429.207 Restrictions on early termination obligation.

(1) The lessee has the right to terminate the consumer lease at any time.

(2) If a consumer lease is terminated before the expiration date set forth in the consumer lease and no applicable option to purchase is exercised by the lessee, the early termination obligation of the lessee may not exceed an amount equal to the sum of the following amounts:

(a) Any unpaid lease payments that have accrued as of the date of termination of the consumer lease.

(b) Any other amounts unpaid by the lessee, other than excess mileage charges, arising under the terms of the consumer lease or not prohibited by this chapter or chs. 421 to 427.

(c) Any official fees and taxes imposed in connection with termination of the consumer lease.

(d) The amount set forth in the consumer lease as a disposition or other early termination fee, not to exceed the average payment allocable to a monthly period under the consumer lease.

(e) The reasonable costs of retaking, storing, preparing for sale and selling the motor vehicle, except that a cost may not be imposed under this paragraph if, in the event of a default, the cost could not be charged under s. 422.413.

(f) Any positive amount determined by subtracting the realized value from any of the following:

1. The sum of the balance subject to a rent charge and the rent charge earned in advance for the computational period in which the early termination occurs, calculated in accordance with the constant yield method or any other generally accepted accounting principle.

2. An amount determined in accordance with generally accepted actuarial principles under which the rent charge is calculated on the adjusted capitalized cost for the time outstanding.

(3) A holder may credit against the balance of the lessee's early termination obligation any refundable security deposit or advance lease payments held by the holder. The excess of any refundable security deposit or advance lease payment over the amount of the lessee's early termination obligation shall be promptly returned to the lessee.

(4) This section does not limit or restrict the manner of calculating the lessee's early termination obligation, if such obligation does not exceed the amount calculated under sub. (2). Such manner may include calculation of the unamortized capitalized cost, or the discounted present value of remaining lease payments, multiples of monthly lease payments or payments on another periodic basis.

History: 1995 a. 329; 1997 a. 48.