Arizona Laws 32-2197.05. Escrow or trust account; agreement; evidence of completion; financial assurance
A. A developer of a timeshare plan shall deposit in an escrow or trust account in a federally insured depository one hundred per cent of all monies that are received during the purchaser‘s rescission period. The deposit of these monies shall be evidenced by an executed agreement between the escrow or trust account agent and the developer that includes the following provisions:
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 32-2197.05
- Action: includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Commissioner: means the state real estate commissioner. See Arizona Laws 32-2101
- Developer: means either of the following:
(a) Any person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity, other than a sales agent, that creates a timeshare plan or is in the business of selling timeshare interests or employs sales agents to sell timeshare interests. See Arizona Laws 32-2197
- Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Property: includes both real and personal property. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Purchase agreement: means a document that legally obligates a person to sell or buy a timeshare interest. See Arizona Laws 32-2197
- Purchaser: means any person, other than a developer, who, by means of a voluntary transfer, acquires a legal or equitable interest in a timeshare plan other than a security for an obligation. See Arizona Laws 32-2197
- Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
- Timeshare interest: includes either a timeshare estate or a timeshare use. See Arizona Laws 32-2197
- Timeshare plan: means any arrangement, plan or similar device, other than an exchange program, whether by membership agreement, sale, lease, deed, license or right-to-use agreement or by any other means, in which a purchaser, in exchange for consideration, receives ownership rights in or the right to use accommodations for a period of time less than a full year during any given year, but not necessarily for consecutive years. See Arizona Laws 32-2197
- Timeshare property: means one or more accommodations subject to the same timeshare instrument, together with any other property or rights to property appurtenant to those accommodations. See Arizona Laws 32-2197
- Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. Source: OCC
1. Monies may be disbursed to the developer by the escrow or trust account agent from the account only after expiration of the purchaser’s rescission period and in accordance with the purchase agreement, subject to subsection B.
2. If a purchaser cancels the purchase agreement pursuant to the agreement’s terms, the monies shall be paid to the purchaser or paid to the developer if the purchaser’s monies have been previously refunded by the developer.
B. If a developer contracts to sell a timeshare interest and the construction of any timeshare property in which the timeshare interest is located has not been completed, when the rescission period expires the developer shall continue to maintain in an escrow or trust account all monies received by the developer or on the developer’s behalf from the purchaser under a purchase agreement either before or after the rescission period expires. The types of documentation that shall be required for evidence of completion include a certificate of occupancy, a certificate of substantial completion or an equivalent public safety inspection from an agency in the applicable jurisdiction or other evidence of completion acceptable to the commissioner or as provided by rule. Monies shall be released from escrow as follows:
1. If a purchaser properly cancels the purchase agreement pursuant to the agreement’s terms, the monies shall be paid to the purchaser or paid to the developer if the developer has previously refunded the purchaser’s monies.
2. If a purchaser defaults in the performance of the purchaser’s obligations under the purchase agreement, the monies shall be paid to the developer.
3. If the developer defaults in the performance of the developer’s obligations under the purchase agreement, the monies shall be paid to the purchaser.
4. If the monies of a purchaser have not been previously disbursed in accordance with paragraph 2 of this subsection, the monies may be disbursed to the developer by the escrow agent on the issuance of acceptable evidence of completion of construction.
C. In lieu of placing monies in escrow in accordance with this section, the commissioner may accept from the developer a surety bond, irrevocable letter of credit or other financial assurance acceptable to the commissioner or as provided by rule. Any acceptable financial assurance must be in an amount equal to or in excess of the monies that would otherwise be placed in escrow or in an amount equal to or in excess of the cost to complete the incomplete property in which the timeshare interest is located.
D. The developer shall make documents related to the escrow or trust account or escrow or trust obligation available to the commissioner on the commissioner’s request. The developer shall maintain any disputed monies in the escrow account until either of the following occurs:
1. The developer receives a written direction agreed to and signed by all parties.
2. A civil action regarding the monies has been filed, in which case the developer shall deposit the monies with the court of appropriate jurisdiction.