[§481M-8]  Assignee liability and notice of
assignment.  (a)  With respect to a lease-purchase agreement, an assignee
of the rights of the lessor is subject to all claims and defenses of the lessee
against the lessor arising from the lease of property or services,
notwithstanding that the assignee is the holder in due course of a negotiable
instrument issued in violation of the provisions prohibiting certain negotiable
instruments.



(b)  A claim or defense of a lessee specified
in subsection (a) may be asserted against the assignee under this section only
to the extent of the amount owing and paid to the assignee and assignor.



(c)  An agreement may not limit or waive the
claims or defenses of a lessee under this section.



(d)  The lessee is authorized to pay the
original lessor until the lessee receives written notification that the rights
to payment pursuant to a lease-purchase agreement have been assigned to an
assignee and that payment is to be made to the assignee.  A notification that
does not reasonably identify the rights assigned shall be ineffective.  If
requested by the lessee, the assignee shall furnish reasonable proof that the
assignment has been made, and unless the assignee does so, the lessee may pay
the lessor. [L 1997, c 248, pt of §1]