Sec. 42-135a. Notice in sales agreement. Notice of cancellation. Duties of seller. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 42-135a. Notice in sales agreement. Notice of cancellation. Duties of seller. No agreement in a home solicitation sale shall be effective against the buyer if it is not signed and dated by the buyer or if the seller shall:

      (1) Fail to furnish the buyer with a fully completed receipt or copy of all contracts and documents pertaining to such sale at the time of its execution, which contract shall be in the same language as that principally used in the oral sales presentation and which shall show the date of the transaction and shall contain the name and address of the seller, and in immediate proximity to the space reserved in the contract for the signature of the buyer, or on the front page of the receipt if a contract is not used, and in boldface type of a minimum size of ten points, a statement in substantially the following form:

      YOU, THE BUYER, MAY CANCEL THIS TRANSACTION AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT OF THE THIRD BUSINESS DAY AFTER THE DATE OF THIS TRANSACTION. SEE THE ATTACHED NOTICE OF CANCELLATION FORM FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THIS RIGHT.

      (2) Fail to furnish each buyer, at the time such buyer signs the home solicitation sales contract or otherwise agrees to buy consumer goods or services from the seller, a completed form in duplicate, captioned "NOTICE OF CANCELLATION", which shall be attached to the contract or receipt and easily detachable, and which shall contain in ten-point boldface type the following information and statements in the same language as that used in the contract:

NOTICE OF CANCELLATION

.... (Date of Transaction)

      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 ARISING OUT OF THE TRANSACTION WILL BE CANCELLED.

      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 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 of Seller's Place of Business) NOT LATER THAN MIDNIGHT OF .... (Date)

      I HEREBY CANCEL THIS TRANSACTION.

.... (Date)

.... (Buyer's Signature)

      (3) Fail, before furnishing copies of the "Notice of Cancellation" to the buyer, to complete both copies by entering the name of the seller, the address of the seller's place of business, the date of the transaction, and the date, not earlier than the third business day following the date of the transaction, by which the buyer may give notice of cancellation.

      (4) Include in any home solicitation sale contract or receipt any confession of judgment or any waiver of any of the rights to which the buyer is entitled under this chapter, including specifically such buyer's right to cancel the sale in accordance with the provisions of this section.

      (5) Fail to inform each buyer, orally, at the time such buyer signs the contract or purchases the goods or services, of such buyer's right to cancel.

      (6) Misrepresent in any manner the buyer's right to cancel.

      (7) Fail or refuse to honor any valid notice of cancellation by a buyer and within ten business days after the receipt of such notice, to (A) refund all payments made under the contract or sale; (B) return any goods or property traded in, in substantially as good condition as when received by the seller; (C) cancel and return any negotiable instrument executed by the buyer in connection with the contract or sale and take any action necessary or appropriate to terminate promptly any security interest created in the transaction; and (D) cancel and return any contract executed by the buyer in connection with the transaction.

      (8) Negotiate, transfer, sell, or assign any note or other evidence of indebtedness to a finance company or other third party prior to midnight of the fifth business day following the date the contract was signed or the goods or services purchased.

      (9) Fail, within ten business days of receipt of the buyer's notice of cancellation, to notify such buyer whether the seller intends to repossess or to abandon any shipped or delivered goods.

      (P.A. 76-165, S. 2, 8; P.A. 78-331, S. 36, 58; P.A. 03-167, S. 4.)

      History: P.A. 78-331 made technical correction; P.A. 03-167 replaced reference to agreement of the buyer with reference to home solicitation sale being effective against the buyer and made technical changes for the purpose of gender neutrality.

      Cited. 215 C. 336. Cited. 224 C. 231. Cited. 232 C. 666.

      Cited. 18 CA 463; Id., 581. Cited. 27 CA 162. Cited 33 CA 294. Cited. 38 CA 420.

      Cited. 36 CS 213; Id., 271.

      Subdiv. (1):

      Cited. 36 CS 506.

      Subdiv. (2):

      Cited. 36 CS 506.