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Torrington commission dismisses rent complaint after tenant fails to appear
Summary
The Torrington Fair Rent Commission dismissed complaint Fair Rent case 25-5 for failure to prosecute after the tenant did not appear; the landlord attended and disputed the allegations. The commission also approved prior meeting minutes and scheduled related hearings for September.
The Torrington Fair Rent Commission dismissed complaint case number Fair Rent Commission 25-5 on Aug. 21, 2025, after the tenant identified in the record did not attend the hearing. The landlord, Erica Boyd, attended and told the commission she disputed the written allegations and asked for dismissal.
The dismissal followed a formal motion to open the hearing for case 25-5 and, after the tenant failed to appear, a motion to dismiss for failure to prosecute, which commissioners approved by voice vote. Earlier in the meeting the commission approved minutes from the Feb. 20, 2025 meeting.
Why it matters: The dismissal ends this complaint docketed as 25-5 unless the tenant refiles within applicable deadlines. The commission emphasized that hearings proceed on the evidence presented at the meeting; commissioners said a party’s absence can lead to dismissal.
What commissioners said and did: At the Aug. 21 meeting, the landlord, Erica Boyd, told the commission she had reviewed the written complaint and found it incomplete. “I read through the complaint, and I didn't see an actual complaint. Most of what I find here is fabrication,” Boyd said, adding she had not discussed raising the rent with the tenant. Boyd also described property-condition concerns she said were unrelated to the complaint’s rent claims: “He actually broke the door off my basement. Now I have someone there today…to get it repaired.”
Commission staff described earlier efforts to locate the correct landlord contact after discrepancies in the complaint; staff said assessor records and the lease referenced “37 Whiting Avenue LLC,” while the complaint initially listed a different address, which delayed service of the notice.
The commission opened the hearing and, after finding the tenant absent, approved a motion to dismiss the complaint. A staff member told the attending landlord that a written decision would be prepared in the coming days and sent to the contact information on file.
Other procedural items: Commissioners discussed scheduling related hearings—members agreed they could set hearings for the next regular meeting in September (the commission referenced Sept. 18, 2025 as the regular meeting date) to meet the 45-day timeframe for holding hearings where applicable.
Votes and formal actions recorded at the meeting included approval of the Feb. 20, 2025 minutes and the dismissal of case 25-5 for failure to prosecute. The commission also adjourned the hearing and closed the meeting by voice vote.
What was not decided: The commission did not make a merits ruling on the underlying allegations because the tenant did not appear. The record does not show any award of damages, orders for repair, or other remedial action in the dismissed matter.
Next steps for parties: Staff said the dismissal would be written up and mailed or emailed to the parties; the transcript record indicates the tenant may refile or otherwise contact the commission within applicable procedural deadlines.
