Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16 § 16-262f

Action for receivership of rents and common expenses by electric distribution, gas and telephone companies; petition; hearing; appointment; duties; termination.

In Force
Verified 9/24/2026 · Next check 10/1/2026
effective 9/24/2026ConnecticutRent Regulation

Operative Text

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16 § 16-262f
(a)(1) Upon default of the owner, agent, lessor or manager of a residential dwelling who is billed directly by an electric distribution, gas or telephone company or by a municipal utility for electric or gas utility service furnished to such building, such company or municipal utility or electric supplier providing electric generation services may petition the Superior Court or a judge thereof, for appointment of a receiver of the rents or payments for use and occupancy or common expenses, as defined in section 47-202, for any dwelling for which the owner, agent, lessor or manager is in default. The court or judge shall forthwith issue an order to show cause why a receiver should not be appointed, which shall be served upon the owner, agent, lessor or manager or his agent in a manner most reasonably calculated to give notice to such owner, agent, lessor or manager as determined by such court or judge, including, but not limited to, a posting of such order on the premises in question.

(2) A hearing shall be had on such order no later than seventy-two hours after its issuance or the first court day thereafter. The sole purpose of such a hearing shall be to determine whether there is an amount due and owing between the owner, agent, lessor or manager and the company, electric supplier or municipal utility. The court shall make a determination of any amount due and owing and any amount so determined shall constitute a lien upon the real property of such owner. A certificate of such amount may be recorded in the land records of the town in which such property is located describing the amount of the lien and the name of the party in default. When the amount due and owing has been paid the company, electric supplier or municipality shall issue a certificate discharging the lien and shall file the certificate in the land records of the town in which such lien was recorded.

(3) The receiver appointed by the court shall collect all rents or payments for use and occupancy or common expenses forthcoming from or paid on behalf of the occupants or residents of the building or facility in question in place of the owner, agent, lessor, manager or administrator. The receiver may also petition the court to obtain any remedy available under chapter 906 against such owner, agent, lessor or manager in order to recover amounts due as determined under subdivision (2) of this subsection and continuing charges for such utility service until all such charges and other costs have been paid.

(4) The receiver shall pay the petitioner or other supplier, from such rents or payments for use and occupancy or common expenses for electric, gas, telephone, water or heating oil supplied on and after the date of his appointment. The owner, agent, lessor or manager shall be liable for such reasonable fees and costs determined by the court to be due the receiver, which fees and costs may be recovered from the rents or payments for use and occupancy under the control of the receiver, provided no such fees or costs shall be recovered until after payment for current electric, gas, telephone and water service and heating oil deliveries has been made. The owner, agent, lessor or manager shall be liable to the petitioner for reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred by the petitioner, provided no such fees or costs shall be recovered until after payment for current electric, gas, telephone and water service and heating oil deliveries has been made and after payments of reasonable fees and costs to the receiver. Any moneys from rental payments or payments for use and occupancy or common expenses remaining after payment for current electric, gas, telephone and water service or heating oil deliveries, and after payment for reasonable costs and fees to the receiver, and after payment to the petitioner for reasonable attorney's fees and costs, shall be applied to any arrearage found by the court to be due and owing the company, electric supplier or municipal utility from the owner, agent, lessor or manager for service provided such building. Any moneys remaining thereafter shall be turned over to the owner, agent, lessor or manager. The court may order an accounting to be made at such times as it determines to be just, reasonable, and necessary.

(b) Any receivership established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be terminated by the court upon its finding that the arrearage which was the subject of the original petition has been satisfied, or that all occupants have agreed to assume liability in their own names for prospective service supplied by the petitioner, or that the building has been sold and the new owner has assumed liability for prospective service supplied by the petitioner.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the petitioner from pursuing any other action or remedy at law or equity that it may have against the owner, agent, lessor or manager.

(d) Any owner, agent, lessor or manager who collects or attempts to collect any rent or payment for use and occupancy from any occupant of a building subject to an order appointing a receiver shall be found, after due notice and hearing, to be in contempt of court.

(e) If a proceeding is initiated pursuant to sections 47a-14a to 47a-14h, inclusive, or sections 47a-56 to 47a-56i, inclusive, or if a receiver of rents is appointed pursuant to chapter 735a or pursuant to any other action involving the making of repairs to residential rental property under court supervision, rent or use and occupancy payments shall be made pursuant to such proceeding or action without regard to whether such proceeding or action is initiated before or after a receivership is established under this section, and such proceeding or action shall take priority over a receivership established under this section in regard to expenditure of such rent or use and occupancy payments.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-262f, when a residential building owner or manager falls behind on payments to an electric, gas, or telephone utility, that utility may ask a Connecticut Superior Court to appoint a receiver who steps in to collect rents directly from tenants. The receiver uses those collected funds to pay current and past-due utility bills, receiver fees, and attorney's fees in a specified order, with any remaining money returned to the owner. The receivership ends when the arrearage is paid off, all tenants assume utility liability in their own names, or the building is sold to a new owner who takes on that liability.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on September 24, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers subject to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-262f should be aware that falling behind on utility bills billed directly to the building can trigger a court-supervised receivership with very little lead time — a hearing can occur within 72 hours of the court's order to show cause. Compliant operators generally keep utility accounts current, maintain records of all payments, and respond promptly to any court notices served on or posted at the property. Unpaid arrearages determined by the court become a lien on the real property and may be recorded in the town's land records, so timely resolution of any default is a standard part of responsible property management under this statute.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 16-262f, tenants living in a building placed under receivership should direct rent payments to the court-appointed receiver rather than the owner or manager, and any owner who attempts to collect rent after a receiver is appointed may be held in contempt of court. Tenants also have the option of assuming utility service in their own names, which is one of the conditions that can end the receivership. Tenants who have questions about how a receivership affects their rights or obligations may find it helpful to contact a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office for general information about this 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 September 24, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Sep 24, 2026
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Related Rules

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Purpose

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