Section 19-205 - Warranty claims. - Maryland Statutes

§ 19-205. Warranty claims.
 

(a)  In general.-  

(1) When a supplier and a dealer enter into a contract, the supplier shall pay a warranty claim made by the dealer for warranty parts or service within 30 days after its approval. 

(2) The supplier shall approve or disapprove a warranty claim within 30 days after its receipt. 

(3) If a claim is disapproved, the manufacturer, wholesaler, or distributor shall notify the dealer within 30 days stating the specific grounds on which the disapproval is based. 

(4) If a claim is not specifically disapproved in writing within 30 days after its receipt, the claim shall be considered approved and payment must follow within 30 days. 

(b)  Indemnification for costs of legal proceedings.- When a supplier and a dealer enter into a contract, the supplier shall indemnify and hold harmless the dealer against any judgment for damages or a settlement agreed to by the supplier, including court costs and reasonable attorney's fees, arising out of a complaint, claim, or lawsuit including negligence, strict liability, misrepresentation, breach of warranty, or rescission of the sale, to the extent the judgment or settlement relates to the manufacture, assembly, or design of inventory, or other conduct of the supplier beyond the dealer's control. 

(c)  Claims for warranty work.- If, after termination of a contract, the dealer submits a claim to the manufacturer, wholesaler, or distributor for warranty work performed prior to the effective date of the termination of the contract, the manufacturer, wholesaler, or distributor shall accept or reject the claim within 30 days of receipt of the claim. 

(d)  Interest on unpaid claims.- If a claim is not paid within the time allowed under this section, interest shall accrue at the maximum lawful interest rate. 

(e)  Cost of work by dealer.-  

(1) Warranty work performed by the dealer shall be compensated in accordance with the reasonable and customary amount of time required to complete the work, expressed in hours and fractions. 

(2) The cost of the work shall be computed by multiplying the time required to complete the work by the dealer's established customer hourly retail labor rate. 

(3) The dealer shall inform the manufacturer, wholesaler, or distributor for whom the dealer is performing warranty work of the dealer's established customer hourly retail labor rate before the dealer performs any work. 

(f)  Excluded expenses.- Expenses expressly excluded under the warranty of the manufacturer, wholesaler, or distributor to the customer may not be included or required to be paid for warranty work performed, even if the dealer requests compensation for the work performed. 

(g)  Price of parts.-  

(1) The dealer shall be paid for all parts used by the dealer in performing warranty work. 

(2) Payment shall be in an amount equal to the dealer's net price for the parts, plus a minimum of 15 percent. 

(h)  Adjustment for errors.- The manufacturer, wholesaler, or distributor may adjust compensation for errors discovered during an audit and may adjust claims paid in error. 

(i)  Acceptance of nonstatutory terms.- The dealer shall have the right to accept the reimbursement terms and conditions of the manufacturer, wholesaler, or distributor in lieu of the terms and conditions of this section. 
 

[2005, ch. 433, § 2.]