A practical vendor compliance routine for property managers and HOAs in Tampa Bay: what to collect, how to check it and how to keep it current across a portfolio.
A vendor's insurance lapses in March. In June, a ladder slips at one of your properties. Suddenly the certificate in your file from last year matters a lot more than the price on the invoice.
Vendor compliance isn't glamorous, but for property managers and HOA boards it's one of the simplest ways to cut risk. Here's a routine that works whether you manage three buildings or three hundred units.
A current certificate of insurance (COI) showing general liability, with your management company and the property owner or association named as additional insureds when your contracts require it. Workers' compensation coverage, or a valid exemption, for vendors with employees. Auto liability for vendors who drive onto the property.
A license for regulated trades. In Florida, roofers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC and general contractors are licensed by the state, and some trades are licensed by counties. Look the license up on the DBPR site and make sure the name matches the business.
A W-9 for tax reporting, the business's active status on Sunbiz, and a signed service agreement that covers scope, response times, insurance requirements and indemnity.
A PDF a vendor emails you can be outdated or edited. Asking the vendor's insurance agent to send the certificate directly is a simple step that prevents most problems. Check the policy dates, the coverage types and the named insured.
Most compliance failures aren't fake documents. They're expired ones. Keep a simple tracker with each vendor's license and policy expiration dates and set reminders a month ahead. Pause new work orders for any vendor whose documents lapse until they send renewals.
On Tampa Services, providers keep license and insurance documents in their portal, and requests stop automatically when a credential expires until the renewal is verified. That's information on file, not a guarantee, so keep running your own checks for your properties.
After a storm, unlicensed and out-of-area contractors arrive quickly. Your compliance routine is most valuable exactly when you're under the most pressure to skip it. Line up storm vendors in the dry season, with documents checked, so you're not vetting strangers in a parking lot after landfall.
Florida law also limits how contractors can solicit and handle property insurance claims. Be wary of any vendor who offers to handle your claim or asks for an assignment of benefits.
Owners and HOA boards want proof, not promises. Keep a vendor file per property with documents, work orders, photos and invoices. When an insurer, auditor or board member asks, you can answer in minutes.
Usually general liability, workers' comp or a valid exemption if they have employees, and auto liability if they drive on site. Your contracts and insurer set the limits.
Use the DBPR license search and confirm the name, status and license type.
At every renewal date. Track expirations and request renewals a month ahead.
Providers keep license and insurance documents on file in their portal and requests pause when one expires. Verify current status yourself before hiring.