Landlords and Lead Paint
Housing Built Before 1978
Housing built before 1978 may contain lead paint. If you are a landlord, it is important that you know the laws relating to lead in Connecticut.
Landlords have the responsibility to ensure that all painted surfaces remain intact. If landlords need to complete renovations, repairs and/or painting, it is important to follow the state and federal rules relating to lead-based paint.
Landlords are prohibited from:
- Dry scraping or sanding painted surfaces
- Power washing painted surfaces
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP Rule), which requires landlords to take protective measures during renovations, repairs and painting activities. These activities can create hazardous lead dust when surfaces with lead paint are disturbed.
Renovations, Repair and Painting
The RRP Rule requires landlords to hire an EPA RRP-certified renovator to complete renovations and repairs on pre-1978 housing. For more information, a landlord may visit the EPA’s website to locate an EPA RRP-certified renovator, click here.
For more information on hiring an EPA RRP-certified renovator, click here.
If a landlord prefers to complete their own renovations or repairs, they must become an EPA RRP-certified renovator. For more information, click here.
If a landlord believes that an EPA RRP-certified firm and/or renovator is violating the RRP rule, click here to submit a tip or complaint to the
EPA.
Lead Abatement
If a child under the age of 6 is determined to have an elevated blood lead level, the local health department will be required to complete an epidemiological investigation (the completion of a comprehensive lead inspection and child related questionnaire).
Epidemiological Investigation Steps:
- The local health department will contact the child's parents to schedule a comprehensive lead inspection.
- The local health department will conduct a comprehensive lead inspection, which includes testing of all painted surfaces (interior, exterior, and common areas), along with dust, soil and water sampling.
- If lead hazards are discovered, the local health department must issue a lead abatement order to the landlord. This lead abatement order will outline the lead hazards that were discovered during the comprehensive lead inspection and require the landlord to contact the local health department.
- The landlord must post signs at the entry of the home within 2 days of receiving the lead abatement order letter. For a sample of the signage, click here
Lead Abatement Steps:
- The landlord must submit a written lead abatement to the Director of Health upon receipt of the lead abatement order. For a sample lead abatement plan, click here
- The local health department must review and approve the lead abatement plan and notify the landlord that the plan is acceptable as submitted.
- Lead abatement can only begin once the local health department has approved the lead abatement plan.
Post-abatement Steps
- Upon completion of abatement and prior to reoccupancy, the local health department shall complete a visual assessment of the property to ensure that abatement is complete.
- The local health department shall complete clearance dust wipe sampling to ensure that no dust hazard are present.
- Following the above, the local health department shall issue a letter of compliance indicating that lead abatement has been completed satisfactorily.
Resources:
- Lead Paint Safety: A field guide for interim controls in painting and maintenance
- HUD-funded programs that may assist landlord in abating lead hazards
- Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home