(a) A term providing that one party or his or her successor in interest may accelerate payment or performance or require collateral or additional collateral “at will” or “when he or she deems himself or herself insecure” or in words of similar import must be construed to mean that he or she has power to do so only if he or she in good faith believes that the prospect of payment or performance is impaired.

(b) With respect to a consumer lease, the burden of establishing good faith under subsection (a) of this section is on the party who exercised the power; otherwise the burden of establishing lack of good faith is on the party against whom the power has been exercised.

(July 22, 1992, D.C. Law 9-128, § 2(b), 39 DCR 3830.)

1981 Ed., § 28:2A-109.

Uniform Statutory Source:Section 1-208 and Unif. Consumer Credit Code s 5.109(2), 7A U.L.A. 171 (1974).

Purposes: Subsection (1) reflects modest changes in style to the provisions of the first sentence of Section 1-208.

Subsection (2), however, reflects a significant change in the provisions of the second sentence of Section 1-208 by creating a new rule with respect to a consumer lease. A lease provision allowing acceleration at the will of the lessor or when the lessor deems itself insecure is of critical importance to the lessee. In a consumer lease it is a provision that is not usually agreed to by the parties but is usually mandated by the lessor. Therefore, where its invocation depends not on specific criteria but on the discretion of the lessor, its use should be regulated to prevent abuse. Subsection (1) imposes a duty of good faith upon its exercises. Subsection (2) shifts the burden of establishing good faith to the lessor in the case of a consumer lease, but not otherwise.

Cross Reference:Section 1-208.

Definitional Cross Reference: “Burden of establishing”. Section 1-201(8).

“Consumer lease”. Section 2A-103(1)(e).

“Good faith”. Sections 1-201(19) and 2-103(1)(b).

“Party”. Section 1-201(29).

“Term”. Section 1-201(42).