BILL REQ. #: S-1564.3
State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2009 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/25/09.
AN ACT Relating to foreclosures on deeds of trust; amending RCW 61.24.010, 61.24.040, and 61.24.060; adding new sections to chapter 61.24 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 59.12 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 61.24 RCW
to read as follows:
(1)(a) A trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent may not issue a
notice of default under RCW 61.24.030(7) until thirty days after
initial contact is made as required under (b) of this subsection or
thirty days after satisfying the due diligence requirements as
described in subsection (5) of this section.
(b) A beneficiary or authorized agent shall contact the borrower in
person or by telephone in order to assess the borrower's financial
ability to pay the debt secured by the deed of trust and explore
options for the borrower to avoid foreclosure. During the initial
contact, the beneficiary or authorized agent shall advise the borrower
that he or she has the right to request a subsequent meeting and, if
requested, the beneficiary or authorized agent shall schedule the
meeting to occur within fourteen days. The assessment of the
borrower's financial ability to repay the debt and a discussion of
options may occur during the initial contact or at the subsequent
meeting scheduled for that purpose. At the initial contact, the
borrower must be provided the toll-free telephone number made available
by the department to find a department-certified housing counseling
agency. Any meeting may occur telephonically.
(2) A notice of default issued under RCW 61.24.030(7) must include
a declaration, as provided in subsection (9) of this section, from the
beneficiary or authorized agent that it has contacted the borrower as
provided in subsection (1)(b) of this section, it has tried with due
diligence to contact the borrower under subsection (5) of this section,
or the borrower has surrendered the property to the trustee,
beneficiary, or authorized agent. The trustee is entitled to rely on
the declaration as conclusive evidence that the requirements of this
section have been satisfied, and the trustee is not liable for the
beneficiary or authorized agent failing to include the declaration.
(3) A beneficiary's or authorized agent's loss mitigation personnel
may participate by telephone during any contact required under this
section.
(4) Within fourteen days after the initial contact under subsection
(1) of this section, if a borrower has designated a department-certified housing counseling agency, attorney, or other advisor to
discuss with the beneficiary or authorized agent, on the borrower's
behalf, options for the borrower to avoid foreclosure, the borrower
shall inform the beneficiary or authorized agent and provide the
contact information. The beneficiary or authorized agent shall contact
the designated representative for the borrower for the discussion
within fourteen days after the representative is designated by the
borrower. Any deed of trust modification or workout plan offered at
the meeting with the borrower's designated representative by the
beneficiary or authorized agent is subject to approval by the borrower.
(5) A notice of default may be issued under RCW 61.24.030(7) if a
beneficiary or authorized agent has not contacted a borrower as
required under subsection (1)(b) of this section and the failure to
contact the borrower occurred despite the due diligence of the
beneficiary or authorized agent. Due diligence requires the following:
(a) A beneficiary or authorized agent shall first attempt to
contact a borrower by sending a first-class letter to the address of
the property encumbered by the deed of trust that includes the toll-free telephone number made available by the department to find a
department-certified housing counseling agency.
(b)(i) After the letter has been sent, the beneficiary or
authorized agent shall attempt to contact the borrower by telephone at
least three times at different hours and on different days. Telephone
calls must be made to the primary telephone number on file with the
beneficiary or authorized agent.
(ii) A beneficiary or authorized agent may attempt to contact a
borrower using an automated system to dial borrowers if the telephone
call, when answered, is connected to a live representative of the
beneficiary or authorized agent.
(iii) A beneficiary or authorized agent satisfies the telephone
contact requirements of this subsection (5)(b) if the beneficiary or
authorized agent determines, after attempting contact under this
subsection (5)(b), that the borrower's primary telephone number and
secondary telephone number or numbers on file, if any, have been
disconnected or are not good contact numbers for the borrower.
(c) If the borrower does not respond within fourteen days after the
telephone call requirements of (b) of this subsection have been
satisfied, the beneficiary or authorized agent shall send a certified
letter, with return receipt requested, to the borrower at the address
of the property encumbered by the deed of trust.
(d) The beneficiary or authorized agent shall provide a means for
the borrower to contact the beneficiary or authorized agent in a timely
manner, including a toll-free telephone number or charge-free
equivalent that will provide access to a live representative during
business hours.
(e) The beneficiary or authorized agent shall post a link on the
home page of the beneficiary's or authorized agent's internet web site,
if any, to the following information:
(i) Options that may be available to borrowers who are unable to
afford their mortgage payments and who wish to avoid foreclosure, and
instructions to borrowers advising them on steps to take to explore
those options;
(ii) A list of financial documents borrowers should collect and be
prepared to present to the beneficiary or authorized agent when
discussing options for avoiding foreclosure;
(iii) A toll-free telephone number or charge-free equivalent for
borrowers who wish to discuss options for avoiding foreclosure with
their beneficiary or authorized agent; and
(iv) The toll-free telephone number or charge-free equivalent made
available by the department to find a department-certified housing
counseling agency.
(6) Subsections (1) and (5) of this section do not apply if any of
the following occurs:
(a) The borrower has surrendered the property as evidenced by
either a letter confirming the surrender or delivery of the keys to the
property to the trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent;
(b) The borrower has contracted with a distressed home consultant
as defined in RCW 61.34.020; or
(c) The borrower has filed for bankruptcy, and the bankruptcy stays
in place.
(7) This section applies only to deeds of trust made from January
1, 2003, to December 31, 2007, inclusive, that are secured by
residential real property and are for owner-occupied residences, and
not secured by a debt incurred primarily for business, investment, or
commercial purposes or secured by a guaranty. For purposes of this
subsection, "owner-occupied" means that the residence is the principal
residence of the borrower.
(8) As used in this section:
(a) "Borrower" includes a guarantor of a deed of trust who executed
a promissory note secured by the deed of trust.
(b) "Department" means the United States department of housing and
urban development.
(c) "Residential real property" means a one-to-four, single-family
residence, condominium unit, residential cooperative unit, residential
unit in any other type of planned unit development, or manufactured
home.
(d) "Seller-financed sales" means . . .
(9) The form of declaration to be provided by the beneficiary or
authorized agent as required under subsection (2) of this section must
be in substantially the following form:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 61.24 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Upon posting a notice of sale under RCW 61.24.040, a trustee or
authorized agent shall also post the following notice, in the manner
required for posting the notice of sale on the property to be sold, and
a trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent shall mail at the same time
in an envelope addressed to the "Resident of property subject to
foreclosure sale" the following notice:
"The foreclosure process has begun on this property, which may
affect your right to continue to live in this property. Ninety days or
more after the date of this notice, this property may be sold at
foreclosure. If you are renting this property, the new property owner
may either give you a new lease or rental agreement or provide you with
a fifty-day eviction notice. You may wish to contact a lawyer or your
local legal aid or housing counseling agency to discuss any rights that
you may have."
(2) This section applies only to deeds of trust secured by
residential real property, as defined in section 1 of this act, and if
the billing address for the mortgage note is different than the
property address.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 61.24 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) A tenant or subtenant in possession of a rental housing unit at
the time the property is sold in foreclosure must be given fifty days'
written notice before the tenant or subtenant may be removed from the
property as prescribed in chapter 59.12 RCW.
(2) This section does not apply if a party to the note secured by
the deed of trust remains on the property as a tenant, subtenant, or
occupant.
(3) A tenant may be evicted for waste or nuisance . . ., subject to
unlawful detainer under chapter 59.12 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 Sections 2 and 3 of this act apply only to
the foreclosure of a nonowner-occupied one-to-four, single-family
residence, condominium unit, residential cooperative unit, residential
unit in any other type of planned unit development, or manufactured
home in which title has been eliminated under RCW 65.20.040.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 A new section is added to chapter 61.24 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The failure of the grantor to bring a civil action to enjoin a
foreclosure sale under this chapter may not be deemed a waiver of a
claim for damages asserting:
(a) Common law fraud and misrepresentation;
(b) A violation of RCW 19.144.080; or
(c) Failure of the trustee to materially comply with the provisions
of this chapter.
(2) The nonwaived claims listed under subsection (1) of this
section may be (a) asserted in an unlawful detainer action brought by
the lender against the grantor as a holdover tenant or (b)
independently brought against a lender or trustee if a third party is
the successful bidder at the foreclosure sale.
(3) The nonwaived claims listed under subsection (1) of this
section are subject to the following limitations:
(a) The claim must be asserted or brought within two years from the
date of the foreclosure sale;
(b) The claim may not seek any remedy at law or in equity other
than direct monetary damages, unless the property is owned by the
beneficiary at the time the action is filed;
(c) The claim may not affect the validity or finality of the
foreclosure sale;
(d) A grantor who files such a claim is prohibited from filing for
record a lis pendens without prior permission of a court, as provided
for in RCW 4.28.320, or any other document purporting to create a
similar effect, related to the real property foreclosed upon;
(e) The claim may not otherwise operate to encumber or cloud the
title to the property that was subject to the foreclosure sale, except
to the extent that a judgment on the claim in favor of the grantor may,
consistent with RCW 4.56.190, become a judgment lien on real property
then owned by the lender; and
(f) The relief that may be granted for judgment upon the claim is
limited to actual damages. However, if the grantor brings in the same
civil action a claim for violation of chapter 19.86 RCW, arising out of
the same alleged facts, relief under chapter 19.86 RCW is limited to
actual damages, treble damages as provided for in RCW 19.86.090, and
the costs of suit, including a reasonable attorney's fee.
(4) This section applies only to foreclosures of an owner-occupied
one-to-four, single-family residence, condominium unit, residential
cooperative unit, residential unit in any other type of planned unit
development, or manufactured home in which title has been eliminated
under RCW 65.20.040, which is the grantor's principal place of
residence.
(5) This section does not apply to the foreclosure of a deed of
trust used to secure a debt incurred for business, investment, or
commercial purposes or to secure a guaranty.
Sec. 6 RCW 61.24.010 and 2008 c 153 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The trustee of a deed of trust under this chapter shall be:
(a) Any domestic corporation incorporated under Title 23B, 30, 31,
32, or 33 RCW of which at least one officer is a Washington resident;
or
(b) Any title insurance company authorized to insure title to real
property under the laws of this state, or its agents; or
(c) Any attorney who is an active member of the Washington state
bar association at the time the attorney is named trustee; or
(d) Any professional corporation incorporated under chapter 18.100
RCW, any professional limited liability company formed under chapter
25.15 RCW, any general partnership, including limited liability
partnerships, formed under chapter 25.04 RCW, all of whose
shareholders, members, or partners, respectively, are either licensed
attorneys or entities, provided all of the owners of those entities are
licensed attorneys, or any domestic corporation wholly owned by any of
the entities under this subsection (1)(d); or
(e) Any agency or instrumentality of the United States government;
or
(f) Any national bank, savings bank, or savings and loan
association chartered under the laws of the United States.
(2) The trustee may resign at its own election or be replaced by
the beneficiary. The trustee shall give prompt written notice of its
resignation to the beneficiary. The resignation of the trustee shall
become effective upon the recording of the notice of resignation in
each county in which the deed of trust is recorded. If a trustee is
not appointed in the deed of trust, or upon the resignation,
incapacity, disability, absence, or death of the trustee, or the
election of the beneficiary to replace the trustee, the beneficiary
shall appoint a trustee or a successor trustee. Upon recording the
appointment of a successor trustee in each county in which the deed of
trust is recorded, the successor trustee shall be vested with all
powers of an original trustee.
(3) The trustee or successor trustee shall have no fiduciary duty
or fiduciary obligation to the grantor or other persons having an
interest in the property subject to the deed of trust.
(4) The trustee or successor trustee shall act impartially between
the borrower, grantor, and beneficiary.
(5) The trustee or successor trustee has a duty of good faith to
the beneficiary, grantor, or other persons having an interest in the
property subject to the deed of trust.
Sec. 7 RCW 61.24.040 and 2008 c 153 s 3 are each amended to read
as follows:
A deed of trust foreclosed under this chapter shall be foreclosed
as follows:
(1) At least ninety days before the sale, the trustee shall:
(a) Record a notice in the form described in ((RCW
61.24.040(1)))(f) of this subsection in the office of the auditor in
each county in which the deed of trust is recorded;
(b) To the extent the trustee elects to foreclose its lien or
interest, or the beneficiary elects to preserve its right to seek a
deficiency judgment against a borrower or grantor under RCW
61.24.100(3)(a), and if their addresses are stated in a recorded
instrument evidencing their interest, lien, or claim of lien, or an
amendment thereto, or are otherwise known to the trustee, cause a copy
of the notice of sale described in ((RCW 61.24.040(1)))(f) of this
subsection to be transmitted by both first-class and either certified
or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the following persons
or their legal representatives, if any, at such address:
(i) The borrower and grantor;
(ii) The beneficiary of any deed of trust or mortgagee of any
mortgage, or any person who has a lien or claim of lien against the
property, that was recorded subsequent to the recordation of the deed
of trust being foreclosed and before the recordation of the notice of
sale;
(iii) The vendee in any real estate contract, the lessee in any
lease, or the holder of any conveyances of any interest or estate in
any portion or all of the property described in such notice, if that
contract, lease, or conveyance of such interest or estate, or a
memorandum or other notice thereof, was recorded after the recordation
of the deed of trust being foreclosed and before the recordation of the
notice of sale;
(iv) The last holder of record of any other lien against or
interest in the property that is subject to a subordination to the deed
of trust being foreclosed that was recorded before the recordation of
the notice of sale;
(v) The last holder of record of the lien of any judgment
subordinate to the deed of trust being foreclosed; and
(vi) The occupants of property consisting solely of a single-family
residence, or a condominium, cooperative, or other dwelling unit in a
multiplex or other building containing fewer than five residential
units, whether or not the occupant's rental agreement is recorded,
which notice may be a single notice addressed to "occupants" for each
unit known to the trustee or beneficiary;
(c) Cause a copy of the notice of sale described in ((RCW
61.24.040(1)))(f) of this subsection to be transmitted by both first-class and either certified or registered mail, return receipt
requested, to the plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney of record, in
any court action to foreclose a lien or other encumbrance on all or any
part of the property, provided a court action is pending and a lis
pendens in connection therewith is recorded in the office of the
auditor of any county in which all or part of the property is located
on the date the notice is recorded;
(d) Cause a copy of the notice of sale described in ((RCW
61.24.040(1))) (f) of this subsection to be transmitted by both first-class and either certified or registered mail, return receipt
requested, to any person who has recorded a request for notice in
accordance with RCW 61.24.045, at the address specified in such
person's most recently recorded request for notice;
(e) Cause a copy of the notice of sale described in ((RCW
61.24.040(1))) (f) of this subsection to be posted in a conspicuous
place on the property, or in lieu of posting, cause a copy of said
notice to be served upon any occupant of the property;
(f) The notice shall be in substantially the following form:
[If any personal property is to be included in the trustee's sale, include a description that reasonably identifies such personal property]
[If there is another action pending to foreclose other security for all or part of the same debt, qualify the statement and identify the action.]
[If default is for other than payment of money, set forth the particulars]
. . . . . . . . . . . . | |
. . . . . . . . . . . . | |
. . . . . . . . . . . . |
Estimated amount | |||
Currently due | that will be due | ||
to reinstate | to reinstate | ||
on. . . . . | on. . . . . | ||
. . . . . . | . . . . . . | ||
(11 days before | |||
the date set | |||
for sale) | |||
Delinquent payments | |||
from. . . . . . , | |||
. . . , in the | |||
amount of | |||
$. . . . /mo.: | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
Late charges in | |||
the total | |||
amount of: | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
Estimated | |||
Amounts | |||
Attorneys' fees: | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
Trustee's fee: | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
Trustee's expenses: | |||
(Itemization) | |||
Title report | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
Recording fees | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
Service/Posting of Notices | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
Postage/Copying expense | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
Publication | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
Telephone charges | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
Inspection fees | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
. . . . . . | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
. . . . . . | $. . . . | $. . . . | |
TOTALS | $. . . . | $. . . . |
Sec. 8 RCW 61.24.060 and 1998 c 295 s 8 are each amended to read
as follows:
The purchaser at the trustee's sale shall be entitled to possession
of the property on the twentieth day following the sale, as against the
grantor under the deed of trust and anyone having an interest junior to
the deed of trust, including occupants ((and)) who are not tenants, who
were given all of the notices to which they were entitled under this
chapter. For tenant-occupied property, the purchaser shall provide a
tenant with written notice in accordance with section 2 of this act.
The purchaser shall also have a right to the summary proceedings to
obtain possession of real property provided in chapter 59.12 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9 A new section is added to chapter 59.12 RCW
to read as follows:
An unlawful detainer action, commenced as a result of a trustee's
sale under chapter 61.24 RCW, must comply with the requirements of RCW
61.24.040 and 61.24.060.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10 If any provision of this act or its
application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11 Sections 1 through 4, 7, and 8 of this act
expire December 31, 2012.