HB 1848 -
By Representative Springer
ADOPTED 03/14/2005
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1
(2) Sections 2 and 11 through 18 of this act apply to any action
that alleges breach of an implied or express warranty under chapter
64.34 RCW or that seeks relief that could be awarded for such breach,
regardless of the legal theory pled, except that sections 11 through 18
of this act shall not apply to:
(a) Actions filed or served prior to the effective date of this
act;
(b) Actions for which a notice of claim was served pursuant to
chapter 64.50 RCW prior to the effective date of this act;
(c) Actions asserting any claim regarding a building that is not a
multiunit residential building;
(d) Actions asserting any claim regarding a multiunit residential
building that was permitted on or after the effective date of this act
unless the letter required by section 7 of this act has been submitted
to the appropriate building department or the requirements of section
10 of this act have been satisfied.
(3) Other than the requirements imposed by sections 2 through 10 of
this act, nothing in this chapter amends or modifies the provisions of
RCW 64.34.050.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2
(1) "Attached dwelling units" means any dwelling unit that is
attached to another dwelling unit by a wall, floor, or ceiling that
separates heated living spaces. A garage is not a heated living space.
(2) "Building enclosure" means that part of any building, above or
below grade, that physically separates the outside or exterior
environment from interior environments and which weatherproofs,
waterproofs, or otherwise protects the building or its components from
water or moisture intrusion. Interior environments consist of both
heated and unheated enclosed spaces. The building enclosure includes,
but is not limited to, that portion of roofs, walls, balcony support
columns, decks, windows, doors, vents, and other penetrations through
exterior walls, which waterproof, weatherproof, or otherwise protect
the building or its components from water or moisture intrusion.
(3) "Building enclosure design documents" means plans, details, and
specifications for the building enclosure that have been stamped by a
licensed engineer or architect. The building enclosure design
documents shall include details and specifications that are appropriate
for the building in the professional judgment of the architect or
engineer which prepared the same to waterproof, weatherproof, and
otherwise protect the building or its components from water or moisture
intrusion, including details of flashing, intersections at roof, eaves
or parapets, means of drainage, water-resistive membrane, and details
around openings.
(4) "Developer" means:
(a) With respect to a condominium or a conversion condominium, the
declarant; and
(b) With respect to all other buildings, an individual, group of
individuals, partnership, corporation, association, municipal
corporation, state agency, or other entity or person that obtains a
building permit for the construction or rehabilitative reconstruction
of a multiunit residential building. If a permit is obtained by
service providers such as architects, contractors, and consultants who
obtain permits for others as part of services rendered for a fee, the
person for whom the permit is obtained shall be the developer, not the
service provider.
(5) "Dwelling unit" has the meaning given to that phrase or similar
phrases in the ordinances of the jurisdiction issuing the permit for
construction of the building enclosure but if such ordinances do not
provide a definition, then "dwelling unit" means a residence containing
living, cooking, sleeping, and sanitary facilities.
(6) "Multiunit residential building" means:
(a) A building containing more than two attached dwelling units,
including a building containing nonresidential units if the building
also contains more than two attached dwelling units, but excluding the
following classes of buildings:
(i) Hotels and motels;
(ii) Dormitories;
(iii) Care facilities;
(iv) Floating homes;
(v) A building that contains attached dwelling units that are each
located on a single platted lot, except as provided in (b) of this
subsection.
(vi) A building in which all of the dwelling units are held under
one ownership and is subject to a recorded irrevocable sale prohibition
covenant.
(b) If the developer submits to the appropriate building department
when applying for the building permit described in section 3 of this
act a statement that the developer elects to treat the improvement for
which a permit is sought as a multiunit residential building for all
purposes under this chapter, then "multiunit residential building" also
means the following buildings for which such election has been made:
(i) A building containing only two attached dwelling units;
(ii) A condominium that does not contain attached dwelling units;
and
(iii) Any building that contains attached dwelling units each of
which is located on a single platted lot.
(7) "Qualified building inspector" means a person satisfying the
requirements of section 5 of this act.
(8) "Rehabilitative construction" means construction work on the
building enclosure of a multiunit residential building if the cost of
such construction work is more than five percent of the assessed value
of the building.
(9) "Sale prohibition covenant" means a covenant that prohibits the
sale or other disposition of individual dwelling units as or as part of
a condominium for five years or more from the date of first occupancy
except as otherwise provided in section 10 of this act, and the
developer has submitted to the appropriate building department a
certified copy of the recorded covenant; provided such covenant shall
not apply to sales or dispositions listed in RCW 64.34.400(2). The
covenant must be recorded in the county in which the building is
located and must be in substantially the following form:
This covenant has been recorded in the real property records of . . . . . . County, Washington, in satisfaction of the requirements of sections 2 through 10 of this act. The undersigned is the owner of the property described on Exhibit A (the "Property"). Until termination of this covenant, no dwelling unit in or on the Property may be sold as a condominium unit except for sales listed in RCW 64.34.400(2).
This covenant terminates on the earlier of either: (a) Compliance with the requirements of section 10 of this act, as certified by the owner of the Property in a recorded supplement hereto; or (b) the fifth anniversary of the date of first occupancy of a dwelling unit as certified by the Owner in a recorded supplement hereto.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3
(2) The building department shall not issue a building permit for
construction of the building enclosure of a multiunit residential
building or for rehabilitative construction unless the building
enclosure design documents contain a stamped statement by the person
stamping the building enclosure design documents in substantially the
following form: "The undersigned has provided building enclosure
documents that in my professional judgment are appropriate to satisfy
the requirements of sections 1 through 10 of this act."
(3) The building department is not charged with determining whether
the building enclosure design documents are adequate or appropriate to
satisfy the requirements of sections 1 through 10 of this act. Nothing
in sections 1 through 10 of this act requires a building department to
review, approve, or disapprove enclosure design documents.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5
(a) Must be either: (i) A licensed architect or engineer with
verifiable training and experience in building enclosure design and
construction; or (ii) any person with substantial and verifiable
training and experience in building enclosure design and construction;
(b) Shall be free from improper interference or influence relating
to the inspections; and
(c) May not be an employee, officer, or director of, nor have any
pecuniary interest in, the declarant, developer, association, or any
party providing services or materials for the project, or any of their
respective affiliates, except that the qualified inspector may be the
architect or engineer who approved the building enclosure design
documents or the architect or engineer of record. The qualified
inspector may, but is not required to, assist with the preparation of
such design documents.
(2) Nothing in this section alters requirements for licensure of
any architect, engineer, or other professional, or alters the
jurisdiction, authority, or scope of practice of architects, engineers,
other professionals, or general contractors.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6
(a) Water penetration resistance testing of a representative sample
of windows and window installations. Such tests shall be conducted
according to industry standards. Where appropriate, tests shall be
conducted with an induced air pressure difference across the window and
window installation. Additional testing is not required if the same
assembly has previously been tested in situ within the previous two
years in the project under construction by the builder, by another
member of the construction team such as an architect or engineer, or by
an independent testing laboratory; and
(b) An independent periodic review of the building enclosure during
the course of construction or rehabilitative construction to ascertain
whether the multiunit residential building has been constructed, or the
rehabilitative construction has been performed, in substantial
compliance with the building enclosure design documents.
(2) Subsection (1)(a) of this section shall not apply to
rehabilitative construction if the windows and adjacent cladding are
not altered in the rehabilitative construction.
(3) "Project" means one or more parcels of land in a single
ownership, which are under development pursuant to a single land use
approval or building permit, where window installation is performed by
the owner with its own forces, or by the same general contractor, or,
if the owner is contracting directly with trade contractors, is
performed by the same trade contractor.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8
(a) Create a private right of action against any inspector,
architect, or engineer based upon compliance or noncompliance with its
provisions; or
(b) Create any independent basis for liability against an
inspector, architect, or engineer.
(2) The qualified inspector, architect, or engineer and the
developer that retained the inspector, architect, or engineer may
contractually agree to the amount of their liability to the developer.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10
(a) With respect to original building construction, the stamped
documents required by section 3 of this act and the letter required by
section 7 of this act have been submitted to the appropriate building
department; provided this subsection (1)(a) does not apply to
conversion condominiums; or
(b) The building enclosure of the building in which such unit is
included is inspected by a qualified building enclosure inspector, and:
(i) The inspection includes such intrusive or other testing, such
as the removal of siding or other building enclosure materials, that
the inspector believes, in his or her professional judgment, is
necessary to ascertain the manner in which the building enclosure was
constructed;
(ii) The inspection evaluates, to the extent reasonably
ascertainable and in the professional judgment of the inspector, the
present condition of the building enclosure including whether such
condition has adversely affected or will adversely affect the
performance of the building enclosure to waterproof, weatherproof, or
otherwise protect the building or its components from water or moisture
intrusion. "Adversely affect" has the same meaning as provided in RCW
64.34.445(7);
(iii) The inspection report includes recommendations for repairs to
the building envelope that, in the professional judgment of the
qualified building inspector, are necessary to: (A) Repair a design or
construction defect in the building envelope that results in the
failure of the building envelope to perform its intended function and
allows unintended water penetration not caused by flooding; and (B)
repair damage caused by such a defect that has an adverse effect as
provided in RCW 64.34.445(7);
(iv) With respect to a building that would be a multiunit
residential building but for the recording of a sale prohibition
covenant and unless more than five years have elapsed since the date
such covenant was recorded, all repairs to the building enclosure
recommended pursuant to (b)(iii) of this subsection have been made; and
(v) The declarant provides as part of the public offering
statement, consistent with RCW 64.34.410 (1)(nn) and (2), an inspection
and repair report signed by the qualified building enclosure inspector
that identifies:
(A) The extent of the inspection performed pursuant to this
section;
(B) The information obtained as a result of that inspection; and
(C) The manner in which any repairs required by this section were
performed, the scope of those repairs, and the names of the persons
performing those repairs.
(2) Failure to deliver the inspection and repair report in
violation of this section constitutes a failure to deliver a public
offering statement for purposes of chapter 64.34 RCW.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11
(2) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, claims that in
aggregate are for less than one million dollars shall be heard by a
single arbitrator and all other claims shall be heard by three
arbitrators. As used in this chapter, arbitrator also means
arbitrators where applicable.
(3) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the court shall appoint
the arbitrator, who shall be a current or former attorney with
experience as an attorney, judge, arbitrator, or mediator in
construction defect disputes involving the application of Washington
law.
(4) Upon conclusion of the arbitration hearing, the arbitrator
shall file the decision and award with the clerk of the superior court,
together with proof of service thereof on the parties. Within twenty
days after the filing of the decision and award, any aggrieved party
may file with the clerk a written notice of appeal and demand for a
trial de novo in the superior court on all claims between the appealing
party and an adverse party. As used in this section, "adverse party"
means the party who either directly asserted or defended claims against
the appealing party. The demand shall identify the adverse party or
parties and all claims between those parties shall be included in the
trial de novo. The right to a trial de novo includes the right to a
jury, if demanded. The court shall give priority to the trial date for
the trial de novo.
(5) If the judgment for damages, not including awards of fees and
costs, in the trial de novo is not more favorable to the appealing
party than the damages awarded by the arbitrator, not including awards
of fees and costs, the appealing party shall pay the nonappealing
adverse party's costs and fees incurred after the filing of the appeal,
including reasonable attorneys' fees so incurred.
(6) If the judgment for damages, not including awards of fees and
costs, in the trial de novo is more favorable to the appealing party
than the damages awarded by the arbitrator, not including awards of
fees and costs, then the court may award costs and fees, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred after the filing of the request
for trial de novo in accordance with applicable law; provided if such
a judgment is not more favorable to the appealing party than the most
recent offer of judgment, if any, made pursuant to section 17 of this
act, the court shall not make an award of fees and costs to the
appealing party.
(7) If a party is entitled to an award with respect to the same
fees and costs pursuant to this section and section 17 of this act,
then the party shall only receive an award of fees and costs as
provided in and limited by section 17 of this act. Any award of fees
and costs pursuant to subsections (5) or (6) of this section is subject
to review in the event of any appeal thereof otherwise permitted by
applicable law or court rule.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 12
(a) Selection of a mediator;
(b) Commencement of the mandatory mediation and submission of
mediation materials required by this chapter;
(c) Selection of the arbitrator by the parties, where applicable;
(d) Joinder of additional parties in the action;
(e) Completion of each party's investigation;
(f) Disclosure of each party's proposed repair plan;
(g) Disclosure of each party's estimated costs of repair;
(h) Meeting of parties and experts to confer in accordance with
section 13 of this act; and
(i) Disclosure of each party's settlement demand or response.
(2) If the parties agree upon a proposed case schedule plan, they
shall move the court for the entry of the proposed case schedule plan.
If the parties cannot agree, either party may move the court for entry
of a case schedule plan that includes the above deadlines.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 13
(2) Prior to the mediation required by this section, the parties
and their experts shall meet and confer in good faith to attempt to
resolve or narrow the scope of the disputed issues, including issues
related to the parties' repair plans.
(3) Prior to the mandatory mediation, the parties or their
attorneys shall file and serve a declaration that:
(a) A decision maker with authority to settle will be available for
the duration of the mandatory mediation; and
(b) The decision maker has been provided with and has reviewed the
mediation materials provided by the party to which the decision maker
is affiliated as well as the materials submitted by the opposing
parties.
(4) Completion of the mediation required by this section occurs
upon written notice of termination by any party. The provisions of
section 17 of this act shall not apply to any later mediation conducted
following such notice.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 14
(2) The neutral expert shall be a licensed architect or engineer,
or any other person, with substantial experience relevant to the issue
or issues in dispute. The neutral expert shall not have been employed
as an expert by a party to the present action within three years before
the commencement of the present action, unless the parties agree
otherwise.
(3) All parties shall be given an opportunity to recommend neutral
experts to the court or arbitrator and shall have input regarding the
appointment of a neutral expert.
(4) Unless the parties agree otherwise on the following matters,
the court, or arbitrator if then appointed, shall determine:
(a) Who shall serve as the neutral expert;
(b) Subject to the requirements of this section, the scope of the
neutral expert's duties;
(c) The number and timing of inspections of the property;
(d) Coordination of inspection activities with the parties'
experts;
(e) The neutral expert's access to the work product of the parties'
experts;
(f) The product to be prepared by the neutral expert;
(g) Whether the neutral expert may participate personally in the
mediation required by section 13 of this act; and
(h) Other matters relevant to the neutral expert's assignment.
(5) Unless the parties agree otherwise, the neutral expert shall
not make findings or render opinions regarding the amount of damages to
be awarded, or the cost of repairs, or absent exceptional circumstances
any matters that are not in dispute as determined in the meeting
described in section 13(2) of this act or otherwise.
(6) A party may, by motion to the court, or to the arbitrator if
then appointed, object to the individual appointed to serve as the
neutral expert and to determinations regarding the neutral expert's
assignment.
(7) The neutral expert shall have no liability to the parties for
the performance of his or her duties as the neutral expert.
(8) Except as otherwise agreed by the parties, the parties have a
right to review and comment on the neutral expert's report before it is
made final.
(9) A neutral expert's report or testimony is not entitled to any
evidentiary presumption in any arbitration or court proceeding.
Nothing in this act restricts the admissibility of such a report or
testimony, provided it is within the scope of the neutral expert's
assigned duties, and questions of the admissibility of such a report or
testimony shall be determined under the rules of evidence.
(10) The court, or arbitrator if then appointed, shall determine
the significance of the neutral expert's report and testimony with
respect to parties joined after the neutral expert's appointment and
shall determine whether additional neutral experts should be appointed
or other measures should be taken to protect such joined parties from
undue prejudice.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 15
(a)(i) If the action is referred to arbitration under section 11 of
this act, the party who demands arbitration shall advance the fees of
any arbitrator and any mediator appointed under section 13 of this act;
and
(ii) A party who requests the appointment of a neutral expert
pursuant to section 14 of this act shall advance any appointed neutral
expert's fees incurred up to the issuance of a final report.
(b) If the action has not been referred to arbitration, the court
shall determine liability for the fees of any mediator appointed under
section 13 of this act, unless the parties agree otherwise.
(c) Ultimate liability for any fees or costs advanced pursuant to
this subsection (1) is subject to the fee- and cost-shifting provisions
of section 17 of this act.
(2) Where the building permit that authorized commencement of
construction of a building was issued before the effective date of this
act:
(a)(i) If the action is referred to arbitration under section 11 of
this act, the party who demands arbitration is liable for and shall pay
the fees of any appointed arbitrator and any mediator appointed under
section 13 of this act; and
(ii) A party who requests the appointment of a neutral expert
pursuant to section 14 of this act is liable for and shall pay any
appointed neutral expert's fees incurred up to the issuance of a final
report.
(b) If the action has not been referred to arbitration, the court
shall determine liability for the fees of any mediator appointed under
section 13 of this act, unless the parties agree otherwise.
(c) Fees and costs paid under this subsection (2) are not subject
to the fee- and cost-shifting provisions of section 17 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 16
NEW SECTION. Sec. 17
(2) On or before the sixtieth day following completion of the
mediation pursuant to section 13(4) of this act, the declarant or
association, or a unit owner may serve on an adverse party an offer to
allow judgment to be entered. The offer of judgment shall specify the
amount of damages, not including costs or fees, that the declarant,
association, or unit owner is offering to pay or receive. A
declarant's offer shall also include its commitment to pay costs and
fees that may be awarded as provided in this section. The declarant,
association, and unit owner may make more than one offer of judgment so
long as each offer is timely made. Each subsequent offer supersedes
and replaces the previous offer. Any offer not accepted within twenty-one days of the service of that offer is deemed rejected and withdrawn
and evidence thereof is not admissible and may not be provided to the
court or arbitrator except in a proceeding to determine costs and fees
or as part of the motion identified in subsection (3) of this section.
(3) A declarant's offer must include a demonstration of ability to
pay damages, costs, and fees, including reasonable attorneys' fees,
within thirty days of acceptance of the offer of judgment. The
demonstration of ability to pay shall include a sworn statement signed
by the declarant, the attorney representing the declarant, and, if any
insurance proceeds will be used to fund any portion of the offer, an
authorized representative of the insurance company. If the association
or unit owner disputes the adequacy of the declarant's demonstration of
ability to pay, the association or unit owner may file a motion with
the court requesting a ruling on the adequacy of the declarant's
demonstration of ability to pay. Upon filing of such motion, the
deadline for a response to the offer shall be tolled from the date the
motion is filed until the court has ruled.
(4) An association or unit owner that accepts the declarant's offer
of judgment shall be deemed the prevailing party and, in addition to
recovery of the amount of the offer, shall be entitled to a costs and
fees award, including reasonable attorneys' fees, in an amount to be
determined by the court in accordance with applicable law.
(5) If the amount of the final nonappealable or nonappealed
judgment, exclusive of costs or fees, is not more favorable to the
offeree than the offer of judgment, then the offeror is deemed the
prevailing party for purposes of this section only and is entitled to
an award of costs and fees, including reasonable attorneys' fees,
incurred after the date the last offer of judgment was rejected and
through the date of entry of a final nonappealable or nonappealed
judgment, in an amount to be determined by the court in accordance with
applicable law. The nonprevailing party shall not be entitled to
receive any award of costs and fees.
(6) If the final nonappealable or nonappealed judgment on damages,
not including costs or fees, is more favorable to the offeree than the
last offer of judgment, then the court shall determine which party is
the prevailing party and shall determine the amount of the costs and
fees award, including reasonable attorneys' fees, in accordance with
applicable law.
(7) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section, with
respect to claims brought by an association or unit holder, the
liability for declarant's costs and fees, including reasonable
attorneys' fees, shall:
(a) With respect to claims brought by an association, not exceed
five percent of the assessed value of the condominium as a whole, which
is determined by the aggregate tax-assessed value of all units at the
time of the award; and
(b) With respect to claims brought by a unit owner, not exceed five
percent of the assessed value of the unit at the time of the award.
Sec. 18 RCW 64.34.415 and 1992 c 220 s 22 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The public offering statement of a conversion condominium shall
contain, in addition to the information required by RCW 64.34.410:
(a) Either a copy of a report prepared by an independent, licensed
architect or engineer, or a statement by the declarant based on such
report, which report or statement describes, to the extent reasonably
ascertainable, the present condition of the building enclosure and of
all structural components and mechanical and electrical installations
material to the use and enjoyment of the condominium except that the
portion of the report pertaining to the building enclosure may be
prepared by a qualified building inspector who satisfies the
requirements of section 5 of this act;
(b) A statement by the declarant of the expected useful life of
each item reported on in (a) of this subsection or a statement that no
representations are made in that regard; and
(c) A list of any outstanding notices of uncured violations of
building code or other municipal regulations, together with the
estimated cost of curing those violations. Unless the purchaser waives
in writing the curing of specific violations, the extent to which the
declarant will cure such violations prior to the closing of the sale of
a unit in the condominium shall be included.
(2) With respect to a conversion condominium to which section 10 of
this act applies, the declarant shall perform building enclosure
repairs if required to do so by section 10(1)(b)(iv) of this act.
(3) This section applies only to condominiums containing units that
may be occupied for residential use.
Sec. 19 RCW 64.34.410 and 2004 c 201 s 11 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) A public offering statement shall contain the following
information:
(a) The name and address of the condominium;
(b) The name and address of the declarant;
(c) The name and address of the management company, if any;
(d) The relationship of the management company to the declarant, if
any;
(e) A list of up to the five most recent condominium projects
completed by the declarant or an affiliate of the declarant within the
past five years, including the names of the condominiums, their
addresses, and the number of existing units in each. For the purpose
of this section, a condominium is "completed" when any one unit therein
has been rented or sold;
(f) The nature of the interest being offered for sale;
(g) A brief description of the permitted uses and use restrictions
pertaining to the units and the common elements;
(h) A brief description of the restrictions, if any, on the renting
or leasing of units by the declarant or other unit owners, together
with the rights, if any, of the declarant to rent or lease at least a
majority of units;
(i) The number of existing units in the condominium and the maximum
number of units that may be added to the condominium;
(j) A list of the principal common amenities in the condominium
which materially affect the value of the condominium and those that
will or may be added to the condominium;
(k) A list of the limited common elements assigned to the units
being offered for sale;
(l) The identification of any real property not in the condominium,
the owner of which has access to any of the common elements, and a
description of the terms of such access;
(m) The identification of any real property not in the condominium
to which unit owners have access and a description of the terms of such
access;
(n) The status of construction of the units and common elements,
including estimated dates of completion if not completed;
(o) The estimated current common expense liability for the units
being offered;
(p) An estimate of any payment with respect to the common expense
liability for the units being offered which will be due at closing;
(q) The estimated current amount and purpose of any fees not
included in the common expenses and charged by the declarant or the
association for the use of any of the common elements;
(r) Any assessments which have been agreed to or are known to the
declarant and which, if not paid, may constitute a lien against any
units or common elements in favor of any governmental agency;
(s) The identification of any parts of the condominium, other than
the units, which any individual owner will have the responsibility for
maintaining;
(t) If the condominium involves a conversion condominium, the
information required by RCW 64.34.415;
(u) Whether timesharing is restricted or prohibited, and if
restricted, a general description of such restrictions;
(v) A list of all development rights reserved to the declarant and
all special declarant rights reserved to the declarant, together with
the dates such rights must terminate, and a copy of or reference by
recording number to any recorded transfer of a special declarant right;
(w) A description of any material differences in terms of
furnishings, fixtures, finishes, and equipment between any model unit
available to the purchaser at the time the agreement for sale is
executed and the unit being offered;
(x) Any liens on real property to be conveyed to the association
required to be disclosed pursuant to RCW 64.34.435(2)(b);
(y) A list of any physical hazards known to the declarant which
particularly affect the condominium or the immediate vicinity in which
the condominium is located and which are not readily ascertainable by
the purchaser;
(z) A brief description of any construction warranties to be
provided to the purchaser;
(aa) Any building code violation citations received by the
declarant in connection with the condominium which have not been
corrected;
(bb) A statement of any unsatisfied judgments or pending suits
against the association, a statement of the status of any pending suits
material to the condominium of which the declarant has actual
knowledge, and a statement of any litigation brought by an owners'
association, unit owner, or governmental entity in which the declarant
or any affiliate of the declarant has been a defendant, arising out of
the construction, sale, or administration of any condominium within the
previous five years, together with the results thereof, if known;
(cc) Any rights of first refusal to lease or purchase any unit or
any of the common elements;
(dd) The extent to which the insurance provided by the association
covers furnishings, fixtures, and equipment located in the unit;
(ee) A notice which describes a purchaser's right to cancel the
purchase agreement or extend the closing under RCW 64.34.420, including
applicable time frames and procedures;
(ff) Any reports or statements required by RCW 64.34.415 or
64.34.440(6)(a). RCW 64.34.415 shall apply to the public offering
statement of a condominium in connection with which a final certificate
of occupancy was issued more than sixty calendar months prior to the
preparation of the public offering statement whether or not the
condominium is a conversion condominium as defined in RCW
64.34.020(10);
(gg) A list of the documents which the prospective purchaser is
entitled to receive from the declarant before the rescission period
commences;
(hh) A notice which states: A purchaser may not rely on any
representation or express warranty unless it is contained in the public
offering statement or made in writing signed by the declarant or by any
person identified in the public offering statement as the declarant's
agent;
(ii) A notice which states: This public offering statement is only
a summary of some of the significant aspects of purchasing a unit in
this condominium and the condominium documents are complex, contain
other important information, and create binding legal obligations. You
should consider seeking the assistance of legal counsel;
(jj) Any other information and cross-references which the declarant
believes will be helpful in describing the condominium to the
recipients of the public offering statement, all of which may be
included or not included at the option of the declarant;
(kk) A notice that addresses compliance or noncompliance with the
housing for older persons act of 1995, P.L. 104-76, as enacted on
December 28, 1995;
(ll) A notice that is substantially in the form required by RCW
64.50.050; ((and))
(mm) A statement, as required by RCW 64.35.210, as to whether the
units or common elements of the condominium are covered by a qualified
warranty, and a history of claims under any such warranty; and
(nn) A statement that the building enclosure has been designed and
inspected as required by sections 2 through 10 of this act, and, if
required, repaired in accordance with the requirements of section 10 of
this act.
(2) The public offering statement shall include copies of each of
the following documents: The declaration, the survey map and plans,
the articles of incorporation of the association, bylaws of the
association, rules and regulations, if any, current or proposed budget
for the association, ((and)) the balance sheet of the association
current within ninety days if assessments have been collected for
ninety days or more, and the inspection and repair report or reports
prepared in accordance with the requirements of section 10 of this act.
If any of the foregoing documents listed in this subsection are not
available because they have not been executed, adopted, or recorded,
drafts of such documents shall be provided with the public offering
statement, and, before closing the sale of a unit, the purchaser shall
be given copies of any material changes between the draft of the
proposed documents and the final documents.
(3) The disclosures required by subsection (1)(g), (k), (s), (u),
(v), and (cc) of this section shall also contain a reference to
specific sections in the condominium documents which further explain
the information disclosed.
(4) The disclosures required by subsection (1)(ee), (hh), (ii), and
(ll) of this section shall be located at the top of the first page of
the public offering statement and be typed or printed in ten-point bold
face type size.
(5) A declarant shall promptly amend the public offering statement
to reflect any material change in the information required by this
section.
Sec. 20 RCW 64.34.100 and 2004 c 201 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) The remedies provided by this chapter shall be liberally
administered to the end that the aggrieved party is put in as good a
position as if the other party had fully performed. However,
consequential, special, or punitive damages may not be awarded except
as specifically provided in this chapter or by other rule of law.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in sections 11 through 17 of this
act or chapter 64.35 RCW, any right or obligation declared by this
chapter is enforceable by judicial proceeding. The arbitration
proceedings provided for in sections 11 through 17 of this act shall be
considered judicial proceedings for the purposes of this chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 21 A new section is added to Article 1 of
chapter 64.34 RCW to read as follows:
Chapter 64.-- RCW (sections 1 through 17 of this act) includes
requirements for the inspection of the building envelopes of multiunit
residential buildings and for the resolution of disputes regarding
defects therein.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 22
NEW SECTION. Sec. 23 Sections 1 through 17 of this act
constitute a new chapter in Title
NEW SECTION. Sec. 24
Correct the title.
EFFECT: The striking amendment substantially rewrites the bill.
Most of the changes are of a structural or technical nature, or
represent an elaboration or clarification of a provision already in the
bill. The more substantive changes include the following:
1. All condominium conversions are made subject to building
envelope inspections for water penetration problems, regardless of
whether the building had been made subject to a nonconversion covenant.
The conversion inspection must include testing such as the removal of
siding to determine the manner in which the building was constructed.
The inspection must also include an evaluation of water penetration
issues, and the inspection report must also recommend any needed
repairs. The inspection must be disclosed in the condo public offering
statement. In addition, in the case of a building that is converted to
a condo before the expiration of a 5-year covenant not to convert, any
recommended repairs must be performed before the units may be sold as
condos. (The original bill exempts a noncondo multiunit residential
building from the inspection requirements completely if the building is
not converted until after a 10-year covenant against conversion.)
2. Builders and developers who are not required to comply with the
course of construction requirements of the bill are given the option of
electing to do so. This option applies to residential condominiums
without attached units, to buildings which have attached units on
separately platted lots, and to any buildings with two attached
dwelling units (the inspections remain mandatory for multiunit
residential buildings of three or more units).
Other changes made by the striking amendment include:
1. Providing a section that expressly sets out the applicability
provisions of the bill with respect to when building permits are issued
and when legal actions are filed;
2. Clarifying definitions of terms such as "multiunit residential
building" and "building enclosure," and providing a definition for a
"sale prohibition covenant" that includes a statutory form of the
covenant;
3. Providing that additional testing of window assemblies is not
required if the same assemblies have already been tested on the same
project site within two years;
4. Requiring the parties to a dispute to attempt to agree on a case
schedule plan that includes specific deadlines for various events in
alternative dispute resolution or trial; and
5. Clarifying the interaction among the prevailing party cost and
fees provisions of the bill with respect to arbitration, trial de novo,
and offer of judgment.