us to pack up items some of which were expensive dive gear and the ice machine. The office person told us we couldn't do that. We asked if she could just verify it with the manager. She said she would ask and for us to come back in ten minutes. We did, at which point, she told us she had rented our spot in the marina because we said we were pulling our boat out. However, we couldn't because they wouldn't allow us to park it next to us. At this point, since they rented our spot for Saturday night out from under us, and the neighbor gave us permission to, we pulled the boat and parked it next to us.
At 4 pm, I went to the office with a written request for a copy of the park rules, and our agreement with our signature, a copy of our invoice, the names of the office personnel, and the corporate contact information. It also stated we were leaving the next morning. The office was closed so later that evening, when the managers were at home, my boyfriend brought the letter to their home onsite. By 1 am, we were served eviction papers and told we had until noon the next morning. It stated that we caused disturbances to the park under Florida Statute 513.13, which we did not.
The only paper they gave us was an invoice showing monies they were refunding to us. They charged us for illegal use of our lot $35. We don't know what this was. Never got park rules, or signed agreement. We felt that it was our right to have this information, so when we were all packed at about 930am, we called the non emergency sheriffs line to request a sheriff to keep things neutral so we could get this paperwork. Instead of coming to us first, he went to the manager, and the two of them came marching up to us. The sheriffs first words were "Rough night here last night? Your lucky you weren't kicked out last night and that we weren't here to do it" We were astounded. No, not a rough night, we were in our trailer all night watching a football game. REALLY????
We asked all of the neighbors around us to sign a petition stating that we did not disturb them while we were here. We had some people in the park, when they heard about the petition, come to us. From what we have been told this management has done nothing but bully and harass people, which was evident by what they did to us. The only warnings we received were about the ice machine in writing, which they shut off for us, and about the dog being on a leash. We are dumbfounded and I can't seem to find out what tenants rights are in this situation. We are contacting the main offices tomorrow and our lawyer. It's awful when we have to tell people we were kicked out. They ask why, and we don't even know what we did. Please help with any advice. Thank you.
