422.207 Advances to perform agreements of customer.
(1) With respect to a consumer credit transaction the parties may, to the extent not prohibited by chs. 421 to 427 and 429, agree that the customer will perform certain duties with respect to preserving or insuring collateral or goods subject to a motor vehicle consumer lease, if such duties are reasonable in relation to the risk of loss of or damage to the collateral or goods. If the customer fails to so perform the creditor may, if authorized by the agreement, pay for the performance of such duties on behalf of the customer. The amount paid may be added to the unpaid balance of the customer's obligation, if, in the absence of performance, the merchant has made all expenditures on behalf of the customer in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner and the merchant has given the customer written notice of the nonperformance and reasonable opportunity after such notice to so perform.
(2) Within a reasonable time after advancing any sums pursuant to sub. (1), the merchant shall state to the customer in writing the amount of the sums advanced, any charges with respect to this amount and any revised payment schedule and, if the duties of the customer performed by the merchant pertain to insurance, a brief description of the insurance paid for including the type and amount of coverages.
(3) A finance charge may be made for sums advanced pursuant to sub. (1) at a rate not exceeding the rate stated to the customer pursuant to the provisions on disclosure in subch. III, or if no disclosure is required then at the annual rate of finance charge assessed on that transaction. With respect to an open-end credit plan the amount of the advance may be added to the unpaid balance of the account and the merchant may make a finance charge not exceeding that permitted by s. 422.201.
(4) A violation of this section is subject to s. 425.304.
History: 1971 c. 239; 1979 c. 10, 89; 1995 a. 329; 1997 a. 302.