(1) In addition to complying with federal and state law, including all requirements under chapter 18.28 RCW and this chapter, any person providing third-party student education loan modification services must:
(a) Not charge or receive any money or other valuable consideration prior to full and complete performance of the services the person has agreed to perform for the borrower;
(b) Not charge total fees in excess of usual and customary charges, or total fees that are not reasonable in light of the service provided; and
(c) Immediately inform the borrower in writing if the owner or servicer of the student education loan requires additional information or documentation from the borrower, or if it becomes apparent that a modification, refinancing, consolidation, or change in repayment plans on the student education loan is not possible.
(2) As a condition for providing third-party student education loan modification services, a person providing the services shall not:
(a) Require or encourage a borrower to sign a waiver of his or her legal defenses, counterclaims, and other legal rights against the person for future acts;
(b) Represent, expressly or by implication, that funds paid to the person providing third-party student education loan modification services will be applied to the borrower's student education loan balance;
(c) Require or encourage a borrower to waive his or her right to receive notice before the owner or servicer of the loan initiates collection proceedings;
(d) Require or encourage a borrower to agree to pay charges not enumerated in any agreement between the borrower and the lender, servicer, or owner of the loan;
(e) Require or encourage a borrower to:
(i) Cease communication with the lender, investor, loan servicer, or United States department of education; or
(ii) Change his or her contact information to that of the third-party education loan servicer or any other third party;
(f) Misrepresent, expressly or by implication, the availability, performance, cost, or characteristics of any alternative to for-profit third-party student education loan modification services through which the consumer can obtain assistance with refinancing of, consolidation of, application for discharge of or refund of amounts paid toward, or change of repayment plans for a student education loan, including communicating directly with the servicer, applying through or communicating with the United States department of education, communicating with any other government agency, or using any nonprofit agency or program;
(g) Misrepresent, expressly or by implication, the amount of money or the percentage of the debt amount a student education loan borrower may save by engaging the person's third-party student education loan modification services;
(h) Misrepresent, expressly or by implication, the total cost to purchase the third-party student education loan modification services;
(i) Misrepresent, expressly or by implication, the terms, conditions, limitations, contingencies, or requirements to reapply or recertify eligibility for any refinancing of, consolidation of, or change of repayment plans for a student education loan;
(j) Misrepresent, expressly or by implication, any affiliation, connection, or relationship with the United States department of education or its contracted entities;
(k) Misrepresent, expressly or by implication, the impact on a borrower's credit history, score, or report that will result from engaging the person's third-party student education loan modification services; or
(l) Change a borrower's login information, personal identification number, or contact information on file with a servicer or the United States department of education, including without limitation telephone number, address, and email address.
(3) In any inconsistency between this chapter and chapter 18.28 RCW, this chapter shall control.
[ 2018 c 62 § 8.]