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HR 2537 100th Congress House

Consumer Lease and Lease-Purchase Agreement Act

Official title: A bill to improve disclosures to consumers of the terms of consumer leases and lease-purchase agreements, and for other purposes.

Introduced: July 27, 1988 See on congress.gov
Commerce AdvertisingAdvertising and MarketingConsumer creditConsumer education
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Consumer protectionCourts and Civil ProcedureDeceptive advertisingFines (Penalties)LabelingLawyers and legal servicesLeasesLegal fees
This bill died when the 100th Congress ended
It never became law before the 100th Congress (1987–1988) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 15, 1987
Referred to Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Coinage.
May 28, 1987
Referred to House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs.
May 28, 1987
Introduced in House
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 Latest action June 15, 1987

Referred to Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Coinage.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Consumer Lease and Lease-Purchase Agreement Act - Amends the Consumer Credit Protection Act to revise disclosure requirements, including advertisement disclosure requirements, for consumer leases and to establish separate disclosure requirements for lease-purchase agreements. Requires information disclosed pursuant to such requirements to be segregated from all other terms and information provided.

Includes among revised disclosures for consumer leases: (1) the total lease cost; (2) the amount of any required security deposit; (3) statements explaining certain information about the consumer's liability based on the residual value of the property; and (4) a statement referring the consumer to the appropriate lease document for information concerning other possible costs.

Requires the following information to be disclosed for lease-purchase agreements: (1) the number, individual amount, timing, and total amount of payments; (2) a statement that the consumer will not own the property until all payments are made; (3) a statement referring the consumer to the contract for an explanation of other possible costs; (4) a statement that the consumer is responsible for the fair market value of lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed property; (5) a statement indicating whether the property is new or used; (6) a statement of the property's cash price; (7) the total of initial payments paid or required at or before consummation of the agreement or delivery of the property, whichever is later; (8) a clear summary of the terms of the consumer's option to purchase; (9) the identity of the party responsible for maintaining or servicing the property while it is being leased; (10) a brief description of insurance provided or paid for by the lessor; (11) a description of any security interest held or to be retained by the lessor; and (12) the date of the transaction and the identities of lessor and consumer.

Requires each item of property displayed or offered by a lessor to have a tag or label disclosing specified information.

Prohibits certain items from a lease-purchase agreement, including: (1) a confession of judgment; (2) a negotiable instrument; (3) a wage assignment; and (4) a waiver by the consumer of claims or defenses. Specifies provisions such an agreement must contain.

Requires a lessor to provide the consumer a written receipt for each payment made by cash or money order.

Requires that advertisements specify whether the advertised transaction is a lease or a lease-purchase agreement, except certain advertisements in the yellow pages of a telephone book.

Provides that a renegotiation is a new lease or agreement requiring new disclosures. Requires no disclosures for a lease or agreement extension.

Requires lessors to pay consumers' attorney fees only in unsuccessful suits to collect more than the prescribed maximum amount at the end of a lease.

Prescribes civil and criminal penalties for violations and outlines defenses. Authorizes civil actions against lessor assignees only if a violation is apparent on the face of the disclosure statement.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2537: Consumer Lease and Lease-Purchase Agreement Act. 100th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-2537/
MLA
"H.R. 2537: Consumer Lease and Lease-Purchase Agreement Act." 100th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-2537/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2537, 100th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-2537/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2537: Consumer Lease and Lease-Purchase Agreement Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/100-HR-2537/)
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