Tennessee § 45-15-114 - Twenty-day holding period — Procedure for redemption or failure to redeem — Loss of agreement by pledgor.

§ 45-15-114. Twenty-day holding period — Procedure for redemption or failure to redeem — Loss of agreement by pledgor.

Upon expiration of a property pledge agreement and the final renewal of the agreement, if any, the title pledge lender shall retain possession of the titled personal property and the certificate of title for at least twenty (20) days. If the pledgor fails to redeem the titled personal property and the certificate of title before the lapse of the twenty-day holding period, the pledgor shall thereby forfeit all right, title and interest in and to the titled personal property to the title pledge lender, who shall thereby acquire an absolute right of title to the titled personal property, and the title pledge lender shall have the right and authority to sell or dispose of the unredeemed pledged property. The title pledge lender has, upon default by the pledgor of any obligation pursuant to the title pledge agreement, the right to take possession of the titled personal property. In taking possession, the title pledge lender or the lender's agent may proceed without judicial process if this can be done without breach of the peace; or, if necessary, may proceed by action to obtain judicial process. After taking possession of the titled personal property, the title pledge lender shall retain possession of the titled personal property and the certificate of title for a twenty-day holding period. There shall be no further interest or other fees charged to the pledgor from the commencement of the twenty-day holding period. If, during the twenty-day holding period, the pledgor pays the repossession charge, and redeems the titled personal property and certificate of title, by paying all outstanding principal, interest and fees authorized by this chapter owed by the pledgor to the title pledge lender, the pledgor shall be given possession of the titled personal property and the certificate of title without further charge. If the pledgor fails to redeem the titled personal property and certificate of title during the twenty-day holding period, then the title pledge lender shall have a period of sixty (60) days in which to sell the titled personal property in a commercially reasonable manner. For purposes of this section, “commercially reasonable” is a sale that would be commercially reasonable under title 47, chapter 9, part 6. The proceeds of the commercially reasonable sale shall be applied to the principal, interest and all fees authorized by this chapter owed by the pledgor to the title pledge lender, including the actual direct costs of the sale. Any surplus from the sale of the titled personal property shall be remitted to the pledgor after the sale, and shall not be retained by the title pledge lender. The commissioner shall prescribe by rule the manner in which the title pledge lender shall remit any surplus to the pledgor. If the pledgor loses the title pledge agreement or property pledge agreement or other evidence of the transaction, the pledgor shall not thereby forfeit the right to redeem the pledged property, but may promptly, before the lapse of the redemption date, make affidavit for the loss, describing the pledged property, which affidavit shall, in all respects, replace and be substituted for the lost evidence of the pledge transaction. Acts 1995, ch. 186, § 13; 2005, ch. 440, § 11. Attorney General Opinions. Both title pledge lenders and other secured parties must comply with the applicable statutes governing motor vehicles, OAG 05-111, 2005 Tenn. AG LEXIS 113 (7/12/05).