§ 216E.3 — Assistive device replacement or refund

Iowa § 216E.3

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title VI: HUMAN SERVICES
• Ch. 216E: ASSISTIVE DEVICES

Text

1. If an assistive device does not conform to an applicable express warranty and the
consumer reports the nonconformity to the manufacturer, the assistive device lessor, or any
of the manufacturer’s authorized assistive device dealers, and makes the assistive device
available for repair before one year after first delivery of the device to the consumer or within
the period of the express warranty if the warranty is longer than one year, a reasonable
attempt to repair the nonconformity shall be made.
2. If, after a reasonable attempt to repair, the nonconformity is not repaired, the
manufacturer shall carry out the requirements of either paragraph “a” or “b” upon the
request of a consumer.
a. The manufacturer shall provide for a refund by doing one of the following:
(1) If the assistive device was purchased by the consumer, accept return of the assistive
device and refund to the consumer and to any holder of perfected security interest in the
consumer’s assistive device, as the holder’s interest may appear, the full purchase price plus
3 ASSISTIVE DEVICES, §216E.4
any finance charge paid by the consumer at the point of sale and collateral costs, less a
reasonable allowance for use.
(2) Iftheassistivedevicewasleasedbytheconsumer, acceptreturnoftheassistivedevice,
refund to the assistive device lessor and to any holder of a perfected security interest in the
assistivedevice, astheholder’sinterestmayappear, thecurrentvalueofthewrittenleaseand
refund to the consumer the amount that the consumer paid under the written lease plus any
collateral costs, less a reasonable allowance for use. The manufacturer shall have a cause of
action against the dealer or lessor for reimbursement of any amount that the manufacturer
paystoaconsumerwhichexceedsthenetpricereceivedbythemanufacturerfortheassistive
device.
b. The manufacturer shall provide a comparable new assistive device or offer a refund to
the consumer if the consumer does any one of the following:
(1) Offers to transfer possession of the assistive device to the manufacturer. No later than
thirty days after that offer, the manufacturer shall provide the consumer with the comparable
new assistive device or a refund. When the manufacturer provides the new assistive device
or refund, the consumer shall return the assistive device having the nonconformity to the
manufacturer, along with any endorsements necessary to transfer legal possession to the
manufacturer.
(2) Offerstoreturntheassistivedevicetothemanufacturer. Nolaterthanthirtydaysafter
the offer, the manufacturer shall provide a refund to the consumer. When the manufacturer
provides a refund, the consumer shall return the assistive device having the nonconformity
to the manufacturer.
(3) Offers to transfer possession of a leased assistive device to the manufacturer. No
later than thirty days after the offer, the manufacturer shall provide a refund to the assistive
device lessor. When the manufacturer provides the refund, the assistive device lessor shall
provide to the manufacturer any endorsements necessary to transfer legal possession to the
manufacturer.
3. Under the provisions of this section, the current value of the written lease equals the
total amount for which that lease obligates the consumer during the period of the lease
remaining after its early termination, plus the assistive device lessor’s early termination
costs and the value of the assistive device at the lease expiration date if the lease sets forth
that value, less the assistive device lessor’s early termination savings.
4. Under the provisions of this section, a reasonable allowance for use shall not exceed
the amount obtained by multiplying the total amount for which the written lease obligates
the consumer by a fraction, the denominator of which is one thousand eight hundred
twenty-five and the numerator of which is the number of days that the consumer used
the assistive device before first reporting the nonconformity to the manufacturer, assistive
device lessor, or assistive device dealer.
5. A person shall not enforce a lease against a consumer after the consumer receives a
refund.