Chapter 429

429.207   Restrictions on early termination obligation.

429.208   Assessment of excess wear and damage.

429.209   Renegotiations and extensions.

SUBCHAPTER III

PENALTIES AND REMEDIES

429.301   Penalties and remedies.

subch. I of ch. 429 SUBCHAPTER I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

429.101 429.101 Title. This chapter may be cited as the Wisconsin motor vehicle consumer lease act.

429.101 History History: 1995 a. 329.

429.102 429.102 Applicable law.

429.102(1) (1) To the extent that ss. 218.0101 to 218.0163 and chs. 411 and 421 to 427 are inconsistent with this chapter, the provisions of this chapter shall apply.

429.102(2) (2) Unless superseded by the particular provisions of this chapter, parties to a motor vehicle consumer lease have all of the obligations, duties, rights and remedies provided in ss. 218.0101 to 218.0163 and chs. 411 and 421 to 427 that apply to the transaction.

429.102 History History: 1995 a. 329; 1999 a. 31.

429.103 429.103 Construction against implied repeal. This chapter being a general act intended as a unified coverage of its subject matter, no part of this chapter shall be construed to be impliedly repealed by subsequent legislation if such construction can reasonably be avoided.

429.103 History History: 1995 a. 329.

429.104 429.104 Definitions. In this chapter:

429.104(1) (1) “Adjusted capitalized cost” means the amount computed by subtracting from capitalized cost any capitalized cost reduction, for the purpose of determining the base periodic payment.

429.104(2) (2) “Average periodic depreciation” means the adjusted capitalized cost, after first subtracting the residual value, divided by the number of payment periods under the consumer lease or, for a single-payment lease, the number of months in the term of the lease.

429.104(3) (3) “Average periodic rent charge” means the rent charge for the scheduled term of the consumer lease divided by the number of payment periods under the consumer lease or, for a single-payment lease, the number of months in the term of the lease.

429.104(3m) (3m) “Balance subject to a rent charge” means:

429.104(3m)(a) (a) In the case of a lease other than a single-payment lease, the amount calculated by subtracting from the adjusted capitalized cost the sum of the first base periodic payment and all depreciation amounts accrued during any preceding payment periods.

429.104(3m)(b) (b) In the case of a single-payment lease, the amount calculated by subtracting the total rent charge from the sum of the residual value and all rent charges accrued during any preceding computational periods.

429.104(4) (4) “Base periodic payment” means an amount determined as follows:

429.104(4)(a) (a) With respect to a single-payment lease, the product of the number of months in the scheduled term of the lease multiplied by the sum of the average periodic rent charge and the average periodic depreciation.

429.104(4)(b) (b) With respect to a lease other than a single-payment lease, the sum of the average periodic rent charge and the average periodic depreciation.

429.104(6) (6) “Capitalized cost reduction” means the sum, at the time of inception of the consumer lease, of any payments made by cash, check, rebates or the like that constitute a downpayment made by the lessee and the net amount credited by the lessor for any trade-in. The term does not include any base periodic payments due at the inception of the consumer lease.

429.104(7) (7) “Conspicuous” means that the term or clause is so written as to be distinguished from other terms or clauses by type size or in some other manner. The term includes any writing in at least 10-point boldface type.

429.104(9) (9) “Consumer lease” or “lease” means a lease entered into in this state that transfers the right of possession and use by a natural person of a motor vehicle primarily for a personal, family, household or agricultural purpose, for a period of time exceeding 4 months, if the total lease obligation, excluding any option to purchase or otherwise become owner of the motor vehicle at the expiration of the consumer lease, does not exceed $25,000. The term does not include a credit sale, as defined under 12 CFR 226.2 (a) (16).

429.104(10) (10) “Early termination” means termination of a consumer lease before the termination date set forth in the consumer lease.

429.104(11) (11) “Federal consumer leasing act” means the federal consumer leasing act, as amended, 15 USC 1667-1667e, and regulations issued under that act.

429.104(12) (12) “Gap amount” means the difference between the amount to be paid by the lessee under the consumer lease in the event of total loss or destruction of the leased vehicle prior to expiration of the lease term by theft, physical damage, or other occurrence specified in the lease, and the actual cash value or portion thereof received by the lessor from insurance proceeds or from any other person on account of the total loss or destruction of the motor vehicle. The term does not include any deductible amount under any applicable insurance policy maintained by the lessee, any past-due payments owed by the lessee at the time of receipt by the lessor of the actual cash value or portion thereof from insurance proceeds or from any other person, or any other amount due under the lease resulting from default by the lessee.

429.104(13g) (13g) “Gap insurance” means insurance coverage, offered by an insurer authorized to transact business in this state, that provides that another person is liable for the gap amount.

429.104(13k) (13k) “Gap waiver” means a provision in a consumer lease offered or sold pursuant to the terms of s. 218.0148.

429.104(13m) (13m) “Gross capitalized cost” means the sum of all amounts capitalized in the consumer lease that, after subtracting the capitalized cost reduction, amortizes to the residual value by the depreciation portion of the periodic lease payments over the scheduled term of the lease or, for a single-payment lease, the single payment. These amounts may include taxes; fees for registration, license, acquisition, administration and assignment; other fees; charges for insurance, service contracts and extended warranties; and charges for accessories and their installation, for other services and benefits incidental to the consumer lease, and for delivering, servicing, repairing or improving the vehicle. With respect to a vehicle or other property traded in connection with a consumer lease, the term may include the outstanding unpaid balance of the amount financed under a consumer loan, as defined in s. 421.301 (12), or a retail installment contract, as defined in s. 218.0101 (32), or the unpaid balance of any early termination costs under a lease or other obligation of the lessee. The term does not include any rent charge.

429.104(14) (14) “Group credit insurance” means group credit life insurance, group credit accident insurance, group credit accident and health insurance, group disability insurance or group credit unemployment insurance.

429.104(15) (15) “Holder” means, with respect to a consumer lease, the lessor and, upon assignment of the lease, the assignee for the period of assignment. The term does not include a pledgee of a consumer lease or the owner or beneficiary of an interest in a trust that owns consumer leases.

429.104(17) (17) “Lessee” means a natural person who leases a motor vehicle from a lessor under a consumer lease.

429.104(18) (18) “Lessor” means a person regularly engaged in the business of leasing or selling vehicles who leases a motor vehicle to a lessee under a consumer lease.

429.104(19) (19) “Motor vehicle” has the meaning given in s. 218.0101 (22).

429.104(20) (20) “Periodic” means weekly, monthly, quarterly or any other period of time specified in a consumer lease.

429.104(21) (21) “Prospective lessee” means a natural person who enters into a prelease agreement under s. 218.0144 with a prospective lessor, or who otherwise intends to become a lessee.

429.104(21m) (21m) “Prospective lessor” means a person regularly engaged in the business of leasing or selling vehicles who enters into a prelease agreement under s. 218.0144 with a prospective lessee, or who otherwise intends to become a lessor.

429.104(22) (22) “Realized value” means, with respect to any motor vehicle leased under a consumer lease that is terminated before the expiration date, the value determined under s. 429.206.

429.104(23) (23) “Renegotiation” means the satisfaction and replacement of an existing consumer lease by a new consumer lease between the same parties, including an assignee of the lessor. The term does not include a deferral or extension of any periodic lease payments or portions thereof not exceeding 6 months in the aggregate, a satisfaction and replacement of a consumer lease involving a court proceeding or the settlement of a dispute, or any other action that does not constitute a renegotiation under the federal consumer leasing act.

429.104(23m) (23m) “Rent charge” means the sum of all charges payable by the lessee for the privilege of making the scheduled lease payments under a consumer lease. The term does not include gross capitalized cost.

429.104(24) (24) “Residual value” means the estimated value of the leased vehicle at the expiration of the lease term that is used in the consumer lease to determine the depreciation portion of the base periodic payment.

429.104(25) (25) “Single-payment lease” means a consumer lease that requires only one payment, to be paid at the time of consummation of the lease.

429.104(26) (26) “Total lease obligation” means the sum of all of the following:

429.104(26)(a) (a) All scheduled periodic payments under the lease.

429.104(26)(b) (b) Capitalized cost reduction.

429.104 History History: 1995 a. 329; 1997 a. 48; 1999 a. 31; 2017 a. 161.

subch. II of ch. 429 SUBCHAPTER II

DISCLOSURES; LIMITATIONS ON AGREEMENTS
AND PRACTICES

429.201 429.201 Prelease availability of consumer lease form. A lessor shall, upon request of a prospective lessee, make readily available a blank sample of its current consumer lease form for examination by the prospective lessee before execution of the consumer lease.

429.201 History History: 1995 a. 329.

429.202 429.202 Advance payment or trade-in; refund or return.

429.202(1) (1) If a prospective lessee has made an advance payment or surrendered possession of a vehicle to a prospective lessor as a trade-in pending the execution of a consumer lease, the prospective lessee shall have the right, if the application for the consumer lease is not approved, to receive a prompt refund of the advance payment and, if applicable, to have the trade-in vehicle promptly returned. If a prospective lessor takes possession of a trade-in vehicle under this subsection, the prospective lessor may not sell, offer for sale, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of the vehicle in any manner until execution of the consumer lease or, except for return of the vehicle to the prospective lessee, disapproval of the consumer lease application.

429.202(2) (2) This section does not apply to the sale of a vehicle by a prospective lessee to a prospective lessor under a separate contract of sale if the contract of sale is executed prior to execution of the consumer lease between the parties, gives the date of sale and is signed by both parties. Any contract of sale under this subsection shall provide for all of the following:

429.202(2)(a) (a) That the contract price establishes the value of the vehicle to be credited against the amount due from the lessee at the consummation of the lease or, if the parties fail to execute a consumer lease, the amount due the prospective lessee for the vehicle.

429.202(2)(b) (b) That the prospective lessee agrees to leave the contract price on deposit with the prospective lessor pending the execution of a consumer lease between the parties with respect to a motor vehicle to be ordered from a manufacturer, including a motor vehicle not yet in production as of the date of sale.

429.202(2)(c) (c) That the prospective lessee shall be entitled to payment of the contract price from the prospective lessor no later than 75 days after the date of sale, unless the parties have executed a consumer lease or the prospective lessee has already received such payment.

429.202 History History: 1995 a. 329.

429.203 429.203 Requirements of a consumer lease.

429.203(1) (1) A consumer lease shall be in writing and signed by the lessor and the lessee.

429.203(2) (2) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the printed portion of a consumer lease, other than instructions for its completion, shall be in at least 8-point type. The consumer lease shall contain all of the following printed in a conspicuous manner:

429.203(2)(a) (a) At the top of the consumer lease, the words “MOTOR VEHICLE LEASE AGREEMENT” in at least 10-point type.

429.203(2)(b) (b)

429.203(2)(b)1. 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., if no liability insurance for bodily injury or property damage is provided for under the consumer lease, a notice in substantially the following language in bold-faced capital letters of not less than 10-point type: “NO LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR BODILY INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE IS INCLUDED IN THIS LEASE.”

429.203(2)(b)2. 2. The notice required under subd. 1. may be provided on a separate document delivered to the prospective lessee not later than the time of execution of the consumer lease.

429.203(2m) (2m) Every writing evidencing the customer’s obligation to pay under a motor vehicle consumer lease shall contain immediately above or adjacent to the place for the signature of the customer, a conspicuous, printed or typewritten notice in substantially the following language:

NOTICE TO LESSEE

(a) THIS IS A MOTOR VEHICLE LEASE AGREEMENT. YOU HAVE NO OWNERSHIP RIGHTS IN THE MOTOR VEHICLE UNLESS THIS LEASE CONTAINS A PURCHASE OPTION AND YOU EXERCISE YOUR OPTION TO PURCHASE THE MOTOR VEHICLE.

(b) DO NOT SIGN THIS LEASE BEFORE YOU READ IT, INCLUDING ANY WRITING ON THE REVERSE SIDE.

(c) DO NOT SIGN THIS IF IT CONTAINS ANY BLANK SPACES.

(d) YOU ARE ENTITLED TO A COMPLETED COPY OF THIS LEASE WHEN YOU SIGN IT.

429.203(3) (3) The consumer lease shall contain all disclosures required by the federal consumer leasing act and any of the following disclosures that are not disclosed in the same or substantially similar disclosures under the federal consumer leasing act:

429.203(3)(a) (a) The gross capitalized cost, using the term “gross capitalized cost”, and an explanation of the term in substantially the following language: “The gross capitalized cost is the agreed-upon value of the vehicle ($.... [insert the agreed-upon value of the vehicle]) and any items that you pay over the lease term (such as service contracts, insurance and any outstanding prior credit or lease balance).”

429.203(3)(b) (b) Any capitalized cost reduction, using the term “capitalized cost reduction”, and an explanation of the term in substantially the following language: “The capitalized cost reduction is the amount of any net trade-in allowance, rebate, noncash credit or cash that you pay that reduces the gross capitalized cost.”

429.203(3)(c) (c) The adjusted capitalized cost, using the term “adjusted capitalized cost”, and an explanation of the term, as applicable, in substantially the following language: “The adjusted capitalized cost is the amount that is used in calculating your base periodic payment.”

429.203(3)(d) (d) The residual value of the leased vehicle, using the term “residual value”, and an explanation of the term in substantially the following language: “The residual value is the value of the vehicle at the end of the lease used in calculating your base periodic payment.”

429.203(3)(e) (e) A statement determined as follows:

429.203(3)(e)1. 1. With respect to a single-payment lease, a statement of the rent charge included in the single payment and a separate statement of the depreciation portion of the single payment.

429.203(3)(e)2. 2. With respect to a lease other than a single-payment lease, a statement of the rent charge included in the total of the periodic payments and a separate statement of the depreciation portion of the total of the periodic payments.

429.203(3)(fm) (fm) A statement on early termination of the consumer lease in substantially the following language: “Early termination. You may have to pay a substantial charge if you end this consumer lease early. The charge may be up to several thousand dollars. The actual charge will depend on when the lease is terminated. The earlier you end the lease, the greater the charge is likely to be.”

429.203(3)(g) (g) The standards to be applied by the holder in determining the excess wear and damage to the leased vehicle for which the lessee shall be held liable. These standards shall comply with the federal consumer leasing act.

429.203(3)(h) (h) Any disclosure required under sub. (2m).

429.203(4) (4) The consumer lease shall contain the names of the lessor and the lessee; the place of business of the lessor; the place of business or residence of the lessee, as specified by the lessee; and the year, make, model and, if known, serial or identification number of the motor vehicle.