§1131.20. Management and operation of the timeshare plan

A. All timeshare plans having more than twelve timeshare interests shall have an association of owners. If the number of timeshare interests in the timeshare plan is twelve or fewer, the owners may form an association.

B. A required timeshare association shall be organized prior to the first sale of a timeshare interest.

C. The membership of the timeshare association at all times shall include all the timeshare interest owners or, following termination of the timeshare plan, all former timeshare interest owners entitled to distributions of proceeds under R.S. 9:1131.8, or their heirs, successors, or assigns.

D. The timeshare association shall be responsible for and have control over the administration, operation, and maintenance of the timeshare property, except to the extent the timeshare documents vest control of the operation, and maintenance of the common elements in another entity. The timeshare association, through the managing agent, shall assess and collect timeshare expenses and shall establish reserves to provide for maintenance, improvements, replacements, working capital, and other appropriate purposes. The actual management of the timeshare plan and the operation and maintenance of the timeshare property shall be performed by a managing agent or, in the case of a multilocation project, one or more managing agents, selected by the board of directors and engaged by the timeshare association pursuant to a written management agreement. The developer or an affiliate may be a managing agent. Collect and remit all state and local hotel and motel occupancy taxes as those taxes apply to persons renting transient use of accommodations from the association or managing entity.1 Timeshare owners and persons occupying accommodations through an exchange program are not transient guests and are not subject to occupancy taxes for the use of accommodations, and comply with all applicable state and local health and safety regulations.

E. - I. Repealed by Acts 2003, No. 978, §3.

J. Managing entities and their agents shall act in the capacity of a fiduciary to the timeshare owners. In this connection they shall:

(1) Provide each year to all owners an itemized annual budget, which shall include all receipts and expenditures.

(2) Maintain all books and records concerning the timeshare plan and make all such books and records reasonably available for inspection by any owner or the authorized agent of such owner.

(3) Arrange for an annual independent audit of all the books and financial records of the timeshare plan by a certified public accountant in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. A copy of the audit shall be forwarded to the officers of the association; or, if no association exists, the owner of each timeshare interest shall be notified that such audit is available upon request.

(4) Make available for inspection any books and records of the timeshare plan upon request of the Louisiana Real Estate Commission.

(5) Schedule occupancy of the timeshare units, when owners are not entitled to use specific timeshare periods, so that all owners will be provided the use and possession of the accommodations of the timeshare plan which they have purchased.

(6) Perform any other functions and duties which are necessary and proper to maintain the timeshare property as provided in the timeshare documents.

(7) Any person who willfully misappropriates the property or funds of an association shall be guilty of theft.

K.(1) With regard to timeshare plans located within the state of Louisiana, the contract retaining a management company shall be automatically renewable every five years, beginning with the fifth year after the management company is first retained. If the owner's association wishes to terminate the contract, the association must affirmatively vote to discharge the management company. Such a vote shall be conducted by the board of the owners' association, and the management company shall be discharged only if at least sixty-six percent of the purchasers voting, which shall be at least fifty percent of all votes allocated to purchasers, vote to discharge the management company.

(2) In the event the management company is discharged, the board of the owners' association is responsible for obtaining another managing entity. If the board fails to do so, any timeshare owner may apply to the parish district court within the jurisdiction of which the accommodations lie for the appointment of a receiver to manage the affairs of the association. At least thirty days before applying to the said district court, the timeshare owner shall mail to the association and post in a conspicuous place on the timeshare property a notice describing the intended action, giving the association the opportunity to fill any vacancies on the board. If during such time the association fails to fill the vacancies, the timeshare owner may proceed with the petition. If a receiver is appointed, the association is responsible for payment of the salary of the receiver, court costs, and attorney fees. The receiver shall have all powers and duties of a duly constituted board of administration and shall serve until the association fills vacancies on the board sufficient to constitute a quorum.

(3) The management company of a timeshare plan subject to the provisions of any other law may be discharged pursuant to that law.

Added by Acts 1983, No. 552, §1; Acts 1984, No. 943, §1, eff. July 20, 1984; Acts 1985, No. 999, §3; Acts 2003, No. 978, §§1 and 3.

{{NOTE: SEE ACTS 1985, NO. 999, §5.}}

1As appears in enrolled bill (incomplete sentence).