A summary of Connecticut Landlord Tenant Laws based on state law statutes as they apply to residential lease agreements executed between landlords and tenants.
Required Disclosures (by Landlords)
When rental is in a common interest community, landlord must give tenant written notice before signing a lease (Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 47a-3e)
Before the beginning of the tenancy, landlord must disclose the name and address of the person authorized to manage the premises and the person who is authorized to receive all notices, demands and service of process. (Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. §47a-6)
A summary of the code, as prepared by the Consumer Protection Unit of the Attorney General’s office, must be given to tenants at the beginning of the rental term to prevent the tenant from pleading ignorance of the law in legal proceedings.
Security Deposit Limit
If the tenant is under the age of 62, the security deposit may be equivalent of two months rent. If the tenant is 62 or older, the limit is one months rent.
Deadline for Returning Security Deposit
The security deposit must be returned within 30 days after the tenant has surrendered the rental property or within 15 days of receiving the tenant’s forwarding address, whichever is later.
Security Deposit Interest
Interest must either be added to the security deposit annually or credited towards rent (landlord’s option). The interest rate must be equal to the average rate paid on savings deposits by insured commercial banks, as published by the Federal Reserve Board Bulletin, rounded to the nearest 0.1%.
Small Claims Lawsuits
There is no statute limiting the amount of money a tenant can sue a landlord for regarding rental disputes.
Late Fees
A late fee may not be assessed until nine days after rent is due.
Increasing Rent
No notice is required to propose a rent increase unless a prior timeframe was originally agreed upon. Tenants may challenge the increase if it is excessive. It’s wise for lease agreements to address the potential for an increase if any are anticipated. It is illegal to propose more rent to discriminate or retaliate against a resident.
Tenant’s Right to Withhold Rent
If a landlord fails to make timely repairs that affect the health and safety or habitability of the unit, a tenant may either withhold Rent or fix the problem and deduct the amount of repair from the rent. However, the landlord must be informed of the problem and given a reasonable amount of time to take care of it first.
Termination and Eviction
An unconditional notice giving a tenant three days to vacate or face eviction may be used for nonpayment of rent, serious nuisance, violation of the rental agreement, same violation within 6 months relating to health and safety or materially affecting physical premises, rental agreement has terminated (by lapse of time, stipulation, violation of lease, nonpayment of rent after grace period, serious nuisance, occupancy by someone who never had the right to occupy), when summary eviction is justified (refusal to a fair and equitable increase, intent of the landlord to use as a principal residence, removal of the unit from the housing market), domestic or farmworker who does not vacate upon cessation of employment and tenancy.
A cure or quit notice of 15 days should be used for minor lease violations – no right to cure is available for nonpayment or serious nuisance.
Access to Property
Reasonable notice must be given to the tenant in order to enter the property.
Domestic Violence
Protective order may include provision enjoining defendant from entering the family dwelling or dwelling of victim.
Connecticut Lease Agreement
See Connecticut Residential Lease.
Connecticut Landlord-Tenant Law Statutes
Connecticut Gen. Stat. Ann. §§ 47a-1 to 47a-74.