New York § 341 - 341Restriction on early termination liability

§ 341. 341Restriction on early termination liability

§ 341. Restriction on early termination liability. 1. If an agreement is terminated early and there is no option to purchase the vehicle or the lessee does not exercise any option he or she may have to purchase the vehicle, the early termination obligation of the lessee may not exceed an amount equal to the sum of: (a) any unpaid rental payments that accrued through the date of early termination; (b) any other unpaid charges, other than excess mileage charges, arising from the failure of the lessee to fulfill his or her obligations under the agreement; (c) any official fees and taxes imposed in connection with lease termination; (d) a reasonable disposition fee or, in lieu thereof, the reasonable costs of retaking, storing, preparing for sale and selling the vehicle; (e) the difference, if any, between: (i) the adjusted capitalized cost, and (ii) the sum of all depreciation amounts accrued through the date of early termination, calculated in accordance with the constant yield method or any other generally accepted actuarial method, and the realized value of the vehicle; and (f) an additional early termination charge which is reasonable in light of the anticipated or actual harm caused by the default or early termination, the difficulties of proof of loss and the inconvenience or nonfeasibility of otherwise obtaining an adequate remedy. As an alternative to the constant yield and other generally accepted actuarial methods of determining the depreciation amounts accrued through the date of early termination of a precomputed lease transaction, those amounts may be determined under paragraph (e) of this subdivision by using a retail lease agreement under which the lease charge is calculated on the adjusted capitalized cost for the time outstanding according to a generally accepted actuarial method. 2. This section does not limit or restrict the manner of calculating the early termination liability of a lessee, whether by way of unamortized capitalized cost, discounted present value of remaining rental payments, multiples of monthly payments or otherwise, so long as the early termination liability of the lessee does not exceed that permitted by this section. 3. Any refundable security deposit or advance rental payment held by the holder may be retained by the holder and shall be credited against the early termination obligation of the lessee. 4. There shall be no early termination liability to the lessee if he or she has deceased before the end of such lease.