Connecticut Renter Reforms under consideration

[Rick Bassett]

Our lawmakers in Hartford are taking aim at landlords with several bills they claim will address housing affordability in the state (HB 6781 & SB 4). The majority of the proposed legislation targets 5 units and above, although mom & pop landlords will be affected by some as well.

It could get a bit more difficult to be a landlord in Connecticut

Some of the highlights:

Requires landlords to give tenants pre-occupancy walkthroughs using a State Generated form to reduce security deposit disputes.

Limits on application fees and allows prospective tenants to submit their own screening reports. Landlords will only be able to charge the cost of screening and must provide the prospective tenant with a copy of the screening report and proof of the cost of screening to get reimbursed. There's a lot of crazy subtext in this part of the proposal but it seems like a service like Zillow screening will benefit the most from this.

Limiting the use of eviction records to 5 years

A ban on most winter-time evictions from Dec. 1 to March 31, and limits on late-charges for rent. The fee limit for late rent would be $5 per day, up to $25, or 5% of the total rent payment.

Increase the amount of taxes paid by large investors who buy up lots of single-family housing and to invest those profits in affordable housing.

-> The proposal to cap rent increases to 4% plus CoL  was in there but it died in committee a few days ago.