2018 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 20 - Professional and Occupational Licensing, Certification, Title Protection and Registration. Examining Boards
Chapter 392 - Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
Section 20-327b - Residential condition reports. Exemption. Regulations.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, each person who offers residential property in the state for sale, exchange or for lease with option to buy, shall provide a written residential condition report to the prospective purchaser at any time prior to the prospective purchaser’s execution of any binder, contract to purchase, option or lease containing a purchase option. A photocopy, duplicate original, facsimile transmission or other exact reproduction or duplicate of the written residential condition report containing the prospective purchaser’s written receipt shall be attached to any written offer, binder or contract to purchase. A photocopy, duplicate original, facsimile transmission or other exact reproduction or duplicate of the written residential condition report containing the signatures of both seller and purchaser shall be attached to any agreement to purchase the property.

(b) The following shall be exempt from the provisions of this section: (1) Any transfer from one or more co-owners solely to one or more of the co-owners; (2) transfers made to the spouse, mother, father, brother, sister, child, grandparent or grandchild of the transferor where no consideration is paid; (3) transfers pursuant to an order of the court; (4) transfers of newly-constructed residential real property for which an implied warranty is provided under chapter 827; (5) transfers made by executors, administrators, trustees or conservators; (6) transfers by the federal government, any political subdivision thereof or any corporation, institution or quasi-governmental agency chartered by the federal government; (7) transfers by deed in lieu of foreclosure; (8) transfers by the state of Connecticut or any political subdivision thereof; (9) transfers of property which was the subject of a contract or option entered into prior to January 1, 1996; and (10) any transfer of property acquired by a judgment of strict foreclosure or by foreclosure by sale or by a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

(c) The provisions of this section shall apply only to transfers by sale, exchange or lease with option to buy, of residential real property consisting of not less than one nor more than four dwelling units which shall include cooperatives and condominiums, and shall apply to all transfers, with or without the assistance of a licensed real estate broker or salesperson, as defined in section 20-311.

(d) (1) Not later than January 1, 2013, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall, by regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, prescribe the form of the written residential disclosure report required by this section and sections 20-327c to 20-327e, inclusive. The regulations shall provide that the form include information concerning:

(A) Municipal assessments, including, but not limited to, sewer or water charges applicable to the property. Such information shall include: (i) Whether such assessment is in effect and the amount of the assessment; (ii) whether there is an assessment on the property that has not been paid, and if so, the amount of the unpaid assessment; and (iii) to the extent of the seller’s knowledge, whether there is reason to believe that the municipality may impose an assessment in the future;

(B) Leased items on the premises, including, but not limited to, propane fuel tanks, water heaters, major appliances and alarm systems;

(C) (i) Whether the real property is located in a municipally designated village district or municipally designated historic district or has been designated on the National Register of Historic Places, and (ii) a statement that information concerning village districts and historic districts may be obtained from the municipality’s village or historic district commission, if applicable.

(2) Such form of the written residential disclosure report shall contain the following:

(A) A certification by the seller in the following form:

“To the extent of the seller’s knowledge as a property owner, the seller acknowledges that the information contained above is true and accurate for those areas of the property listed. In the event a real estate broker or salesperson is utilized, the seller authorizes the brokers or salespersons to provide the above information to prospective buyers, selling agents or buyers’ agents.

(B) A certification by the buyer in the following form:

“The buyer is urged to carefully inspect the property and, if desired, to have the property inspected by an expert. The buyer understands that there are areas of the property for which the seller has no knowledge and that this disclosure statement does not encompass those areas. The buyer also acknowledges that the buyer has read and received a signed copy of this statement from the seller or seller’s agent.

(C) A statement concerning the responsibility of real estate brokers in the following form:

“This report in no way relieves a real estate broker of the broker’s obligation under the provisions of section 20-328-5a of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies to disclose any material facts. Failure to do so could result in punitive action taken against the broker, such as fines, suspension or revocation of license.”

(D) A statement that any representations made by the seller on the written residential disclosure report shall not constitute a warranty to the buyer.

(E) A statement that the written residential disclosure report is not a substitute for inspections, tests and other methods of determining the physical condition of property.

(F) Information concerning environmental matters such as lead, radon, subsurface sewage disposal, flood hazards and, if the residence is or will be served by well water, as defined in section 21a-150, the results of any water test performed for volatile organic compounds and such other topics as the Commissioner of Consumer Protection may determine would be of interest to a buyer.

(G) A statement that information concerning the residence address of a person convicted of a crime may be available from law enforcement agencies or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and that the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection maintains a site on the Internet listing information about the residence address of persons required to register under section 54-251, 54-252, 54-253 or 54-254, who have so registered.

(H) If the property is located in a common interest community, whether the property is subject to any community or association dues or fees.

(I) Whether, during the seller’s period of ownership, there is or has ever been an underground storage tank located on the property, and, if there is or was, if it has been removed. If such underground storage tank has been removed, such seller shall state when it was removed, who removed it and shall provide any and all written documentation of such removal within the seller’s possession and control.

(J) A statement that the prospective purchaser should consult with the municipal building official in the municipality in which the property is located to confirm that building permits and certificates of occupancy have been issued for work on the property, where applicable.

(K) A statement that the prospective purchaser should have the property inspected by a licensed home inspector.

(L) If the foundation of the property is made of concrete, a statement that the prospective purchaser should have the foundation inspected by a professional engineer licensed pursuant to chapter 391 who is a structural engineer, for deterioration of the foundation due to the presence of pyrrhotite.

(M) A question as to whether the seller has knowledge of any testing or inspection done by a licensed professional related to a foundation on the property.

(N) A question as to whether the seller has knowledge of any repairs related to a foundation on the property.

(O) A question as to whether the seller is aware of any prior or pending litigation, government agency or administrative action, order or lien on the premises related to the release of any hazardous substance.

(P) Whether there are smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors located in a dwelling on the premises, the number of such detectors, whether there have been any problems with such detectors and an explanation of any such problems.

(e) On or after January 1, 1996, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall make available the residential disclosure report prescribed in accordance with the provisions of this section and sections 20-327c to 20-327e, inclusive, to the Division of Real Estate, all municipal town clerks, the Connecticut Association of Realtors, Inc., and any other person or institution that the commissioner believes would aid in the dissemination and distribution of such form. The commissioner shall also cause information concerning such form and the completion of such form to be disseminated in a manner best calculated, in the commissioner’s judgment, to reach members of the public, attorneys and real estate licensees.

(P.A. 95-311, S. 1, 5; P.A. 96-200, S. 1; P.A. 98-10, S. 39; P.A. 00-179; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(c); P.A. 04-144, S. 5; 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 06-81, S. 1; P.A. 07-217, S. 87; P.A. 09-127, S. 1; P.A. 10-5, S. 51; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; P.A. 12-122, S. 1; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 340.)

History: P.A. 95-311 effective January 1, 1996; P.A. 96-200 amended Subsec. (a) re the timing and medium of residential condition reports, amended Subdiv. (10) of Subsec. (b) to require “strict foreclosure”, amended Subsec. (c) to include “cooperatives and condominiums”, and substituted “salesperson” for “salesman”; P.A. 98-10 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b); P.A. 00-179 amended Subsec. (b) to make a technical change for the purpose of gender neutrality and amended Subsec. (d) to add provisions in Subdiv. (1) requiring regulations to provide that the form include information concerning municipal assessments and delete “on or before January 1, 1996”, to add new Subdiv. (2)(G) requiring statement re information on the residence address of a person convicted of a crime, and to make a technical change for the purpose of gender neutrality; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Consumer Protection with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-144 amended Subsec. (d)(2)(F) by requiring form to contain information re flood hazards; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 06-81 amended Subsec. (d)(2)(F) to require disclosure report to contain information on the results of any water test performed for volatile organic compounds if the residence is or will be served by well water; P.A. 07-217 made technical changes in Subsec. (d)(1), effective July 12, 2007; P.A. 09-127 amended Subsec. (d)(1) by adding April 1, 2010, compliance date for regulations, designating existing provisions re municipal assessments as Subpara. (A), adding Subparas. (B) and (C) re disclosure of leased items and historic district designation and statement, and making conforming and technical changes, effective June 19, 2009; P.A. 10-5 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (d), effective May 5, 2010; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Department of Public Safety” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection” in Subsec. (d)(2)(G), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-122 amended Subsec. (d) to change date re adoption of regulations from April 1, 2010, to January 1, 2013, in Subdiv. (1) and, in Subdiv. (2), to add Subparas. (H) to (M) re common interest communities, underground storage tanks, consulting with municipal building official, inspection by licensed home inspector, release of hazardous substance and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, effective July 1, 2012; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 amended Subsec. (d)(1) by adding new Subparas. (L), (M) and (N) re having foundation inspected by professional engineer, question re seller having knowledge of testing or inspection related to foundation and question re seller having knowledge of repairs to foundation, respectively, and redesignating existing Subparas. (L) and (M) as Subparas. (O) and (P), effective October 31, 2017.