Connecticut Home Seller Disclosures: What You Must Tell Buyers

The rules come from Connecticut's Uniform Property Condition Disclosure Act, found in Section 20-327b of the Connecticut General Statutes. For residential property with four dwelling units or fewer, the seller must deliver a completed Residential Property Condition Report to the buyer before the buyer signs any binder, purchase contract, option, or lease with an option to purchase. This applies whether or not a real estate agent is involved.

What the report covers

The official state form runs to roughly 65 questions answered yes, no, or unknown, with room for explanations. The categories include:

• General information: how long you have owned and occupied the property, and its age.
• Legal and title matters: encroachments, easements, zoning violations, other parties' rights, and unpaid municipal assessments.
• Structure: foundation, roof, walls, floors, chimney, windows, doors, and any fire or smoke damage.
• Systems: heating, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, hot water, and fuel or oil tanks, including underground storage tanks.
• Water and sewage: public or well water, water quality and testing, and septic system problems.
• Environmental hazards: lead paint, radon, asbestos, mold, pest or termite damage, contaminated soil, and foundation issues such as pyrrhotite, which has its own separate foundation condition report.
• Water and flooding: flood zone status, past water intrusion, and drainage problems.

What if the report is not delivered?

If the seller fails to furnish the report, the buyer is entitled to a $500 credit at closing under Section 20-327c of the statutes. That credit does not, however, excuse a seller from liability for failing to disclose a known defect. The report also does not relieve your real estate broker of their separate duty to disclose material facts. In other words, the $500 rule is not a workaround, it is a penalty on top of the underlying obligation.

Who is exempt

The law exempts certain transfers, including:

• Court-ordered transfers, such as foreclosures.
• Transfers between close family members for no consideration.
• Transfers by estate executors or trustees.

Even when an exemption applies, an experienced agent will still confirm that material facts are handled properly. Silence does not protect a seller or serve a buyer.

How Susan handles disclosures for sellers

Susan walks every selling client through the state form question by question, helping you answer accurately and avoid the two classic errors: guessing instead of checking, and hiding a known issue. Disclosures are a legal document, but they are also a trust document. A clean, honest report is one of the fastest ways to keep a transaction moving to closing without surprises.

For reference, the current state form is published by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, and the underlying statute is Section 20-327b (C.G.S.). Your attorney and broker will confirm the specific requirements that apply to your sale.