Chapter 707

707.48(3)(c) (c) A purchaser may void a purchase contract until the certificate, whether prepared by the managing entity or time-share owner, is provided and for 5 business days after the certificate is provided or until transfer of the time share, whichever occurs first.

707.48 History History: 1987 a. 399.

707.49 707.49 Deposits; escrow requirement.

707.49(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

707.49(1)(a) (a) “Completion of construction” means that all accommodations of the time-share unit and all buildings, improvements and other facilities of the time-share property, including campground amenities, are available for use in a manner identical in all material respects to the manner portrayed by the time-share instrument, promotional materials, advertising and the time-share disclosure statements.

707.49(1)(b) (b) “Deposit” means any money or property given by a purchaser as earnest money, downpayment or other payment in connection with the purchase of a time share, whether the payment is intended to be applied toward the purchase price or other obligation or returned to the purchaser, but excluding any dues payment.

707.49(1)(c) (c) “Escrow account” means an account established solely for the purposes set forth in this section with a financial institution, as defined in s. 705.01 (3), which is located within this state and the accounts of which are insured by a governmental agency or instrumentality.

707.49(1)(d) (d) “Escrow agent” means any of the following:

707.49(1)(d)1. 1. A savings and loan association, savings bank, bank or trust company located in this state.

707.49(1)(d)2. 2. An attorney who is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin.

707.49(1)(d)3. 3. A real estate broker licensed under ch. 452.

707.49(1)(d)4. 4. A title insurance company authorized to do business in this state.

707.49(2) (2) Escrow agent.

707.49(2)(a) (a) Designation. Except as provided in sub. (4), before the sale of any time shares in a project, the developer shall establish an escrow account and shall designate an escrow agent for the purpose of protecting the deposits of purchasers. All escrow agents shall be independent of the developer, and the developer, any affiliate of the developer or any officer, director, subsidiary or employee of the developer shall not serve as escrow agent.

707.49(2)(b) (b) Duties. An escrow agent designated under par. (a) shall do all of the following:

707.49(2)(b)1. 1. Maintain, in accordance with generally accepted accounting practices, separate books and records for each time share.

707.49(2)(b)2. 2. Maintain the accounts required by this section only in such a manner as to be under the direct supervision and control of the escrow agent.

707.49(2)(b)3. 3. Retain for 5 years all affidavits received under sub. (3) (b).

707.49(2)(b)4. 4. Upon receipt of conflicting demands for the escrowed funds or property, immediately and with the consent of all parties either submit the matter to arbitration or, by interpleader or otherwise, seek an adjudication of the matter in court.

707.49(3) (3) Escrow agreement; release of funds.

707.49(3)(a) (a) Until the deposit may be released from escrow under par. (b), an amount equal to 50 percent of the deposit shall be deposited in an escrow account under an escrow agreement.

707.49(3)(b) (b) The escrow agreement shall provide that the deposit may be released from escrow only as follows:

707.49(3)(b)1. 1. If a purchaser gives a valid notice of cancellation under s. 707.47 (5) or is otherwise entitled to cancel the sale, the deposit shall be returned to the purchaser under s. 707.47 (6).

707.49(3)(b)2. 2. After expiration of the cancellation period under s. 707.47 (2), if the purchaser defaults in the performance of his or her obligations under the contract to purchase, the developer shall provide an affidavit to the escrow agent requesting release of the escrowed deposit and shall provide a copy of the affidavit to the purchaser who has defaulted. The developer’s affidavit shall include all of the following:

707.49(3)(b)2.a. a. A statement that the purchaser has defaulted and that the developer has not defaulted.

707.49(3)(b)2.b. b. A brief explanation of the nature of the default and the date of default.

707.49(3)(b)2.c. c. A statement that the developer is entitled under the contract to the deposit held by the escrow agent.

707.49(3)(b)2.d. d. A statement that the developer has not received from the purchaser any written notice of a dispute between the purchaser and developer or a claim by the purchaser to the escrowed deposit.

707.49(3)(b)3. 3. If no cancellation or default has occurred, the escrow agent may release the escrowed deposit upon presentation by the developer of an affidavit and, if the project is subject to a blanket encumbrance, as defined in s. 707.38 (1), a certified copy of a recorded nondisturbance agreement. The developer’s affidavit shall state that all of the following have occurred:

707.49(3)(b)3.a. a. Expiration of the cancellation period.

707.49(3)(b)3.b. b. Completion of construction of the time-share unit and amenities or, if ownership is not related to a specific unit, completion of construction of sufficient units to provide appropriate use of the completed time-share units by the purchaser.

707.49(3)(b)3.c. c. Completion of the closing.

707.49(3)(b)3.d. d. Execution and recording of a nondisturbance agreement meeting the requirements of s. 707.38 (1m).

707.49(4) (4) Surety bond and other options. Instead of placing deposits in an escrow account, a developer may obtain a surety bond issued by a company authorized to do business in this state or obtain and maintain an irrevocable letter of credit or a similar arrangement, in an amount which at all times is not less than the amount of the deposits otherwise subject to the escrow requirements of this section. The bond, letter of credit or similar arrangement shall be filed with the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection and made payable to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection for the benefit of aggrieved parties.

707.49 History History: 1987 a. 399; 1991 a. 221; 1995 a. 27; 2001 a. 103; 2005 a. 213.

707.50 707.50 Conversion building; tenants’ rights.

707.50(1) (1) Notice of conversion. A developer of a time-share property which includes all or part of a conversion building, and any person in the business of selling real estate for the person’s own account who intends to offer time shares in a time-share property which includes all or part of a conversion building, shall give each residential tenant and residential subtenant in possession of the proposed time-share units 120 days’ prior written notice of the conversion. The notice shall set forth generally the rights of tenants and subtenants under this section and shall be personally delivered to the unit or mailed to the tenant and subtenant at the address of the unit or any other mailing address provided by a tenant.

707.50(1m) (1m) Tenants’ rights.

707.50(1m)(a) (a) A residential tenant or residential subtenant shall not be required to vacate the property during the notice period required under sub. (1) unless the tenancy is properly terminated under s. 704.17 or unless, with respect to a tenancy under a lease, as defined in s. 704.01 (1), the term of the lease expires.

707.50(1m)(b) (b) The terms of a residential tenancy may not be altered during the notice period required under sub. (1).

707.50(1m)(c) (c) Failure to give notice as required by this section is a defense to an action for possession.

707.50(2) (2) Notice of termination. If the notice provided under sub. (1) meets the requirements of s. 704.17 or 704.19, whichever may be applicable, and s. 704.21, the notice constitutes both a notice of conversion and notice of termination of tenancy.

707.50(3) (3) Priority of lease. Nothing in this section permits termination of a lease by a developer in violation of the terms of the lease.

707.50 History History: 1987 a. 399.

707.51 707.51 Protection of campground interests.

707.51(1) (1) Increase in dues payments.

707.51(1)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the total amount of dues payments in any year required to be paid by a campground member may not be increased over the total amount of dues payments required during the previous year by a percentage greater than the percentage increase in the U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, as determined by the U.S. department of labor for the previous year, plus 3 percent.

707.51(1)(b) (b) The limit on a dues payment increase provided in par. (a) does not apply if all of the following occur:

707.51(1)(b)1. 1. The campground operator proposes an increase greater than the limit.

707.51(1)(b)2. 2. The campground operator mails a ballot to each campground member to whom the increase would apply, at the campground member’s last-known mailing address.

707.51(1)(b)3. 3. A majority of the campground members who return ballots approve the increase.

707.51(2) (2) Use of dues payments. Dues payments may not be used for any purposes other than those stated in the campground contract.

707.51(3) (3) Modification of campground rules.

707.51(3)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), with respect to a campground located in this state, the campground operator may not, in any manner that significantly degrades or diminishes the rights of the majority of campground members, adversely modify any campground rules or regulations or adversely modify rights to or the scope or nature of any campground or campground amenity, unless occasioned by unanticipated emergency circumstances, in which case the modifications may be made for a period not to exceed 90 days.

707.51(3)(b) (b) Except as provided in par. (c), a campground operator may modify campground rules or regulations, or rights to or the scope or nature of a campground or campground amenity if all of the following occur:

707.51(3)(b)1. 1. The campground operator proposes a modification.

707.51(3)(b)2. 2. The campground operator mails a ballot to each campground member to whom the modification would apply, at the campground member’s last-known mailing address.

707.51(3)(b)3. 3. A majority of the campground members who return ballots approve the modification.

707.51(3)(c) (c) A campground operator may not under par. (b) terminate a campground contract or suspend a campground member’s right or privilege to use a campground or campground amenities.

707.51 History History: 1987 a. 399.

707.52 707.52 Campgrounds; breach by member.

707.52(1) (1) Termination for breach. A campground operator may not terminate a campground contract because of a campground member’s breach of rules or regulations or terms or conditions of the campground contract, other than terms or conditions for installment payments of the purchase price or for dues payments, unless the campground member has been given at least 30 days’ prior written notice of the breach and an opportunity within that period to cure the breach, and unless the breach constitutes any of the following:

707.52(1)(a) (a) A threat to others or to the property of others.

707.52(1)(b) (b) A repeated violation of rules or regulations or terms or conditions, after notice has been given of a previous breach.

707.52(1)(c) (c) A public nuisance.

707.52(1)(d) (d) An unreasonable infringement upon the rights of other campground members.

707.52(2) (2) Suspension. A campground operator, upon prior written notice, may immediately suspend a campground member’s right or privilege to use campgrounds and campground amenities upon a breach of rules or regulations or terms or conditions under sub. (1) (a) to (d) or upon failure to make installment payments of the purchase price or to make dues payments.

707.52(3) (3) Termination; installment payments. A campground operator may not terminate a campground contract because of a campground member’s failure to make installment payments of the purchase price unless the campground member has been given at least 30 days’ prior written notice of the breach and an opportunity within that period to cure the breach.

707.52(4) (4) Termination; dues payments. A campground operator may not terminate a campground contract because of a campground member’s failure to make dues payments unless the default continues for more than 6 months.

707.52(5) (5) Reinstating a campground contract. A campground operator may reinstate a campground contract that was terminated or suspended for failure to make installment payments of the purchase price or dues payments if the campground member pays all delinquent amounts, together with any interest or penalties specified in the campground contract.

707.52(6) (6) No unreasonable forfeiture. The termination of a campground contract because of a campground member’s breach may not result in an unreasonable forfeiture of the amount of the purchase price already paid. During the first 5 years after a campground contract is signed, the campground operator may not retain a forfeiture, as the result of a campground member’s breach, in an amount which exceeds that portion of the total purchase price which is equal to the percentage of the number of months the campground contract has been in effect during the first 5-year period plus 20 percent of the total purchase price.

707.52 History History: 1987 a. 399.

707.53 707.53 Warranties.

707.53(1) (1) Express warranties of quality.

707.53(1)(a) (a) Express warranties made by any seller of a time share to a purchaser, if relied upon by the purchaser, are created as follows:

707.53(1)(a)1. 1. Any affirmation of fact or promise which relates to the time share, the time-share unit, rights appurtenant to either, area improvements that would directly benefit the time share or the right to use or have the benefit of facilities not located on the time-share unit, creates an express warranty that the time share, the time-share unit and related rights and uses will conform to the affirmation or promise.

707.53(1)(a)2. 2. Any model or description of the physical characteristics of the time-share property, including plans and specifications of or for improvements, creates an express warranty that the time-share property will conform to the model or description.

707.53(1)(a)3. 3. Any description of the quantity or extent of the real estate constituting the time-share property, including plats or surveys, creates an express warranty that the time-share property will conform to the description, subject to customary tolerances.

707.53(1)(a)4. 4. A provision that a purchaser may put a time-share unit only to a specified use is an express warranty that the specified use is lawful.

707.53(1)(b) (b) Neither formal words, such as “warranty” or “guarantee”, nor a specific intention to make a warranty, is necessary to create an express warranty of quality, but a statement purporting to be merely an opinion or commendation of the time share, the time-share unit or the value of either does not create a warranty.

707.53(1)(c) (c) Any transfer of a time share transfers to the purchaser all express warranties of quality made by previous sellers.

707.53(2) (2) Implied warranties of quality.

707.53(2)(a) (a) A developer and any person in the business of selling real estate for the person’s own account impliedly warrants all of the following:

707.53(2)(a)1. 1. That except for reasonable wear and tear a time-share unit will be in at least as good condition at the earlier of the time of the transfer or of the delivery of possession of the time-share unit as it was at the time of contracting.

707.53(2)(a)2. 2. That a time-share unit and any other real property that the time-share owners have a right to use in conjunction with the time-share unit are suitable for the ordinary uses of real estate of its type, and that any improvements made or contracted for by the developer or the person in the business of selling real estate for the person’s own account, or made by any person before transfer, will be all of the following:

707.53(2)(a)2.a. a. Free from defective materials.

707.53(2)(a)2.b. b. Constructed in accordance with applicable law, according to sound engineering and construction standards, and in a workmanlike manner.

707.53(2)(b) (b) In addition to par. (a), a developer impliedly warrants to a purchaser of a time share that an existing use of the time-share unit, continuation of which is contemplated by the parties, does not violate applicable law at the earlier of the time of transfer or of the delivery of possession of the time-share unit.

707.53(2)(c) (c) For purposes of this subsection, improvements made or contracted for by an affiliate of a developer are made or contracted for by the developer.