Connecticut General Statutes 47a-20e – Protection of tenant in foreclosed property
(a) For purposes of this section:
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 47a-20e
- Action: includes recoupment, counterclaim, set-off, cause of action and any other proceeding in which rights are determined, including an action for possession. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-1
- Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
- Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
- Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
- Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
- Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
- Owner: means one or more persons, jointly or severally, in whom is vested (1) all or part of the legal title to property, or (2) all or part of the beneficial ownership and a right to present use and enjoyment of the premises and includes a mortgagee in possession. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-1
- Premises: means a dwelling unit and the structure of which it is a part and facilities and appurtenances therein and grounds, areas and facilities held out for the use of tenants generally or whose use is promised to the tenant. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-1
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
- Rental agreement: means all agreements, written or oral, and valid rules and regulations adopted under section 47a-9 or subsection (d) of section 21-70 embodying the terms and conditions concerning the use and occupancy of a dwelling unit or premises. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-1
- Tenant: means the lessee, sublessee or person entitled under a rental agreement to occupy a dwelling unit or premises to the exclusion of others or as is otherwise defined by law. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-1
(1) “Bona fide tenant” means a tenant who (A) is not the mortgagor or owner of the property, and (B) entered into the rental agreement in an arms-length transaction; and
(2) “Premises”, “rental agreement” and “tenant” have the same meanings as provided in section 47a-1.
(b) Whenever a mortgage or lien of residential real property has been foreclosed and there is a bona fide tenant in possession on the date absolute title to the property vests in the mortgagee, lienholder or successor in interest, any execution of ejectment issued pursuant to section 49-22 against such tenant shall be stayed and no summary process action pursuant to chapter 832 or other action to dispossess such tenant shall be commenced until (1) in the case of a written rental agreement entered into more than sixty days before the commencement of the foreclosure action, the expiration date contained in such rental agreement or sixty days after the date absolute title vests in the mortgagee, lienholder or successor in interest, whichever occurs first, or (2) in the case of a rental agreement other than one described in subdivision (1) of this subsection, thirty days after the date absolute title vests in the mortgagee, lienholder or successor in interest, except that a summary process action or other action to dispossess such tenant may be commenced prior to such date for a reason set forth in section 47a-23 or 47a-31 other than for the reason that the tenant no longer has the right or privilege to occupy the premises as a result of such judgment of foreclosure.