Southington, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 33 (2026) § 33-5
Decisions (Southington Fair Rent Commission)
Operative Text
A. The Commission shall render its decision at the same meeting at which the hearing on the complaint is completed or within 30 days following such date, unless impracticable. In accordance with the state Freedom of Information Act, both the hearing itself and the deliberation by the Commission shall be open to observation by the public. Until a decision on the complaint is made by the Commission, the tenant's liability shall be for the amount of the last rent prior to the increase complained of or, if there is no such increase, the last agreed-upon rent. B. Decisions of the Commission shall be by a majority vote at a meeting where a quorum is present and subject to the provisions of § 33-1B of this chapter. C. If the Commission determines after a hearing that the rental charge or proposed increase in the rental charge for any housing accommodation is so excessive, based on the standards and criteria set forth in § 33-3 , as to be harsh and unconscionable, it may order that the rent be limited to such an amount as it determines to be fair and equitable, effective the month in which the tenant filed the complaint. A Commission's orders may include, but are not limited to, a reduction in a rental charge or proposed rent increase; a delay in an increased rental charge until specified conditions, such as compliance with municipal code enforcement orders, have been satisfied; or a phase-in of an increase in a rental charge, not to exceed a fair and equitable rent, in stages over a period of time. Commission orders shall be effective for up to one year from the date of issuance, unless the Commission otherwise orders. D. If the Commission determines after a hearing that a housing accommodation fails to comply with any municipal ordinance or state statute or regulation relating to health and safety, the Commission may order the suspension or reduction of further payment of rent by the tenant until such time as the landlord makes the necessary changes, repairs or installations so as to bring the housing accommodation into compliance with such laws, statutes, or regulations. If the Commission's order constitutes a complete suspension of all rent, the rent during such period shall be paid to the Commission to be held in escrow subject to such ordinances or provisions as may be adopted by the Town. Upon the landlord's full compliance with such ordinance, statute or regulation for which payments were made into such escrow, the Commission shall determine after hearing such distribution of the escrowed funds as it deems appropriate. E. If the Commission makes a determination that a complaint does not meet the standard of harsh and unconscionable, nothing in this chapter shall affect the respective tenant's obligations to his/her/its landlord.
Southington, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 33 § 33-5 establishes how the town's Rent Commission issues decisions on rent complaints. The Commission must decide at the same meeting as the hearing or within 30 days, with both the hearing and deliberations open to the public. While a complaint is pending, a tenant's rent obligation is frozen at the pre-increase amount. If the Commission finds a rent increase harsh and unconscionable, it can cap, reduce, phase in, or delay the rent; if a housing unit fails health and safety standards, it can suspend or reduce rent payments and hold funds in escrow until the landlord achieves compliance.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 33-5, a compliant property owner generally ensures that any rental property meets all applicable municipal ordinances and state health and safety standards before seeking a rent increase, since the Commission can suspend rent collection entirely and place payments in escrow if violations are found. Operators typically maintain documentation showing that conditions cited in any code-enforcement orders have been resolved, because the Commission may condition a rent increase on that compliance. Orders issued under this section can remain in effect for up to one year, so landlords generally track those deadlines and any escrow distributions that follow a finding of full compliance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 33-5 gives tenants in Southington a formal process through which the Rent Commission can roll back, delay, or phase in a rent increase found to be harsh and unconscionable, with any reduction effective back to the month the complaint was filed. If a housing unit has health or safety violations, the same provision allows the Commission to order that rent payments be suspended or reduced and held in escrow rather than paid to the landlord until repairs are made. Tenants who believe a rent increase or housing condition may trigger these protections can contact the Southington Rent Commission directly, review the standards in § 33-3, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization to better understand the complaint process.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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