BY: STAFF REPORT | BocaNewsNow.com
PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2021 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A Palm Beach County country club is facing a major lawsuit over a $50,000 initiation fee that it allegedly refused to refund when a new homeowner took ill and never moved into the community.
(If you are reading this in a news app, click here to access the full report, with documents and images, on BocaNewsNow.com).
Richard Lapkin states in his lawsuit that Wycliffe Golf and Country Club doubled dipped — taking $50,000 from him for an initiation fee, then another $50,000 from the person he sold his home to when an illness left him unable to move in. It all happened over just a few weeks, according to the suit.
“In 2020, Lapkin decided he wanted to move to Florida from California and he purchased a unit within the Wycliffe Country Club community,” states the suit. “As part of his purchase, Lapkin paid $6,000 for an equity membership in the golf club, as well as a $50,000 initiation fee for his membership. Unfortunately, Lapkin had unforeseen health issues and was unable to move to Florida.”
Continues the filing, “Lapkin never actually lived in Wycliffe, nor did he use any of its amenities or facilities, including any country club amenities. Indeed, within one month of purchasing his unit and paying Wycliffe Country Club the aforementioned monies, Lapkin resold the unit. Importantly, the new owner also paid WCC a $50,000 initiation fee along with an equity purchase.”
Lapkin requested his money back but was told no deal by the Board of Directors, which instead offered him $4,800 for his equity stake.
“Lapkin was told that the Board had considered his initiation refund request and denied it, allegedly based on the community’s bylaws. Lapkin was told that the Board did not want to set a bad precedent.”
But lawyers have apparently determined that there are no Board minutes in existence that prove the Board actually considered — or debated — his request.
The lawsuit is filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.
Read the complete filing, below. If you are reading in a news app and the PDF does not appear, just click here to access the document.
