32-28-12.5-19. Owner not providing required notice or certification at closing; civil action; damages; defenses

IN Code § 32-28-12.5-19 (2019) (N/A)
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Sec. 19. (a) If any party, including a broker company, buyer, or buyer's mortgagee suffers a pecuniary loss as the result of an owner's violation of the notice or certification provisions described in section 7 of this chapter, the party may bring a civil action against the owner for the following:

(1) Actual damages.

(2) The costs of the action.

(3) Reasonable attorney's fees.

However, if the party establishes that the owner's violation of the notice or certification provisions was fraudulent, a court may award the party damages that do not exceed three (3) times actual damages.

(b) It is a defense to an action brought under this section that the most recent address provided by the broker company to the owner in the agreement, contract, or other written instrument, including a written instrument described in section 5 of this chapter, was incorrect, and as a result of the incorrect address, the principal broker did not receive the owner's notice described in section 7(b) of this chapter, and as a result the broker company failed to provide the notice as required in section 7(c) of this chapter.

As added by P.L.78-2006, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.127-2012, SEC.63; P.L.116-2015, SEC.36.