§ 46B-3-4 — Reinstatement of written rental agreement

(a) The consumer may reinstate the transaction at any time until the consumer is served, in a manner pursuant to rule four of the rules of civil procedure, with a civil complaint arising out of the transaction.

(b) When a consumer fails to timely make one or more periodic payments, he or she may reinstate the original rent-to-own transaction, without losing any right or option of the consumer under the rental-purchase agreement, within sixty days after the expiration of the last period for which the consumer made a timely payment: Provided, That if a consumer has made more than forty percent of the regular payments required to obtain ownership of the goods, pursuant to the rent-to-own transaction, the consumer shall have ninety days to reinstate a rent-to-own transaction: Provided, however, That when a dealer seeks to repossess the goods and has lawfully repossessed the goods two previous times during the same transaction, the consumer may not reinstate the transaction.

(c) If reinstatement occurs pursuant to this section, the dealer shall provide the consumer with the same goods leased by the consumer prior to the reinstatement or if those goods are not available to the dealer, substitute property that is of no less quality and condition. When substitute property is provided, the dealer shall make all disclosures required by this chapter. When consumer goods have been repossessed or returned to the possession of the dealer prior to reinstatement, the dealer may charge a nominal reinstatement fee, not to exceed $5.

Legislative History

1993 Reg. Sess., SB108