Connecticut General Assembly Lowers Population Requirement for Fair Rent Commission

By: Sara Bigman

In a November special session, the Connecticut Legislation voted to amend Connecticut General Statute § 7-148b by lowering the population required for a municipality to establish a Fair Rent Commission from 25,000 residents to 15,000 residents. Practically speaking, this change requires an additional 33 municipalities to establish a Fair Rent Commission.

Fair Rent Commissions are empowered to determine whether a rental charge, or a proposed increase in a rental charge, for a residential unit is excessive. Fair Rent Commissions may consider the following factors:

1. The rents charged for the same number of rooms in other housing accommodations in the same and in other areas of the municipality;
2. The sanitary conditions existing in the housing accommodations in question;
3. The number of bathtubs or showers, flush water closets, kitchen sinks, and lavatory basins available to the occupants thereof;
4. Services, furniture, furnishings, and equipment supplied therein;
5. The size and number of bedrooms contained therein;
6. Repairs necessary to make such accommodations reasonably livable for the occupants accommodated therein;
7. The amount of taxes and overhead expenses, including debt service, thereof;
8. Whether the accommodations are in compliance with the ordinances of the municipality and the general statutes relating to health and safety;
9. The income of the petitioner and the availability of accommodations;
10. The availability of utilities;
11. Damages done to the premises by the tenant, caused by other than ordinary wear and tear;
12. The amount and frequency of increases in rental charges;
13. Whether, and the extent to which, the income from an increase in rental charges has been or will be reinvested in improvements to the accommodations.

See Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-148c.

If you are a landlord of a rental property in a municipality with a population of 15,000 or more, you should consider the above factors when determining a new tenant’s rent or increasing rent for a current tenant, or you might find yourself defending the amount before a Fair Rent Commission.

If you receive a hearing notice from a Fair Rent Commission, please contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how our experienced Connecticut attorneys can assist you.

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