19.142.060 - Trust account -- Written receipt -- Record of deposits -- Buyers' claims. - Washington Statutes

Trust account — Written receipt — Record of deposits — Buyers' claims.

(1) All moneys paid to a health studio prior to the opening of the facility shall immediately be deposited in a trust account of a federally insured financial institution located in this state. The trust account shall be designated and maintained for the benefit of health studio members. Moneys maintained in the trust account shall be exempt from execution, attachment, or garnishment. A health studio shall not in any way encumber the corpus of the trust account or commingle any other operating funds with trust account funds. Withdrawals from the trust account shall be made no sooner than thirty days after the opening of the entire facility.

     (2) The health studio shall within seven days of the first deposit notify the office of the attorney general in writing, of the name, address, and location of the depository and any subsequent change thereof.

     (3) The health studio shall provide the buyer with a written receipt for the money and shall provide written notice of the name, address, and location of the depository and any subsequent change thereof.

     (4) The health studio shall maintain a record of each trust account deposit, including the name and address of each member whose funds are being deposited, the amount paid and the date of the deposit. Upon request of the attorney general's office, upon five days' notice, such records shall be produced for inspection.

     (5) If prior to the opening of the facility the status of the health studio is transferred to another, any sums in the trust account affected by the transfer shall simultaneously be transferred to an equivalent trust account of the successor, and the successor shall promptly notify the buyer and the office of the attorney general of the transfer and of the name, address, and location of the new depository.

     (6) The buyer's claim to any money under this section is prior to that of any creditor of the health studio, including a trustee in bankruptcy or receiver.

     (7) After the health studio receives a notice of cancellation of the contract, or if the health studio fails to open a facility at the stated date of completion and if the buyer so requests, then the health studio shall provide a refund within thirty days.

[1987 c 317 § 7.]