The Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 830 Section 47a-11a and 11b are the rental property laws that dictate how a landlord should handle a tenant who abandons (or breaks) a residential lease agreement:
Landlord to Try and Rent the Property
(a) If the tenant abandons the dwelling unit, the landlord shall make reasonable efforts to rent it at a fair rental in mitigation of damages.
(b) If the landlord fails to use reasonable efforts to rent the dwelling unit at a fair rental, the rental agreement is deemed to be terminated by the landlord as of the date the landlord has notice of the abandonment.
Conn. Gen. Stat. Title 47a Ch 830 Sec 47a-11a.
Landlord Remedies
(a) For the purposes of this section, “abandonment” means the occupants have vacated the premises without notice to the landlord and do not intend to return, which intention may be evidenced by the removal by the occupants or their agent of substantially all of their possessions and personal effects from the premises and either
- (1) nonpayment of rent for more than two months or
- (2) an express statement by the occupants that they do not intend to occupy the premises after a specified date.
Notice of Abandonment
(b) If all the occupants abandon the dwelling unit, the landlord may send notice to each occupant at his last-known address both by regular mail, postage prepaid, and by certified mail, return receipt requested, stating that
- (1) he has reason to believe that the occupant has abandoned the dwelling unit,
- (2) he intends to reenter and take possession of the dwelling unit unless the occupant contacts him within ten days of receipt of the notice,
- (3) if the occupant does not contact him, he intends to remove any possessions and personal effects remaining in the premises and to rerent the premises, and
- (4) if the occupant does not reclaim such possessions and personal effects within thirty days after the notice, they will be disposed of as permitted by this section. The notice shall be in clear and simple language and shall include a telephone number and a mailing address at which the landlord can be contacted. If the notices are returned as undeliverable, or the occupant fails to contact the landlord within ten days of the receipt of the notice, the landlord may reenter and take possession of the dwelling unit, at which time any rental agreement or lease still in effect shall be deemed to be terminated.
Notice to Quit is Not Required
(c) The landlord shall not be required to serve a notice to quit as provided in section 47a-23 and bring a summary process action as provided in section 47a-23a to obtain possession or occupancy of a dwelling unit which has been abandoned. Nothing in this section shall relieve a landlord from complying with the provisions of sections 47a-1 to 47a-20a, inclusive, and sections 47a-23 to 47a-42, inclusive, if the landlord knows, or reasonably should know, that the occupant has not abandoned the dwelling unit.
Tenant Personal Property Must be Kept for 30 Days
(d) The landlord shall inventory any possessions and personal effects of the occupant in the premises and shall remove and keep them for not less than thirty days. The occupant may reclaim such possessions and personal effects from the landlord within said thirty-day period. If the occupant does not reclaim such possessions and personal effects by the end of said thirty-day period, the landlord may dispose of them as he deems appropriate.
(e) No action shall be brought under section 47a-43 against a landlord who takes action in compliance with the provisions of this section.
Conn. Gen. Stat. Title 47a Ch 830 Sec 47a-11b.
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