2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 46A. West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act › Article 2. Consumer Credit Protection › §46A-2-102. Assignee Subject to Claims and Defenses

The following provisions shall be applicable to instruments, contracts or other writings, other than negotiable instruments, evidencing an obligation arising from a consumer credit sale or consumer lease, other than a sale or lease primarily for an agricultural purpose: (1) Notwithstanding any term or agreement to the contrary or the provisions of article two, chapter forty-six of this code or section two hundred six, article nine of said chapter forty-six, an assignee of any such instrument, contract or other writing shall take and hold such instrument, contract or other writing subject to all claims and defenses of the buyer or lessee against the seller or lessor arising from that specific consumer credit sale or consumer lease of goods or services but the total of all claims and defenses which may be asserted against the assignee under this subsection or subsection (3) or subsection (4) of this section shall not exceed the amount owing to the assignee at the time of such assignment except (i) as to any claim or defense founded in fraud: Provided, That as to any claim or defense founded in fraud arising on or after July 1, 1990 the total sought shall not exceed the amount of the original obligation under the instrument, contract or other writing and (ii) for any excess charges and penalties recoverable under section one hundred one, article five of this chapter.
(2) For the purpose of determining the amount owing to an assignee of any such instrument, contract or other writing evidencing an obligation of a buyer or lessee arising from a consumer credit sale or consumer lease:
(a) Payments received after the consolidation of two or more consumer credit sales, other than pursuant to a revolving charge account, are deemed to have been first applied to the payment of the sales first made; if the sales consolidated arose from sales made on the same day, payments are deemed to have been first applied to the smaller or smallest sale or sales;
(b) Payments received upon a revolving charge account are deemed to have been first applied to the payment of sales finance charges in the order of their entry to the account and then to the payment of debts in the order in which the entries of the debts are made to the account.
(3) A claim or defense which a buyer or lessee may assert against an assignee of such instrument, contract or other writing under the provisions of this section may be asserted only as a matter of defense to or setoff against a claim by the assignee: Provided, That if a buyer or lessee shall have a claim or defense which could be asserted under the provisions of this section as a matter of defense to or setoff against a claim by the assignee were such assignee to assert such claim against the buyer or lessee, then such buyer or lessee shall have the right to institute and maintain an action or proceeding seeking to obtain the cancellation, in whole or in part, of the indebtedness evidenced by such instrument, contract or other writing or the release, in whole or in part, of any lien upon real or personal property securing the payment thereof: Provided, however, That any claim or defense founded in fraud, lack or failure of consideration or a violation of the provisions of this chapter as specified in section one hundred one, article five of this chapter, may be asserted by a buyer or lessee at any time, subject to the provisions of this code relating to limitation of actions.
(4) Notwithstanding any provisions of this section, an assignee shall be subject to any claim or defense based upon lack or failure of consideration.
(5) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as affecting any buyer's or lessee's right of action, claim or defense which is otherwise provided for in this code or at common law.
(6) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed in any manner as affecting any assignment of any such instrument, contract or other writing, made prior to the operative date of this chapter.
(7) Notwithstanding any provisions of this section, an assignee shall not be subject to any claim or defense arising from or growing out of personal injury or death resulting therefrom or damage to property.