BP BHEAD INT H

AN ACT Relating to forfeiture after default on a contract; and amending RCW 61.30.090.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 61.30.090 and 1988 c 86 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Even if the contract contains a provision allowing the seller, because of a default in the purchaser's obligations under the contract, to accelerate the due date of some or all payments to be made or other obligations to be performed by the purchaser under the contract, the seller may not require payment of the accelerated payments or performance of the accelerated obligations as a condition to curing the default in order to avoid forfeiture except to the extent the payments or performance would be due without the acceleration. This subsection shall not apply to an acceleration because of a transfer, encumbrance, or conveyance of any or all of the purchaser's interest in any portion or all of the property if the contract being forfeited contains a provision accelerating the unpaid balance because of such transfer, encumbrance, or conveyance and such provision is enforceable under applicable law.

(2) All persons described in RCW 61.30.040 (1) and (2), regardless of whether given the notice of intent to forfeit, and any guarantor of or any surety for the purchaser's performance may cure the default. These persons may cure the default at any time before expiration of the time for cure and may act alone or in any combination. Any person having a lien of record against the property which would be eliminated in whole or in part by the forfeiture and who cures the purchaser's default pursuant to this section shall have included in its lien all payments made to effect such cure, including interest thereon at the rate specified in or otherwise applicable to the obligations secured by such lien.

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter, a purchaser is prohibited from defaulting on the purchaser's obligations under a contract more than three times during the life of the contract. Upon the purchaser's fourth default under the contract, the seller may record a declaration of forfeiture. The seller may continue to accept tender of cure following three defaults by the purchaser, but such an acceptance shall in no way limit the seller's right to record a declaration of forfeiture upon any subsequent default.

(4) The seller may, but shall not be required to, accept tender of cure after the expiration of the time for cure and before the declaration of forfeiture is recorded. The seller may accept a partial cure. If the tender of such partial cure to the seller or the seller's agent or attorney is not accompanied by a written statement of the person making the tender acknowledging that such payment or other action does not fully cure the default, the seller shall notify such person in writing of the insufficiency and the amount or character thereof, which notice shall include an offer to refund any partial tender of money paid to the seller or the seller's agent or attorney upon written request. The notice of insufficiency may state that, by statute, such request must be made by a specified date, which date may not be less than ninety days after the notice of insufficiency is served or mailed. The request must be made in writing and delivered or mailed to the seller or the person who gave the notice of insufficiency or the notice of intent to forfeit and, if the notice of insufficiency properly specifies a date by which such request must be made, by the date so specified. The seller shall refund such amount promptly following receipt of such written request, if timely made, and the seller shall be liable to the person to whom such amount is due for that person's reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in an action brought to recover such amount in which such refund or any portion thereof is found to have been improperly withheld. If the seller's written notice of insufficiency is not given to the person making the tender at least ten days before the expiration of the time for cure, then regardless of whether the tender is accepted the time for cure shall be extended for ten days from the date the seller's written notice of insufficiency is given. The seller shall not be required to extend the time for cure more than once even though more than one insufficient tender is made.

((~~(4)~~)) (5) Except as provided in this subsection, a timely tender of cure shall reinstate the contract. If a default that entitles the seller to forfeit the contract is not described in a notice of intent to forfeit previously given and the seller gives a notice of intent to forfeit concerning that default, timely cure of a default described in a previous notice of intent to forfeit shall not limit the effect of the subsequent notice.

((~~(5)~~)) (6) If the default is cured and a fulfillment deed is not given to the purchaser, the seller or the seller's agent or attorney shall sign, acknowledge, record, and deliver or mail to the purchaser and, if different, the person who made the tender a written statement that the contract is no longer subject to forfeiture under the notice of intent to forfeit previously given, referring to the notice of intent to forfeit by its recording number. A seller who fails within thirty days of written demand to give and record the statement required by this subsection, if such demand specifies the penalties in this subsection, is liable to the person who cured the default for the greater of five hundred dollars or actual damages, if any, and for reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in an action to recover such amount or damages.

((~~(6)~~)) (7) Any person curing or intending to cure any default shall have the right to request any court of competent jurisdiction to determine the reasonableness of any attorneys' fees which are included in the amount required to cure, and in making such determination the court may award the prevailing party its reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in the action. An action under this subsection shall not forestall any forfeiture or affect its validity.