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FAIR RENT COMMISSIONS: CONNECTICUT
The following is summarized from the Connecticut General Assembly Office of
Legislative Research Report #2000-R-0691 (http://www.cga.ct.gov/2000/rpt/olr/htm/2000-r-0691.htm)
WHAT ARE FAIR RENT COMMISSIONS?
Under Connecticut law (CGS § 7-148b) any municipality has the authority to
establish a fair rent commission for the city/town, by an act of the city/town
legislative body. A fair rent commission has the authority to receive and
investigate rent complaints, issue subpoenas, hold hearings, and order landlords
to reduce rents for specific reasons. When a commission finds that rental
housing does not meet the local or state health or safety requirements for
housing, the commission may suspend rent payments until the housing is brought
into compliance. Also, a commission may order a landlord to stop any retaliation
against a tenant who makes a complaint to the commission. A fair rent commission
has this authority only within the boundaries of the city/town that established
it.
DETERMINING EXCESSIVE RENT
Fair Rent Commissions must consider a number of factors when determining
whether a rental charge is excessive to the point of being "harsh and
unconscionable." The factors include:
- rents for comparable units;
- amount and frequency of rent increases;
- sanitary conditions;
- number of bathtubs or showers, toilets, and sinks;
- services, furniture, and furnishings;
- bedroom size and number;
- repairs necessary to make the accommodations livable;
- amount of taxes and overhead expenses, including debt service;
- compliance with state and local health and safety laws and regulations;
- renter's income and housing availability;
- utility availability;
- tenant damage to the premises, other than ordinary wear; and
- the degree to which income from the rent increase will be reinvested in
property improvements.
WHAT CAN A COMMISSION DO?
- After holding a hearing on a complaint, a commission can determine that a
rent increase is excessive and order "rent be limited to such an amount as it
determines to be fair and equitable."
- If the housing in question fails to meet local or state health and safety
requirements, then the commission can order the suspension of rent payments
until the unit meets standards. During the time the rent is not paid to the
landlord, it is paid to the commission to hold in escrow and is subject to any
provisions adopted by the municipality.
- If the commission determines, after holding a hearing, that a landlord has
retaliated in any way against a tenant who has complained to it, the
commission can order the landlord to cease the retaliation.
TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
Search by program name: Fair Rent Commission
(NOTE: Not all cities/towns have established a Fair Rent Commission)
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SOURCE: Connecticut General Assembly Office of Legislative Research Report #2000-R-0691
PREPARED BY: 211/tb
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: December2009
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