Whether you’re a community association trying to collect arrears, a business trying to force a vendor to comply with a contract, or anyone else trying to enforce their rights, good record keeping is essential. Waiting until a dispute arises or suit is necessary or ends up served on you, is too late in many instances to pay attention to record keeping.
The time to focus is the present. It is best to proactively manage what you keep and how you keep it so when its time to prosecute or defend a matter, you’re ready. Consider a well thought out record retention schedule. Which emails should you keep and how long. What documents, electronic or paper, should be kept or purged. Consulting with counsel to make sure your business and personal record keeping complies with the law and protects you is a question your attorney should be able to answer. Remember that being protective in keeping good records will not only protect you and your business, it will end up saving you a lot of aggravation and money in the long run.
