(1) If a lender has a requirement that the borrower pay funds into a lender’s security protection provision for the payment of property taxes on property that is the security for the real estate loan agreement, insurance premiums, and similar charges, and there are funds in the account, the lender shall pay the taxes or the amount in the account if less than the taxes due, in time to take advantage of any discount authorized by ORS § 311.505, and all other charges on or before the due dates for payments.

(2)(a) If the lender fails to pay the taxes in accordance with subsection (1) of this section resulting in a loss of discount to the borrower, the lender shall credit the lender’s security protection provision in an amount equal to the amount of discount denied on account of such failure, together with any interest that has accrued on the unpaid property taxes to the date the property taxes are finally paid.

(b) If the failure of the lender to comply with subsection (1) of this section is willful and results in the loss to the borrower of the discount, or if the failure to comply was not willful but upon discovery of the failure to comply and the loss of discount, the lender fails to credit the lender’s security protection provision required by paragraph (a) of this subsection, the borrower shall have a cause of action against the lender to recover an amount equal to 15 times the amount of discount the borrower would have received, together with any interest that accrued on the unpaid property taxes to the date of recovery. The court may award reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party in an action under this section. [1975 c.337 § 11; 1979 c.703 § 15; 1981 c.897 § 18; 1995 c.618 § 48]