Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 830 - Rights and Responsibilities of Landlord and Tenant
Section 47a-4. - Terms prohibited in rental agreement.

(a) A rental agreement shall not provide that the tenant: (1) Agrees to waive or forfeit rights or remedies under this chapter and sections 47a-21, 47a-23 to 47a-23b, inclusive, 47a-26 to 47a-26g, inclusive, 47a-35 to 47a-35b, inclusive, 47a-41a, 47a-43 and 47a-46, or under any section of the general statutes or any municipal ordinance unless such section or ordinance expressly states that such rights may be waived; (2) authorizes the landlord to confess judgment on a claim arising out of the rental agreement; (3) agrees to the exculpation or limitation of any liability of the landlord arising under law or to indemnify the landlord for that liability or the costs connected therewith; (4) agrees to waive his right to the interest on the security deposit pursuant to section 47a-21; (5) agrees to permit the landlord to dispossess him without resort to court order; (6) consents to the distraint of his property for rent; (7) agrees to pay the landlord's attorney's fees in excess of fifteen per cent of any judgment against the tenant in any action in which money damages are awarded; (8) agrees to pay a late charge prior to the expiration of the grace period set forth in section 47a-15a or to pay rent in a reduced amount if such rent is paid prior to the expiration of such grace period; or (9) agrees to pay a heat or utilities surcharge if heat or utilities is included in the rental agreement.

(b) A provision prohibited by subsection (a) of this section included in a rental agreement is unenforceable.
(P.A. 76-95, S. 4, 27; 76-435, S. 75, 82; P.A. 77-451, S. 1; P.A. 79-571, S. 9; P.A. 82-274, S. 3; P.A. 87-154, S. 2; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11, S. 37, 70; P.A. 05-56, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 76-435 revised effective date section of P.A. 76-95; P.A. 77-451 substituted “shall” for “may”; P.A. 79-571 revised list of applicable sections and deleted former Subsec. (c) prohibiting rental agreements which would permit receipt of rent for period during which landlord fails to comply with Sec. 47a-7(a); P.A. 82-274 amended Subsec. (a)(7) by restricting the limitation on the amount of attorney's fees to actions in which money damages are awarded; P.A. 87-154 added Subsec. (a)(8) prohibiting a provision whereby a tenant agrees to pay a late charge or to pay rent in a reduced amount prior to the expiration of the statutory grace period; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11 amended Subsec. (a)(4) to correct a statutory reference by replacing Sec. 47a-22 with Sec. 47a-21; P.A. 05-56 added Subsec. (a)(9) prohibiting heat and utilities surcharge clauses in residential leases, effective October 1, 2005, and applicable to rental agreements or renewals of rental agreements signed on or after that date.
Cited. 4 CA 209; 10 CA 527; 32 CA 133.
Former Subsec. (c) must be read so as to provide tenant with remedy for landlord's violation of Sec. 47a-7(a), and therefore tenant was not liable for rent while premises were uninhabitable; uninhabitability of premises excuses withholding of rent. 35 CS 151. Cited. Id., 549; 36 CS 611; 38 CS 341; Id., 393; Id., 683.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes

Connecticut General Statutes

Title 47a - Landlord and Tenant

Chapter 830 - Rights and Responsibilities of Landlord and Tenant

Section 47a-1. - Definitions.

Section 47a-2. - Arrangements exempted from application of title. Applicability of title to mobile manufactured homes and home parks. Transient occupancy in hotel, motel or similar lodging.

Section 47a-3. - Rental agreement: Permissible terms.

Section 47a-3a. - Rental agreement: Payment of rent. Written receipt for cash payment.

Section 47a-3b. - Rental agreement: Term of tenancy in absence of agreement.

Section 47a-3c. - Payment in absence of rental agreement.

Section 47a-3d. (Formerly Sec. 47-22). - Holding over not evidence of new lease. Determination of monthly lease.

Section 47a-3e. - Notice to potential tenant when dwelling unit located in common interest community.

Section 47a-3f. - Rental agreement: Notice re operative fire sprinkler system.

Section 47a-4. - Terms prohibited in rental agreement.

Section 47a-4a. - Effect of failure to comply with section 47a-7.

Section 47a-4b. (Formerly Sec. 53-303g). - Commercial leases. Certain provisions void.

Section 47a-4c. - Landlord prohibited from requiring electronic funds transfer as exclusive form of payment.

Section 47a-5. (Formerly Sec. 47-24a). - Penalty for allowing occupancy without certificate of occupancy.

Section 47a-6. - Identification of landlord.

Section 47a-6a. - Filing in designated municipal office of residential address of nonresident landlord.

Section 47a-6b. - Civil penalties for failure to file residential address of nonresident landlord.

Section 47a-7. - Landlord's responsibilities.

Section 47a-7a. - Landlord and tenant responsibilities re bed bug infestations. Definitions. Notification to landlord. Inspection. Treatment. Liability of landlord. Injunction against tenant.

Section 47a-7b. - Request to change dwelling unit locks when tenant is named as a protected person in a protective or restraining order.

Section 47a-8. (Formerly Sec. 47-24c). - Paint not conforming to standards renders property unfit.

Section 47a-9. - Landlord rules and regulations.

Section 47a-9a. - (Note: This section is effective July 1, 2022.) Prohibitions re discrimination against prospective or existing tenant for conviction related to cannabis possession; possession or consumption of cannabis; drug tests. Exceptions.

Section 47a-10. - Termination of responsibility.

Section 47a-11. - Tenant's responsibilities.

Section 47a-11a. - Abandonment of unit by tenant.

Section 47a-11b. - Abandonment of unit by occupants. Landlord's remedies.

Section 47a-11c. - Breach of rental agreement by tenant. Measure of damages.

Section 47a-11d. - Death of tenant. Landlord's remedies.

Section 47a-11e. - Termination of rental agreement by tenant who is a victim of family violence or sexual assault.

Section 47a-12. - Breach of agreement by landlord. Tenant's remedies.

Section 47a-13. - Failure of landlord to supply essential services. Tenant's remedies.

Section 47a-13a. - Implementation of energy conservation measures by tenant.

Section 47a-13b. - Installation of electric vehicle charging station by tenant.

Section 47a-14. - Damage or destruction of unit. Tenant's remedies.

Section 47a-14a. (Formerly Sec. 19-347k). - Action for private receivership of tenement house. Complaint. Notice of action.

Section 47a-14b. (Formerly Sec. 19-347l). - Tenement receivership: Hearing by referee; judgment; no right to jury trial.

Section 47a-14c. (Formerly Sec. 19-347m). - Tenement receivership: Defense.

Section 47a-14d. (Formerly Sec. 19-347n). - Tenement receivership: Judgment.

Section 47a-14e. (Formerly Sec. 19-347o). - Tenement receivership: Owner's right to collect rent moneys.

Section 47a-14f. (Formerly Sec. 19-347p). - Tenement receivership: Order to remove or remedy conditions in lieu of judgment; application for hearing for judgment.

Section 47a-14g. (Formerly Sec. 19-347q). - Tenement receivership: Judgment and appointment of receiver after failure to comply with order.

Section 47a-14h. - Action by individual tenant to enforce landlord's responsibilities. Payment of rent into court.

Section 47a-15. - Noncompliance by tenant. Remedy of breach by tenant. Landlord's remedies.

Section 47a-15a. - Nonpayment of rent by tenant: Landlord's remedy.

Section 47a-16. - When landlord may enter rented unit.

Section 47a-16a. - Notification by tenant of extended absence. When landlord may enter.

Section 47a-17. - Tenant to occupy only as dwelling unit.

Section 47a-18. - Judicial relief if tenant refuses entry.

Section 47a-18a. - Judicial relief if landlord unlawfully enters.

Section 47a-19. - Rental agreement: Acceptance of rent when overdue.

Section 47a-20. (Formerly Sec. 19-375a). - Retaliatory action by landlord prohibited.

Section 47a-20a. - Actions deemed not retaliatory.

Section 47a-20e. - Protection of tenant in foreclosed property.

Section 47a-20f. - Offer of incentive to tenant in foreclosed property to vacate.