Section 44-10-200. The arbitration decision.

(1) The arbitration board shall issue the decision in each case to the Lemon Law administration within sixty calendar days of receipt of the request for arbitration:

(a) All decisions shall be written, in a form to be provided by the Lemon Law administration, dated and signed by the arbitrator, and sent by certified mail to the parties;

(b) The date on which the board provides the arbitration decision to the Lemon Law administration shall determine compliance with the sixty day requirement to issue an arbitration decision;

(c) The written decision shall contain findings of fact and conclusions of law as to whether the motor vehicle meets the statutory standards for refund or replacement;

(i) If the consumer prevails and has elected repurchase of the vehicle, the decision shall include the statutory calculations used to determine the monetary award;

(ii) If the consumer prevails and has elected replacement of the vehicle, the decision shall identify or describe a reasonably equivalent replacement vehicle and any refundable incidental costs;

(iii) If the consumer prevails and the manufacturer and the consumer have been represented by counsel, the decision shall include a description of the awarded reasonable costs and attorneys' fees incurred by the consumer in connection with board proceedings.

Reasonable costs and attorneys' fees shall be determined by the arbitrator based on an affidavit of costs and fees prepared by the consumer's attorney and submitted no later than the conclusion of the arbitration hearing. The affidavit may be amended for post-hearing costs and fees. The amended affidavit of costs and fees must be delivered to the manufacturer's designated representative by certified mail or personal service and a copy submitted to the Lemon Law administration by the consumer's attorney within thirty days of the consumer's acceptance of the decision but in no case after a manufacturer's compliance with a decision;

(d) Upon receipt of the board's decision, the Lemon Law administration will distribute it to the parties by certified mail or e-mail if requested by a party.

(2) Upon request of a party, an arbitrator shall make factual findings and modify the offset total where the wear and tear on those portions of the motor home designated, used, or maintained primarily as a mobile dwelling, office, or commercial space is significantly greater or significantly less than that which could be reasonably expected based on the mileage attributable to the consumer's use of the motor home in an arbitration decision awarding repurchase or replacement of a new motor vehicle. An arbitrator will consider the actual amount of time that portions of the motor home were in use as dwelling, office or commercial space. The arbitrator shall not consider wear and tear resulting from:

(a) Defects in materials or workmanship in the manufacture of the motor home including the dwelling, office or commercial space;

(b) Damage due to removal of equipment pursuant to RCW 19.118.095 (1)(a); or

(c) Repairs.

The modification to the reasonable offset for use may not result in the addition or reduction of the offset for use calculation by more than one-third. The modification shall be specified as a percentage for reduction or addition to the offset calculation. The modification to the reasonable offset for use shall apply to the offset calculation at the time of repurchase or replacement of the motor home.

(3)(a) A motor home manufacturer is independently liable for compliance with a decision awarding repurchase or replacement of the motor home if the manufacturer:

(i) Has met or exceeded the reasonable number of attempts to diagnose or repair the vehicle as set forth in RCW 19.118.041 (3)(a) or (b); or

(ii) Is responsible for sixty or more applicable days out of service by reason of diagnosis or repair as set forth in RCW 19.118.041 (3)(c), the motor home manufacturer is independently liable for compliance with a decision awarding repurchase or replacement of the motor home.

(b) If a motor home manufacturer has not met the criteria set forth in (a)(i) and (ii) of this subsection, but has contributed to the combined total of sixty or more days out of service by reason of diagnosis or repair as set forth in RCW 19.118.041 (3)(c), the manufacturer is jointly liable with the other liable motor home manufacturers for compliance with a decision awarding repurchase or replacement of the motor home.

(c) If a motor home manufacturer has met or exceeded the reasonable number of attempts to diagnose or repair the vehicle as set forth in RCW 19.118.041 (3)(a), (b), or (c) and the manufacturer, together with one or more other motor home manufacturers, contributed to a combined total of sixty or more days out of service by reason of diagnosis or repair as set forth in RCW 19.118.041 (3)(c), the motor home manufacturer is jointly and severally liable for compliance with a decision awarding repurchase or replacement of the motor home.

(d) In a decision awarding repurchase or replacement of a motor home, and that allocates compliance liability, an arbitrator will identify the motor home manufacturer's minimum percentage of contribution to compliance with the award. In determining the allocation of liability among jointly liable motor home manufacturers, the arbitrator will consider a motor home manufacturer's contribution to the total number of applicable days out of service as a factor.

(e) When applicable as set forth in RCW 19.118.090(6), the arbitrator must allocate liability for the consumer's costs and attorneys' fees among the liable motor home manufacturers represented by counsel. The arbitrator will specify the liable motor home manufacturer's minimum percentage of contribution to compliance with the award. The motor home manufacturer's minimum percentage of contribution for the consumer's costs and attorneys' fees may be different from the minimum percentage of contribution of the motor home manufacturer's compliance obligation due to other liable motor home manufacturers' lack of representation by counsel.

(f) An arbitration decision must specify that the lack of compliance, late or delayed compliance, or the filing of an appeal by another liable motor home manufacturer will not affect a motor home manufacturer's independent liability for compliance with a decision awarding repurchase or replacement of the motor home.

(g) A motor home manufacturer may present testimony and other evidence regarding the allocation of liability for compliance with arbitration decisions awarding repurchase or replacement of the motor home. If the motor home manufacturers agree amongst themselves to terms for the allocation of liability for compliance obligations, the arbitrator must include the terms in the arbitration decisions awarding repurchase or replacement of the motor home if the terms are consistent with the arbitration decisions, specific, complete and not otherwise contrary to chapter 19.118 RCW.

(4) Included with the copy of the arbitration decision sent to the consumer shall be a form to be completed by the consumer, indicating acceptance or rejection of the decision and general information to the consumer explaining the consumer's right to appeal the decision to superior court. The consumer must return the form to the Lemon Law administration within sixty calendar days from the date of the consumer's receipt of the decision or the decision will be deemed to have been rejected as of the sixty-first day.

(5) The consumer shall have one hundred twenty calendar days from the date of the rejection of the decision to file a petition of appeal in superior court. At the time of filing an appeal, the consumer shall deliver by certified mail or by personal service a conformed copy of the petition to the attorney general.

(6) If the consumer accepts a decision which awards repurchase or replacement, the Lemon Law administration shall send a copy of the form completed by the consumer indicating acceptance to the manufacturer by certified mail or e-mail if requested by the manufacturer and shall include a manufacturer's intent form.

A verification of compliance form shall be sent to the consumer by the Lemon Law administration. The verification of compliance form shall be completed and returned to the Lemon Law administration by the consumer upon the manufacturer's compliance with the decision.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.080(2) and 19.118.061. WSR 10-01-069, § 44-10-200, filed 12/11/09, effective 1/11/10; WSR 02-12-093, § 44-10-200, filed 6/4/02, effective 7/5/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.808(2), 19.118.061, and 1998 c 298 § 6. WSR 00-08-068, § 44-10-200, filed 4/3/00, effective 5/4/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.080 (2) and (7), 19.118.061 and 1995 c 254 § 4. WSR 96-03-155, § 44-10-200, filed 1/24/96, effective 2/24/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.080 and 19.118.090. WSR 90-19-024, § 44-10-200, filed 9/11/90, effective 10/12/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.061, 19.118.080 and 19.118.090. WSR 89-16-024 (Order 89-4), § 44-10-200, filed 7/24/89, effective 8/24/89. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.080 (2) and (7). WSR 88-04-081 (Order 88-2), § 44-10-200, filed 2/3/88.]

RCW 19.118.080(2) and 19.118.061. WSR 10-01-069, § 44-10-200, filed 12/11/09, effective 1/11/10; WSR 02-12-093, § 44-10-200, filed 6/4/02, effective 7/5/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.808(2), 19.118.061, and 1998 c 298 § 6. WSR 00-08-068, § 44-10-200, filed 4/3/00, effective 5/4/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.080 (2) and (7), 19.118.061 and 1995 c 254 § 4. WSR 96-03-155, § 44-10-200, filed 1/24/96, effective 2/24/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.080 and 19.118.090. WSR 90-19-024, § 44-10-200, filed 9/11/90, effective 10/12/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.061, 19.118.080 and 19.118.090. WSR 89-16-024 (Order 89-4), § 44-10-200, filed 7/24/89, effective 8/24/89. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.118.080 (2) and (7). WSR 88-04-081 (Order 88-2), § 44-10-200, filed 2/3/88.