BILL REQ. #: Z-1163.1
State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2010 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/21/10. Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions, Housing & Insurance.
AN ACT Relating to the foreclosure of residential real property; amending RCW 61.24.030, 61.24.031, and 61.24.040; and repealing 2009 c 292 s 13 (uncodified).
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 61.24.030 and 2009 c 292 s 8 are each amended to read
as follows:
It shall be requisite to a trustee's sale:
(1) That the deed of trust contains a power of sale;
(2) That the deed of trust contains a statement that the real
property conveyed is not used principally for agricultural purposes;
provided, if the statement is false on the date the deed of trust was
granted or amended to include that statement, and false on the date of
the trustee's sale, then the deed of trust must be foreclosed
judicially. Real property is used for agricultural purposes if it is
used in an operation that produces crops, livestock, or aquatic goods;
(3) That a default has occurred in the obligation secured or a
covenant of the grantor, which by the terms of the deed of trust makes
operative the power to sell;
(4) That no action commenced by the beneficiary of the deed of
trust is now pending to seek satisfaction of an obligation secured by
the deed of trust in any court by reason of the grantor's default on
the obligation secured: PROVIDED, That (a) the seeking of the
appointment of a receiver shall not constitute an action for purposes
of this chapter; and (b) if a receiver is appointed, the grantor shall
be entitled to any rents or profits derived from property subject to a
homestead as defined in RCW 6.13.010. If the deed of trust was granted
to secure a commercial loan, this subsection shall not apply to actions
brought to enforce any other lien or security interest granted to
secure the obligation secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed;
(5) That the deed of trust has been recorded in each county in
which the land or some part thereof is situated;
(6) That prior to the date of the notice of trustee's sale and
continuing thereafter through the date of the trustee's sale, the
trustee must maintain a street address in this state where personal
service of process may be made, and the trustee must maintain a
physical presence and have telephone service at such address;
(7)(a) That, for residential real property, before the notice of
trustee's sale is recorded, transmitted, or served, the trustee shall
have proof that the beneficiary is the owner of any promissory note or
other obligation secured by the deed of trust. A declaration by the
beneficiary made under the penalty of perjury stating that the
beneficiary is the actual holder of the promissory note or other
obligation secured by the deed of trust shall be sufficient proof as
required under this subsection.
(b) Unless the trustee has violated his or her duty under RCW
61.24.010(4), the trustee is entitled to rely on the beneficiary's
declaration as evidence of proof required under this subsection.
(c) This subsection (7) does not apply to association beneficiaries
subject to chapter 64.32, 64.34, or 64.38 RCW; ((and))
(8) That at least thirty days before notice of sale shall be
recorded, transmitted or served, written notice of default shall be
transmitted by the beneficiary or trustee to the borrower and grantor
at their last known addresses by both first-class and either registered
or certified mail, return receipt requested, and the beneficiary or
trustee shall cause to be posted in a conspicuous place on the
premises, a copy of the notice, or personally served on the borrower
and grantor. This notice shall contain the following information:
(a) A description of the property which is then subject to the deed
of trust;
(b) A statement identifying each county in which the deed of trust
is recorded and the document number given to the deed of trust upon
recording by each county auditor or recording officer;
(c) A statement that the beneficiary has declared the borrower or
grantor to be in default, and a concise statement of the default
alleged;
(d) An itemized account of the amount or amounts in arrears if the
default alleged is failure to make payments;
(e) An itemized account of all other specific charges, costs, or
fees that the borrower, grantor, or any guarantor is or may be obliged
to pay to reinstate the deed of trust before the recording of the
notice of sale;
(f) A statement showing the total of (d) and (e) of this
subsection, designated clearly and conspicuously as the amount
necessary to reinstate the note and deed of trust before the recording
of the notice of sale;
(g) A statement that failure to cure the alleged default within
thirty days of the date of mailing of the notice, or if personally
served, within thirty days of the date of personal service thereof, may
lead to recordation, transmittal, and publication of a notice of sale,
and that the property described in (a) of this subsection may be sold
at public auction at a date no less than one hundred twenty days in the
future;
(h) A statement that the effect of the recordation, transmittal,
and publication of a notice of sale will be to (i) increase the costs
and fees and (ii) publicize the default and advertise the grantor's
property for sale;
(i) A statement that the effect of the sale of the grantor's
property by the trustee will be to deprive the grantor of all their
interest in the property described in (a) of this subsection;
(j) A statement that the borrower, grantor, and any guarantor has
recourse to the courts pursuant to RCW 61.24.130 to contest the alleged
default on any proper ground;
(k) The following statement: You have the right to a postponement
of a foreclosure sale if you are receiving unemployment compensation.
If you are receiving unemployment payments from the state of Washington
under chapter 50.12 RCW, you should notify the beneficiary or its
authorized agent in writing of the date you filed for unemployment
benefits;
(l) In the event the property secured by the deed of trust is
owner-occupied residential real property, a statement, prominently set
out at the beginning of the notice, which shall state as follows:
"You should take care to protect your interest in your home. This
notice of default (your failure to pay) is the first step in a process
that could result in you losing your home. You should carefully review
your options. For example:
Can you pay and stop the foreclosure process?
Do you dispute the failure to pay?
Can you sell your property to preserve your equity?
Are you able to refinance this loan or obligation with a new loan
or obligation from another lender with payments, terms, and fees that
are more affordable?
Do you qualify for any government or private homeowner assistance
programs?
Do you know if filing for bankruptcy is an option? What are the
pros and cons of doing so?
Do not ignore this notice; because if you do nothing, you could
lose your home at a foreclosure sale. (No foreclosure sale can be held
any sooner than ninety days after a notice of sale is issued and a
notice of sale cannot be issued until thirty days after this notice.)
Also, if you do nothing to pay what you owe, be careful of people who
claim they can help you. There are many individuals and businesses
that watch for the notices of sale in order to unfairly profit as a
result of borrowers' distress.
You may feel you need help understanding what to do. There are a
number of professional resources available, including home loan
counselors and attorneys, who may assist you. Many legal services are
lower-cost or even free, depending on your ability to pay. If you
desire legal help in understanding your options or handling this
default, you may obtain a referral (at no charge) by contacting the
county bar association in the county where your home is located. These
legal referral services also provide information about lower-cost or
free legal services for those who qualify. You may contact the
Department of Financial Institutions or the statewide civil legal aid
hotline for possible assistance or referrals; and
(((l))) (m) In the event the property secured by the deed of trust
is residential real property, the name and address of the owner of any
promissory notes or other obligations secured by the deed of trust and
the name, address, and telephone number of a party acting as a servicer
of the obligations secured by the deed of trust((.))"; and
(9) That when the security for the deed of trust is owner-occupied
property and the beneficiary or its authorized agent has received a
notice from the borrower under subsection (8)(k) of this section that
the borrower is receiving unemployment compensation, the beneficiary or
its authorized agent must inform the trustee and the trustee cannot
proceed with a nonjudicial or judicial foreclosure sale under this
chapter until one year from the date that the borrower commenced
receiving unemployment compensation. A sale made in violation of this
subsection is void.
Sec. 2 RCW 61.24.031 and 2009 c 292 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1)(a) A trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent may not issue a
notice of default under RCW 61.24.030(8) until thirty days after
initial contact with the borrower 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 by
letter and 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. The letter required
under this subsection must be mailed in accordance with subsection
(5)(a) of this section and must include the information described in
subsection (5)(a) and (e)(i) through (iv) of this section.
(c) 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 of the
request. 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 a 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 and the toll-free numbers for the department
of financial institutions and the statewide civil legal aid hotline for
possible assistance and referrals.
(d) Any meeting under this section may occur telephonically.
(2) A notice of default issued under RCW 61.24.030(8) 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. Unless the trustee has violated his
or her duty under RCW 61.24.010(4), the trustee is entitled to rely on
the declaration as evidence that the requirements of this section have
been satisfied, and the trustee is not liable for the beneficiary's or
its authorized agent's failure to comply with the requirements of this
section.
(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(8) 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 in
the beneficiary's records for sending account statements to the
borrower and to the address of the property encumbered by the deed of
trust. The letter must include the toll-free telephone number made
available by the department to find a department-certified housing
counseling agency, and the following information:
"You may contact the Department of Financial Institutions, the
Washington State Bar Association, or the statewide civil legal aid
hotline for possible assistance or referrals."
(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 and secondary telephone numbers 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
in the beneficiary's records for sending account statements to the
borrower and to the address of the property encumbered by the deed of
trust. The letter must include the information described in (e)(i)
through (iv) of this subsection.
(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; or
(b) The borrower has filed for bankruptcy, and the bankruptcy stay
remains in place, or the borrower has filed for bankruptcy and the
bankruptcy court has granted relief from the bankruptcy stay allowing
enforcement of the deed of trust.
(7)(a) This section applies only to deeds of trust ((made from
January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2007, inclusive,)) that are recorded
against owner-occupied residential real property. This section does
not apply to deeds of trust: (i) Securing a commercial loan; (ii)
securing obligations of a grantor who is not the borrower or a
guarantor; or (iii) securing a purchaser's obligations under a seller-financed sale.
(b) This section does not apply to association beneficiaries
subject to chapter 64.32, 64.34, or 64.38 RCW.
(8) As used in this section:
(a) "Department" means the United States department of housing and
urban development.
(b) "Seller-financed sale" means a residential real property
transaction where the seller finances all or part of the purchase
price, and that financed amount is secured by a deed of trust against
the subject residential real property.
(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:
Sec. 3 RCW 61.24.040 and 2009 c 292 s 9 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 (f) of this subsection
in the office of the auditor in each county in which the deed of trust
is recorded and pay a recording fee of twenty-five dollars which shall
be remitted to the department of financial institutions to be used
under RCW 43.320.150 for homeownership prepurchase outreach and
education and postpurchase counseling and support;
(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 (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 (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 (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 (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 | $. . . . | $. . . . |
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 2009 c 292 s 13 (uncodified) is repealed.