A lessor shall not charge a lessee for:
(1) Any insurance whether in connection with the transaction or otherwise, except that a charge may be made for property insurance for the rented property if the charge is clearly disclosed as optional and does not exceed five per cent of the rental renewal payment;
(2) In-home collection of a payment unless the lessee has expressly agreed to the fee and the amount of the fee is disclosed. This fee may not exceed five dollars, may not be assessed until after the expiration of the grace periods described in subdivision (3) of this section, may not be assessed more than three times in any six-month period, and may be charged in lieu of, but not in addition to, any allowable late charge;
(3) Late payment of an installment unless the lessee has expressly agreed to the fee and the amount of the fee is disclosed. No such fee shall be assessed on any rental payment that is made within five days after the due date on rent-to-own agreements with monthly renewal dates and within three days after the due date on rent-to-own agreements with renewal dates more frequent than monthly. Thereafter a lessor may assess a late charge not to exceed five per cent of the late renewal payment or five dollars, whichever is less, except that a minimum late charge of one dollar may be assessed. Only one late fee may be assessed upon any delinquent renewal payment, regardless of the period during which it remains in default, and payments, when received, shall first be applied to the most recent payment due. With respect to renewal payments accepted by mail or by store deposit box, no lessor shall assess a late fee for payments which are postmarked or received before the expiration of the applicable grace periods;
(4) Early termination of a rent-to-own agreement or for the return of an item at any point;
(5) Picking up the rented property;
(6) A separate payment in excess of the weekly or monthly rental renewal payment in order to acquire ownership of the rented property;
(7) An application fee or processing fee in excess of ten dollars.
(P.A. 91-162, S. 4, 18.)
See Sec. 1-2a re construction of references to “United States mail”, “postmark” or “registered or certified mail”.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 42 - Business, Selling, Trading and Collection Practices
Chapter 743i - Consumer Rent-to-Own Agreements
Section 42-240. - Definitions.
Section 42-241. - Written agreement. Information which must be disclosed.
Section 42-242. - Prohibited provisions.
Section 42-243. - Lessor prohibited from imposing certain charges upon lessee. Permitted charges.
Section 42-244. - Prohibited provisions void. Agreement not otherwise affected.
Section 42-245. - Liability damage waiver. Fee. Notice. Prohibitions and requirements.
Section 42-246. - Reinstatement of terminated agreement.
Section 42-249. - Lessee's early purchase option.
Section 42-250. - Advertisement of rent-to-own agreements. Disclosure.
Section 42-252. - Lessor's obligations.
Section 42-253. - Action must be brought within three years.