2015_05_06 2015 MD LEG_webinar_pptx
Transcription
2015_05_06 2015 MD LEG_webinar_pptx
5/11/2015 2015 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Michael G. Charapp Charapp & Weiss, LLP 8180 Greensboro Drive Suite 1000 McLean, VA 22102 703.564.0220 www.cwattorneys.com J. Peter Kitzmiller Travis Martz MADA 7 State Circle, Suite 301 Annapolis, MD 21401 410.269.1710 www.mdauto.org For information and training purposes only. Does not constitute legal advice. For legal advice, contact the dealer’s legal advisor. WE WILL COVER • 2015 Legislative Session Results • Tesla bill • The Fight for Authorization of Spot Deliveries • Spot Delivery Requirements • 2015 HOT issues 1 5/11/2015 MADA Legislative Team •Peter Kitzmiller MADA President •Travis Martz MADA Dir. of Legislative Affairs •Mike Johanssen MADA Legislative Consultant •Mike Charapp MADA Counsel •Tom Walls MADA Past Chairman •J.B. Bishop MADA Chairman 3 Fiscal Year 2016 Budget • Budget increased overall state spending from all sources by $590.2 million or 1.5% • General Assembly sought to persuade an ad back of $200 million to selected programs • A decision of the Governor on additional spending is pending. 2 5/11/2015 Rain Tax • SB 873 made various changes to the rain tax. • The bill repeals a requirement for jurisdictions to collect the tax, but authorizes them to do so. • Montgomery County is exempted. • Becomes effective July 1, 2015. Mechanical Repair Contracts • HB 630 requires the obligor specified in a mechanical service contract to register with the insurance commissioner, to pay a $25.00 annual fee, and to file mechanical repair contracts along with evidence of adequate insurance reserves. • The commissioner may order an obligor to cease and desist from sale of mechanical repair contracts for specified reasons. • The commissioner may pursue an action against an unregistered person that offers a mechanical repair contract. • The bill becomes effective October 1, 2015. 3 5/11/2015 Electric Vehicles • HB 235 authorizes direct sales by a manufacturer if: – it deals only in electric or nonfossil-fuel burning vehicles – no other dealer holds a franchise for the vehicle – there is no cross ownership between licensees • The bill permits only four dealer licenses • It requires MVA regulations • It becomes effective October 1, 2015. Spot Delivery • HB 313/ SB 298 authorizes spot delivery in Maryland. • It requires a written and signed notification. • Written notice of disapproval must be sent within four days. • The Buyer/Lessee must return the vehicle within two days. • It becomes effective October 1, 2015 4 5/11/2015 SPOT DELIVERIES • There was no clear-cut authorization in Maryland • MVA: only spot on a temp tag when financing is complete • Plaintiffs lawyers contended spot delivery is illegal • MVA was threatening enforcement if no bill • MVA was considering regulations mandating a 3 day cooling off period. Spot Delivery Notice FOR FINANCE OR LEASE SALES: THE FINANCING OR LEASE AGREEMENT YOU ENTERED INTO WITH THE DEALER IS NOT FINAL AND MUST BE APPROVED BY A THIRD-PARTY FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. IF THE TERMS ARE APPROVED, THE SALE CANNOT BE CANCELLED. IF THE TERMS ARE NOT APPROVED, THE DEALER MUST NOTIFY YOU IN WRITING WITHIN 4 DAYS OF DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE TO YOU, AND YOU OR THE DEALER MAY CANCEL THIS SALE. IF THE SALE IS CANCELLED, THE VEHICLE DELIVERED TO YOU MUST BE RETURNED TO THE DEALER IN THE SAME CONDITION IT WAS GIVEN TO YOU, EXCEPT FOR NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, WITHIN 2 DAYS OF YOUR RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE THIRD-PARTY REJECTION. UNLESS YOU AND THE DEALER AGREE ON DIFFERENT TERMS, ANY DOWN PAYMENT, TITLING FEE, EXCISE TAX, DEALER PROCESSING CHARGE, OR ANY OTHER FEE, TAX, OR CHARGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSACTION, AND ANY TRADE-IN VEHICLE, WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU IMMEDIATELY AND YOU MAY NOT BE CHARGED A FEE FOR USE OF THE VEHICLE THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE SALE. YOU MAY NOT WAIVE ANY OF THESE RIGHTS. IF YOU FEEL THE DEALER HAS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE TERMS OF THIS NOTICE, YOU MAY CONTACT THE MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION OR THE CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION OF THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. 5 5/11/2015 Notice Details • The notice must be in writing. • The notice must be separate. • The notice must be signed by the dealer and the customer. • A copy of the signed notice shall be provided to buyer before delivery of the vehicle to the buyer. Approval • If the terms of the RISC or lease are approved by a third party financial institution the sale cannot be cancelled. • The dealer may assign the RISC or lease to the financial institution. • The vehicle may be titled. 6 5/11/2015 Non-Approval • Dealer shall notify the buyer in writing within four days of delivery of the vehicle if the terms of a financing or lease agreement between a dealer and a buyer are not approved by a third party finance source. • Notice form suggestion: obtain physical, email, and text addresses. If Notice Sent • The customer must return the vehicle to the dealer in the same condition in which the buyer received the vehicle, except for ordinary wear and tear, within two days of receipt of the notice. • If the buyer does not return the vehicle to the dealer within two days, the dealer may repossess the vehicle in accordance with state law. 7 5/11/2015 Renegotiations • The law specifically authorizes the dealer and the customer to renegotiate financing or leasing terms. • If financing or leasing terms are renegotiated, the deal may proceed under those terms. • Best practice: send the notice of non-approval of financing to protect dealer rights and to spur renegotiations. New Terms Not Agreed • The dealer or the buyer may cancel the sale. • The trade-in vehicle must be returned in the same condition in which the dealer received the vehicle. • The downpayment must be returned. • The titling fee and excise tax paid, the dealer processing charge, and any other fee, tax, or charge must be returned. • Dealer may not charge the buyer a fee for use of the spotted vehicle. 8 5/11/2015 Additional Provisions • A dealer must maintain its garage insurance to cover spotted vehicles until approval by a third party finance or lease source. • A buyer may not waive the rights under this law. • If a dealer violates this law, it is an unfair and deceptive trade practice and the dealer is subject to legal action under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act. Questions: • What is a written notice? • MVA guidance will be requested • Best practice: – Send a letter. – Send an email. – Send a text. – Call the customer and advise the customer to review what has been sent. 9 5/11/2015 Questions: • How to calculate 4 days – MD Code GP§1-302 – Do not count delivery day – Sundays and legal holidays do not count – If 4th day is Sunday or legal holiday, deadline is next day. • What about a new spot delivery notice if the deal is renegotiated? • MVA guidance will be requested Rescission • What if I miss the deadline and I can’t rescind? – Do not try to retake the vehicle, it can be viewed as wrongful repossession – a very expensive tort and a violation of the MD Consumer Protection Act – You have just financed or leased the vehicle – if you cannot rescind you are the creditor under a retail installment sales contract or the lessor under a lease 10 5/11/2015 Rescission • What if I rescinded, but I have been unable to retake the vehicle? – Going to the police is probably not the right answer – check state law: the customer took possession of the vehicle contractually and police intervention may be viewed as malicious prosecution – Filing a lawsuit to recover your vehicle may be the only recourse Prior to October 1 • You may choose to use the form and processes of the new statute. • If you do, you will be bound to comply with the processes. • MVA guidance will be requested. 11 5/11/2015 Recalls • In connection with bills that did not pass, legislators were concerned about recalls. • Misconceptions: – Dealers don’t want to do them – Manufactures don’t want them done – They are a secret • Association sought to educate legislators about the facts of recalls Recalls • New Cars – Ground new vehicles until recall is done – Do you know how to ask for compensation for down time? • Used Cars – No federal requirement to be sure used cars have recalls performed – But concern about product liability – Makes sense to check and repair brands you sell – Easier today to check other brand vehicles • www.safercar.gov 12 5/11/2015 2015 HOT TOPICS CFPB The Attack on Dealer Participation • Consumer advocates believe that dealers should only make money on selling the vehicle – not on anything else • Rate participation is a hot button – consumer advocates call it mark up • Based on the false assumption that wholesale rates are available to consumers • The attack was sudden, but the industry pushed back • The fight is far from over, and a fair lending policy is critical 13 5/11/2015 CFPB Threat to Major Financial Institutions Summary: You can be held liable for discrimination by dealers. You must: Impose controls Monitor dealers Take Action on Discrepancies Compensate victims; OR Pay flat fees CFPB Compliance What Should a Dealer Do? • Establish a fair lending policy • The policy must eliminate discretion for F&I personnel to set rates • Have a fixed starting point • Permit deviations only for specified, nondiscriminatory reasons • Require management approval for other deviations • Keep records to support deviations 14 5/11/2015 CFPB Compliance Be Proactive With Finance Sources • Finance sources are under pressure from the CFPB • They are using CFPB’s statistically questionable methods to review your portfolio • Finance sources may be contacting you based on perceived disparate impact. • Respond. This is why a fair lending policy is important. CFPB Compliance OTHER F&I PRODUCTS • Emphasis, properly, has been on CFPB’s attack on dealer reserve • It is only a matter of time before federal scrutiny spreads to other F&I products -- extended service agreements, GAP, etc. • Dealer focus: – Concentrate on products that provide value to consumers; – Use a transparent process for selling F&I products, through use of a menu or a similar tool; and – Establish fixed selling prices for those products with deviations for established competitive reasons. 15 5/11/2015 Federal Trade Commission • When the CFPB was created, the FTC was given greater powers and more funds to regulate car dealers • Operation Ruse Control announced in March 2015 – Advertising consent orders with 3 more dealers – Consent orders on “add-ons” • What does the action on add-ons mean to dealers? • Ongoing privacy concerns: When is the last time the dealer reviewed its information safeguards plan and red flags policy? 31 Federal Trade Commission Why A Dealer Should Be Concerned • Anti-dealer advocates are upset with the CFPB dealer exemption and want it changed – Elizabeth Warren, one of the architects of the CFPB, has criticized the exception in a speech that the Washington Post awarded “four Pinocchios” • Beware of FTC bureaucratic turf protection • FTC may wish to justify its sole federal jurisdiction over car dealers with vigorous enforcement 16 5/11/2015 FTC – Advertising Consent Orders • 2012 - Entered by five dealers who used some variation of “we will pay off your trade no matter how much you owe” • 2013 consent orders against two dealerships for advertising without adequate disclosure of conditions • 2014 consent orders against ten dealerships as part of “Operation Steer Clear” • 2015 consent orders against three dealers as part of “Operation Ruse Control” • Common themes – lack of adequate disclosures 33 FTC – Advertising • What are hot buttons? – TILA and Leasing ads non-compliance – Bait and switch -- advertisement net of incentives of limited availability without adequate disclosure and advertising deals that are not available – Advertising “pay off your trade no matter how much you owe” is radioactive – 2012 consent orders – Advertising in all media involved, but internet advertising is the true target today – Know the digital advertising rules • Comply with MD advertising law • Review the NADA advertising guide at www.nada.org. 34 17 5/11/2015 QUESTIONS? 2015 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Michael G. Charapp Charapp & Weiss, LLP 8180 Greensboro Drive Suite 1000 McLean, VA 22102 703.564.0220 www.cwattorneys.com J. Peter Kitzmiller Travis Martz MADA 7 State Circle, Suite 301 Annapolis, MD 21401 410.269.1710 www.mdauto.org For information and training purposes only. Does not constitute legal advice. For legal advice, contact the dealer’s legal advisor. 18