Assembly Bill No. 107–Committee on Commerce and Labor

(On Behalf of Manufactured Housing Division)

February 4, 1999

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Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

 

SUMMARY—Makes various changes concerning manufactured housing. (BDR 43-624)

FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.

Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: No.

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

 

AN ACT relating to manufactured housing; requiring dealers to comply with certain requirements concerning money held by them pending the sale or exchange of an interest in a manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach; establishing requirements relating to the enforceability of certain brokerage agreements; requiring dealers who enter into brokerage agreements to perform certain acts relating to their clients; revising the categories of licensure as a limited serviceman; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

1-1 Section 1. Chapter 489 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto

1-2 the provisions set forth as sections 2 to 9, inclusive, of this act.

1-3 Sec. 2. "Brokerage agreement" means a contract between a dealer

1-4 and a client in which the dealer agrees to accept compensation to:

1-5 1. Assist, solicit or negotiate the sale or exchange of an interest in a

1-6 manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach; or

1-7 2. Induce any person to buy or exchange an interest in a

1-8 manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach.

1-9 Sec. 3. "Client" means a person who has entered into a brokerage

1-10 agreement with a dealer.

1-11 Sec. 4. 1. Any money that a dealer receives from a client or other

1-12 person concerning the sale or exchange of an interest in a manufactured

1-13 home, mobile home or commercial coach must be accounted for by the

1-14 dealer when:

2-1 (a) The sale or exchange of the interest in the manufactured home,

2-2 mobile home or commercial coach is executed; or

2-3 (b) The contract for the sale or exchange of the interest in the

2-4 manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach is rescinded by

2-5 the dealer, client or any other person,

2-6 whichever occurs earlier.

2-7 2. The dealer shall:

2-8 (a) Prepare or cause to be prepared a written itemized statement

2-9 concerning each expenditure or deduction of money made by the dealer;

2-10 (b) Deliver or cause to be delivered to each person from whom the

2-11 dealer received money a copy of the written itemized statement; and

2-12 (c) Maintain a copy of the written itemized statement at his place of

2-13 business.

2-14 3. Except as otherwise provided in an escrow agreement signed by

2-15 the parties to a sale or exchange of an interest in a manufactured home,

2-16 mobile home or commercial coach and the escrow agent or escrow

2-17 officer licensed pursuant to the provisions of chapter 645A or 692A of

2-18 NRS, no money concerning that sale or exchange held by a dealer may

2-19 be distributed to the person who is selling or exchanging an interest in

2-20 the manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach until:

2-21 (a) An application for a certificate of ownership for the manufactured

2-22 home, mobile home or commercial coach has been submitted to the

2-23 division by the new owner;

2-24 (b) Each person who has a financial interest in the manufactured

2-25 home, mobile home or commercial coach has executed a document that

2-26 releases or waives his interest; and

2-27 (c) Each party to the sale or exchange has complied with the

2-28 requirements for the sale or exchange that are set forth in the regulations

2-29 adopted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

2-30 Sec. 5. A brokerage agreement that includes a provision that grants

2-31 a dealer the exclusive right to assist, solicit or negotiate the sale or

2-32 exchange of an interest in a manufactured home, mobile home or

2-33 commercial coach on behalf of a client is enforceable if the agreement:

2-34 1. Is in writing;

2-35 2. Sets forth the date the brokerage agreement expires;

2-36 3. Does not require the client to perform any act concerning the

2-37 brokerage agreement after the agreement expires; and

2-38 4. Is signed by the client or his representative and the dealer or his

2-39 representative.

2-40 Sec. 6. 1. A dealer who has entered into a brokerage agreement

2-41 with a client for the sale or exchange of an interest in a manufactured

2-42 home, mobile home or commercial coach shall:

3-1 (a) Seek the price and terms for the sale or exchange that are set forth

3-2 in the brokerage agreement or are approved by the client;

3-3 (b) Present all offers made to or by the client as soon as practicable;

3-4 (c) Disclose to the client all the material facts known by him

3-5 concerning the sale or exchange;

3-6 (d) Advise the client to obtain advice from an expert concerning any

3-7 matters that are beyond the knowledge or expertise of the dealer;

3-8 (e) As soon as practicable, account for all money and property he

3-9 receives in which the client may have a financial interest; and

3-10 (f) As soon as practicable, deliver to each party a copy of the executed

3-11 contract for the sale or exchange.

3-12 2. A dealer shall not enter into a brokerage agreement with a client

3-13 for the sale or exchange of an interest in a manufactured home, mobile

3-14 home or commercial coach unless the dealer has determined that the

3-15 client will be able to deliver good title upon the execution of the sale or

3-16 exchange of the interest in the manufactured home, mobile home or

3-17 commercial coach.

3-18 Sec. 7. 1. Unless otherwise specifically waived in writing by the

3-19 buyer, for each sale of a manufactured home, mobile home or

3-20 commercial coach in which the dealer is the seller or an agent of the

3-21 seller, there is an implied warranty by the dealer that all the essential

3-22 systems are in working order upon the execution of the sale. For the

3-23 purposes of this subsection, the words "as is" or any similar words do not

3-24 constitute a waiver of the implied warranty unless the words specifically

3-25 refer to a specific component of an essential system.

3-26 2. As used in this section, "essential system" means the heating, air-

3-27 conditioning, electrical, plumbing and drainage systems of a

3-28 manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach.

3-29 Sec. 8. The administrator shall prescribe, by regulation, the form of

3-30 the contract that must be used for the sale of a manufactured home,

3-31 mobile home or commercial coach.

3-32 Sec. 9. 1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, a dealer

3-33 shall not obtain or attempt to obtain the signature of a buyer on a

3-34 contract for the sale or exchange of an interest in a mobile home,

3-35 manufactured home or commercial coach if any of the essential

3-36 provisions of the contract are not set forth in the contract.

3-37 2. The dealer may insert:

3-38 (a) The identification number or identifying marks of a manufactured

3-39 home, mobile home or commercial coach; and

4-1 (b) The date the first installment payment for the sale or exchange is

4-2 due from the buyer,

4-3 into the blank spaces of a contract after the contract has been signed by a

4-4 buyer if the manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach was

4-5 not delivered to the buyer on the date the contract was executed.

4-6 3. The administrator shall prescribe, by regulation, the essential

4-7 provisions of a contract.

4-8 Sec. 10. NRS 489.031 is hereby amended to read as follows:

4-9 489.031 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires,

4-10 the words and terms defined in NRS 489.036 to 489.155, inclusive, and

4-11 sections 2 and 3 of this act have the meanings ascribed to them in those

4-12 sections.

4-13 Sec. 11. NRS 489.076 is hereby amended to read as follows:

4-14 489.076 1. "Dealer" means any person who:

4-15 (a) For compensation, money or any other [things] thing of value, sells,

4-16 exchanges, buys or offers for sale, negotiates or attempts to negotiate a sale

4-17 or exchange of an interest in a manufactured home, mobile home or

4-18 commercial coach subject to the requirements of this chapter, or induces or

4-19 attempts to induce any person to buy or exchange an interest in a

4-20 manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach;

4-21 (b) For compensation, money or any other thing of value, leases or

4-22 rents, offers for lease or rental, negotiates or attempts to negotiate the

4-23 lease or rental of an interest in a manufactured home, mobile home or

4-24 commercial coach subject to the requirements of this chapter, or induces

4-25 or attempts to induce any person to lease or rent an interest in a

4-26 manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach;

4-27 (c) Receives or expects to receive a commission, money, brokerage

4-28 fees, profit or any other thing of value from either the seller or purchaser of

4-29 any manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach;

4-30 [(c)] (d) Is engaged wholly or in part in the business of [selling] :

4-31 (1) Selling, renting or leasing manufactured homes, mobile homes or

4-32 commercial coaches [, or buying] ;

4-33 (2) Buying or taking [them] manufactured homes, mobile homes or

4-34 commercial coaches in trade for the purpose of resale, selling, or offering

4-35 them for sale or consignment to be sold [, or otherwise] ;

4-36 (3) Buying or taking manufactured homes, mobile homes or

4-37 commercial coaches in trade to rent, lease or offer them for rent or lease;

4-38 or

4-39 (4) Otherwise dealing in manufactured homes, mobile homes or

4-40 commercial coaches; or

4-41 [(d)] (e) Acts as a repossessor or liquidator concerning manufactured

4-42 homes, mobile homes or commercial coaches,

4-43 whether or not they are owned by such persons.

5-1 2. The term does not include:

5-2 (a) Receivers, trustees, administrators, executors, guardians or other

5-3 persons appointed by or acting under the order of any court;

5-4 (b) Public officers while performing their official duties;

5-5 (c) Banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, thrift companies

5-6 or other financial institutions proceeding as repossessors or liquidators of

5-7 their own security; [or]

5-8 (d) A person who rents or leases his manufactured home, mobile

5-9 home or commercial coach; or

5-10 (e) An owner selling his private residence.

5-11 Sec. 12. NRS 489.137 is hereby amended to read as follows:

5-12 489.137 "Salesman" means any person employed by a dealer or

5-13 rebuilder, under any form of contract or arrangement to sell, rent, lease,

5-14 exchange [,] or buy, or offer for sale, rental, lease or exchange , an interest

5-15 in a manufactured home, mobile home or commercial coach to any person,

5-16 and who receives or expects to receive a commission, fee or any other

5-17 consideration from his employer.

5-18 Sec. 13. NRS 489.325 is hereby amended to read as follows:

5-19 489.325 1. The administrator may adopt regulations which provide

5-20 for the creation of a subclass of licensure for servicemen. A person

5-21 licensed as a limited serviceman pursuant to this section must be limited in

5-22 the scope of the work he may perform to installation or repair in one of the

5-23 following categories:

5-24 (a) Awnings, roofing or skirting;

5-25 (b) Plumbing; [or]

5-26 (c) Heating and air-conditioning systems; or [electrical]

5-27 (d) Electrical systems.

5-28 2. The administrator shall provide in [such a regulation] those

5-29 regulations for:

5-30 (a) The imposition of reasonable fees for application, examination and

5-31 licensure.

5-32 (b) The creation and administration of a written or oral examination for

5-33 each category of limited licensure.

5-34 (c) Minimum qualifications for such a license, including , without

5-35 limitation, the passage of the applicable examination.

5-36 3. A person who is licensed as a limited serviceman shall comply with

5-37 each statute and regulation which applies to servicemen, including ,

5-38 without limitation, the [required] payment of a fee required pursuant to

5-39 subparagraph 1 of paragraph (c) of subsection 2 of NRS 489.4971.

6-1 Sec. 14. NRS 489.4975 is hereby amended to read as follows:

6-2 489.4975 1. When any person obtains a final judgment in any court

6-3 of competent jurisdiction against any licensee under this chapter in an

6-4 action [described in NRS 489.4973,] for fraud, misrepresentation or

6-5 deceit, the judgment creditor may, upon termination of all proceedings,

6-6 including appeals in connection with any judgment, file a verified petition

6-7 in the court in which the judgment was entered for an order directing

6-8 payment out of the account in the amount of actual damages included in

6-9 the judgment and unpaid, but not more than $25,000 per claimant and the

6-10 liability of the account may not exceed $100,000 for any licensee.

6-11 2. A copy of the petition must be served upon the administrator and an

6-12 affidavit of service filed with the court.

6-13 3. The court shall act upon the petition within 30 days after service

6-14 and, upon the hearing of the petition, the judgment creditor must show

6-15 that:

6-16 (a) He is not the spouse of the judgment debtor, or the personal

6-17 representative of that spouse.

6-18 (b) He has complied with all the requirements of NRS 489.4971 to

6-19 489.4989, inclusive.

6-20 (c) He has obtained a judgment of the kind described in subsection 1,

6-21 stating the amount of the judgment and the amount owing on it at the date

6-22 of the petition.

6-23 (d) A writ of execution has been issued upon the judgment and that no

6-24 assets of the judgment debtor liable to be levied upon in satisfaction of the

6-25 judgment could be found, or that the amount realized on the sale of any of

6-26 them as were found under the execution was insufficient to satisfy the

6-27 judgment, stating the amount so realized and the balance remaining due.

6-28 (e) He and the division have made reasonable searches and inquiries to

6-29 ascertain whether the judgment debtor possesses real or personal property

6-30 or other assets, liable to be sold or applied in satisfaction of the judgment.

6-31 (f) The petition has been filed [no] not more than 1 year after the

6-32 termination of all proceedings, including reviews and appeals, in

6-33 connection with the judgment.

6-34 Sec. 15. NRS 489.715 is hereby amended to read as follows:

6-35 489.715 1. Full disclosure of all terms and conditions of an offer to

6-36 sell, buy or lease a used manufactured home, used mobile home or used

6-37 commercial coach must be set forth in writing and signed by the seller,

6-38 buyer and dealer.

6-39 2. Any offer to purchase or lease a used manufactured home, used

6-40 mobile home or used commercial coach must be submitted within 5 days

6-41 after the offer is made to the owner or his authorized agent for approval or

6-42 disapproval. The offer must be in writing and signed and dated by the

6-43 person making the offer and by the dealer.

7-1 3. As used in this section, "authorized agent" does not include a

7-2 dealer or an employee or agent of the dealer.

7-3 Sec. 16. NRS 489.4973 is hereby repealed.

 

7-4 TEXT OF REPEALED SECTION

 

7-5 489.4973 Service of copy of complaint upon administrator after

7-6 action against licensee is commenced. A person who commences a civil

7-7 action against a licensee under this chapter upon grounds of fraud,

7-8 misrepresentation or deceit with reference to any transaction for which a

7-9 license is required under this chapter must, if the cause of action arose on

7-10 or after July 1, 1981, serve a copy of the complaint upon the administrator

7-11 within 30 days after the action is commenced.

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