Connecticut HB 5359: AN ACT CONCERNING PROVISIONS IN RESIDENTIAL RENTAL AGREEMENTS.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5359
February Session, 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING PROVISIONS IN RESIDENTIAL RENTAL
AGREEMENTS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 47a-4c of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026, and 2
applicable to rental agreements entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 3
2026): 4
For any lease or rental agreement executed on or after October 1, 5
2013, no landlord of residential real property shall require electronic 6
funds transfer as the exclusive form of payment of rent or a security 7
deposit. For purposes of this section, "electronic funds transfer" means 8
any transfer of funds that is initiated through an electronic terminal, 9
telephone or computer or magnetic tape so as to order, instruct or 10
authorize a financial institution to debit or credit an account but shall 11
not include any transfer originated by check, draft or similar paper 12
instrument. For any lease or rental agreement entered into or renewed 13
on or after October 1, 2026, every landlord of residential real property 14
shall provide at least one method for the payment of rent that can be 15
made by the tenant at no additional fee. 16
Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 47a-4 of the general statutes is 17
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 18
1, 2026, and applicable to rental agreements entered into or renewed on or after 19

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October 1, 2026): 20
(a) A rental agreement shall not provide that the tenant: (1) Agrees to 21
waive or forfeit rights or remedies under this chapter and sections 47a-22
21, 47a-23 to 47a-23b, inclusive, 47a-26 to 47a-26g, inclusive, 47a-35 to 23
47a-35b, inclusive, 47a-41a, 47a-43 and 47a-46, or under any section of 24
the general statutes or any municipal ordinance unless such section or 25
ordinance expressly states that such rights may be waived; (2) 26
authorizes the landlord to confess judgment on a claim arising out of the 27
rental agreement; (3) agrees to the exculpation or limitation of any 28
liability of the landlord arising under law or to indemnify the landlord 29
for that liability or the costs connected therewith; (4) agrees to waive his 30
right to the interest on the security deposit pursuant to section 47a-21; 31
(5) agrees to permit the landlord to dispossess him without resort to 32
court order; (6) consents to the distraint of his property for rent; (7) 33
agrees to pay the landlord's attorney's fees in excess of fifteen per cent 34
of any judgment against the tenant in any action in which money 35
damages are awarded; (8) agrees to pay a late charge prior to the 36
expiration of the grace period set forth in section 47a-15a or to pay rent 37
in a reduced amount if such rent is paid on or prior to the expiration of 38
such grace period; (9) agrees to pay a late charge on rent payments made 39
subsequent to such grace period in an amount exceeding the amounts 40
set forth in section 47a-15a; [or] (10) agrees to pay a heat or utilities 41
surcharge if heat or utilities is included in the rental agreement; (11) 42
agrees to pay an increased rental charge or other specific payment 43
amount for a time period after the expiration of the rental agreement; or 44
(12) for a tenant who is paying a reduced rental rate, agrees to pay a 45
higher rent upon breach of the rental agreement. 46
Sec. 3. Subsections (c) and (d) of section 47a-7d of the 2026 47
supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following is 48
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage and applicable to rental 49
agreements entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2026): 50
(c) Not later than January 1, 2026, the Department of Housing shall 51
publish, on the department's Internet web site, a standardized rental 52

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terms summary form, and, not later than July 1, 2026, the department 53
shall publish, on its Internet web site, an updated version of such form 54
consistent with the provisions of this subsection. Such form shall clearly 55
summarize the key terms of a written rental agreement, including, but 56
not limited to, the term of the rental agreement, the name of the 57
landlord, the point of contact for property management purposes, the 58
name of each tenant and the total periodic rent determined in 59
accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section. Such 60
summary form shall be published and provided in both English and 61
Spanish and, on and after October 1, 2026, include the amount, if any, 62
that the tenant shall be charged in accordance with the provisions of 63
section 47a-15a if the rent is not paid within the grace period provided 64
in said section. 65
(d) On and after April 1, 2026, no landlord shall provide a written 66
rental agreement to any tenant unless such rental