(A) Any nonresident landlords of occupied or vacant residential rental housing property shall be required to file, and to maintain on file, with the Town Planner, or their designee, a registration report.
(B) Nonresident owners or project-based housing providers of residential rental housing property with multiple dwelling units, buildings, or properties, will register each individual dwelling unit. Nonresident landlords will only register one time, but shall be responsible for updating any contact or other information changes related to the owner, building, property, or unit. All contact information, for both the nonresident landlord, agent in charge, controlling participant, individual who exercises day-to-day financial or operational control of such entity, property manager, and who tenants should call for day-to-day operations and maintenance issues, shall be posted at each dwelling in a conspicuous place.
(C) Residential rental housing property is registered with the town when the nonresident landlord of the residential rental housing property completes and submits a registration report, on a form made available by the town, signed under penalty of perjury, to the Town Planner or their designee. The registration must contain the following information:
(1) The current residential address, phone number, and email address (if any) of the nonresident owner or project-based housing provider of such residential rental housing property, if the nonresident owner or project-based housing provider is an individual;
(2) If the nonresident owner or project-based housing provider is a business entity that owns residential rental housing property in the state (corporation, partnership, trust, or other legal entity):
(a) The current residential address, phone number and email address, (if any) of:
(i) The agent in charge of the building; and
(ii) Each person who exercises day-to-day financial or operational control of the residential rental housing property; and
(b) Identifying information of the controlling participants;
(3) A description of the residential rental housing property, including, but not limited to, the street address, unit number, and assessor's parcel number;
(4) The number and address or other description of all dwelling units on the property;
(5) The name and current contact information of the property manager, if any;
(6) Name, address, telephone number, and email address (if any) of the person or entity that a tenant is to contact to request that repairs be made to their rental housing unit, and the contact’s business relationship to the nonresident landlord or agent in charge;
(7) The date, location, and type of housing, building, fire, health, and blight violation(s) and or citation(s) issued for any dwelling unit or residential rental housing property within the past three years; and
(8) Any other information reasonably required by the Town Planner to carry out this chapter.
(D) If such nonresident landlord, controlling participant, agent in charge or an individual who exercises day-to-day financial or operational control of such entity's residential address, phone number or email address changes, notice of the new information shall be provided by such nonresident landlord or agent in charge to the office of the Town Planner, or their designee, not more than 21 days after the date that the address (or other information) change occurred.
(E) The registration requirement established by this chapter shall go into effect January 1, 2025. There shall be a fee of $50, plus $25 for each unit registered. After the initial registration, the nonresident landlord shall be required to register any changes in ownership within 21 days of such change.
(F) Nonresident landlords or agents that fail to register will be in violation of this chapter and assessed a civil penalty as set forth in § 128.07. Nonresident landlords or agents that fail to file any changes in ownership or other required information, shall be in violation of this chapter and assessed a civil penalty as set forth in § 128.07.
(G) If the nonresident landlord or agent in charge fails to file or maintain on file an address as required by this chapter, the address to which the town mails property tax bills for the residential rental housing property shall be deemed to be the nonresident landlord or agent in charge's current address. Such an address may be used for compliance with the provisions of division (H) below.
(H) Proof of service of state or municipal orders relating to maintenance of any such residential rental housing property or dwelling unit, or compliance with state law and local codes concerning such residential rental housing property, directed to the nonresident landlord or agent at the address on file with the town planner, or deemed to be the current address of the nonresident landlord or agent in charge pursuant to division (G) above, shall be sufficient proof of service of notice of such orders in any subsequent criminal or civil action against the nonresident owner, project-based housing provider or agent for failure to comply with the orders. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to limit the validity of any other means of giving notice of such orders that may be used by the state or such municipality.
(I) A nonresident landlord that fails to comply with this chapter shall be deemed to have violated the provisions of Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-6a and committed a violation. It is against the public policy of the town for nonresident landlords to fail to register residential rental housing property, and a violation of this division shall constitute an unfair practice within the meaning of Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-110b.
(J) Nonresident landlords shall not pass registrations fees, fines, penalties, or assessments related to the requirements of this chapter onto tenants through rental increases or other fees.
(Ord. 744, passed 6-18-24)