Consumers -- Home Improvement Contracts

About Home Improvement Contracts

Connecticut law requires a written contract for every home improvement job.

It must be in writing, including all changes and modifications.
It must include your Contractor Registration (HIC) number.
It must include four dates: the date the contract is signed, the date the
work will begin, the date by which the work will be completed, and the date by which the homeowner may cancel the transaction.
It must include a Notice of the Customer’s Right to Cancel within three
business days after signing the contract.
The Notice must be attached to and made part of the contract, and must be in duplicate. See an example, below.
The Notice contained in the contract must be near the customer’s signature and in substantially the following form:

“You the buyer may cancel this transaction at any time prior to midnight on the third business day after the date of this transaction. See the attached notice of cancellation for an explanation of this right.”

NOTE: Saturday is a legal business day in Connecticut.

Both the contractor and the customer must sign and date the contract.
The contractor must give the customer a completed copy of the contract to keep.

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SAMPLE NOTICE OF CANCELLATION

(Date of Transaction Printed Here)

YOU MAY CANCEL THIS TRANSACTION WITHOUT ANY PENALTY OR OBLIGATION, WITHIN THREE BUSINESS DAYS FROM THE ABOVE DATE.

IF YOU CANCEL, ANY PROPERTY TRADED IN, ANY PAYMENTS MADE BY YOU UNDER THE CONTRACT OR SALE, AND ANY NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENT EXECUTED BY YOU WILL BE RETURNED WITHIN TEN BUSINESS DAYS FOLLOWING RECEIPT BY THE SELLER OF YOUR CANCELLATION NOTICE, AND ANY SECURITY INTEREST OUT OF THE TRANSACTION WILL BE CANCELED.

IF YOU CANCEL, YOU MUST MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE SELLER AT YOUR RESIDENCE, IN SUBSTANTIALLY AS GOOD CONDITION AS WHEN RECEIVED, ANY GOODS DELIVERED TO YOU UNDER THIS CONTRACT OR SALE; OR YOU MAY, IF YOU WISH, COMPLY WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE SELLER REGARDING THE RETURN SHIPMENT OF THE GOODS AT THE SELLER’S EXPENSE
AND RISK. IF YOU DO MAKE THE GOODS AVAILABLE TO THE SELLER AND THE SELLER DOES NOT PICK THEM UP WITHIN TWENTY DAYS OF THE DATE OF THE CANCELLATION, YOU MAY
RETAIN OR DISPOSE OF THE GOODS WITHOUT ANY FURTHER OBLIGATION. IF YOU FAIL TO MAKE THE GOODS AVAILABLE TO THE SELLER, OR IF YOU AGREE TO RETURN THE GOODS TO THE
SELLER AND FAIL TO DO SO, THEN YOU REMAIN LIABLE FOR PERFORMANCE OF ALL OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE CONTRACT.

TO CANCEL THIS TRANSACTION, MAIL OR DELIVER A SIGNED AND DATED COPY OF THIS CANCELLATION NOTICE OR ANY OTHER WRITTEN NOTICE, OR SEND A TELEGRAM TO (Name of
Seller) AT (Address or Seller’s Place of Business) NOT LATER THAN MIDNIGHT OF (Date).

I HEREBY CANCEL THIS TRANSACTION.

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Signed Date