CT
Connecticut Landlord-Tenant Laws
Security Deposit Amount Limits
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(b)
💰 Limits
- Under 62: 2 months' rent maximum
- 62 And Older: 1 month's rent maximum
- Refund On Turning 62: If tenant turns 62 after paying a deposit exceeding 1 month's rent, landlord must return the excess upon tenant's written request
✅ Key Requirements
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- Under 62 years old: maximum deposit is 2 months' rent
- 62 years old or older: maximum deposit is 1 month's rent
- Landlord must refund the excess if a tenant reaches 62 and requests it in writing
- Deposit does not include first month's rent or a key deposit
- Installment payments permitted for public/senior housing (§ 47a-22a)
Security Deposit Holding Requirements
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(c)
✅ Key Requirements
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- Must be placed in an escrow account at a Connecticut bank or savings institution
- Exempt: natural person landlords holding 3 or fewer deposits
- Deposit remains the tenant's property — cannot be commingled with landlord's funds
- Deposit is exempt from landlord's creditors and not part of landlord's bankruptcy estate
- Landlord must provide tenant written notice of bank name and account within 30 days
Security Deposit Interest Payments
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(i)
✅ Key Requirements
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- Interest rate must be at least 1.5% (or higher if Federal Reserve rate exceeds it)
- Paid annually on the tenancy anniversary date
- Can be cash payment or rent credit — landlord's choice
- Interest forfeited for months where rent is 10+ days delinquent (unless late charge applies instead)
- Willful violation: $100 fine per offense
- +1 more requirements
Security Deposit Return Timeline
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(d)
⏰ Timeline
- 21 days after termination of tenancy (reduced from 30 days by P.A. 23-207)
- 15 days after receiving tenant's forwarding address in writing, whichever is later
- The later of 21 days after termination or 15 days after forwarding address
✅ Key Requirements
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- 21 days after termination of tenancy (updated 2023 — previously 30 days)
- Or 15 days after receiving tenant's forwarding address in writing — whichever is later
- Must include accrued interest with the return
- Must provide itemized written statement of any deductions
- Cannot deduct for normal wear and tear
- +1 more requirements
Permitted Deductions from Security Deposit
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(d)(2)
✅ Key Requirements
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- Deductions must be itemized in a written statement sent to the tenant
- Cannot deduct for normal wear and tear
- Lock change costs are deductible only if tenant failed to pay the cost separately
- Must mail statement with the deposit balance within the return deadline
- Failure to properly itemize or return: tenant can recover double the wrongfully withheld amount
Tenant Remedies for Deposit Violations
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(d)(2), (j), (k)
✅ Key Requirements
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- Double damages for wrongful withholding of deposit
- Double the excess collected plus attorney's fees if deposit exceeds statutory maximum
- Fine up to $100 per offense for willfully failing to pay interest
- Affirmative defense available for landlords with fewer than 4 tenants who paid deposits
- Banking Commissioner may investigate complaints about deposit violations
Eviction for Non-Payment of Rent
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-15a, 47a-23
✅ Key Requirements
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- 9-day mandatory grace period for monthly tenants (4 days for weekly)
- No late fees during grace period
- 3-day Notice to Quit required after grace period expires
- Must serve Notice to Quit by state marshal or leave at unit
- Accepting rent during process waives right to evict unless disclaimer included in notice (§ 47a-23(e))
- +2 more requirements
Eviction for Lease Violations
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-15, 47a-23
✅ Key Requirements
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- Pre-termination notice (§ 47a-15) required — gives tenant 15 days to cure
- Must specifically describe the violation and what is required to fix it
- If tenant cures within 15 days, tenancy continues
- If same or similar violation recurs within 6 months — no cure required, 3-day unconditional notice
- Serious nuisance — no cure required, 3-day notice to quit
- +1 more requirements
Just Cause Protection for Certain Tenants
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23c
✅ Key Requirements
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- Protected tenants (62+, disabled, or household with disabled member) can only be evicted for good cause
- Applies to buildings with 5+ units or mobile home parks
- Landlord must provide written notice of protected tenant rights at lease signing or renewal (effective 2024)
- Notice must be plain-language, one-page, in English and Spanish
- Protections are in addition to standard summary process requirements
Illegal Eviction (Self-Help Prohibited)
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-43, 53a-214
✅ Key Requirements
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- All residential evictions must go through Summary Process (court)
- Only a state marshal can execute a court-ordered eviction
- 24-hour notice to tenant before physical eviction by marshal
- Self-help eviction is both a civil tort and a criminal offense
- Tenant can seek re-entry, damages, and injunctive relief
- +1 more requirements
Landlord Maintenance Obligations (Warranty of Habitability)
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-7
✅ Key Requirements
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- Statutory warranty of habitability — applies to all residential leases
- Cannot be waived by lease (§ 47a-4a)
- Must provide running water, hot water, and heat at all times
- Must comply with all building and housing codes affecting health and safety
- Landlord responsible for bed bug treatment (§ 47a-7a)
- +1 more requirements
Tenant Remedies When Repairs Not Made
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-14a through 47a-14h
✅ Key Requirements
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- Tenant must give landlord written notice specifying the habitability breach
- Must give landlord 15 days to make repairs
- If not repaired, tenant may terminate the lease or go to court
- Court can order rent abatement, damages, or injunctive relief
- Rent withholding is available as a defense in eviction but risky without court approval
- +2 more requirements
Tenant Obligations
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-11
✅ Key Requirements
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- Tenant must comply with all building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety
- Tenant must keep occupied premises as clean and safe as conditions permit
- Tenant must properly dispose of all garbage, rubbish, and waste
- Tenant must keep plumbing fixtures as clean as their condition permits
- Tenant must use all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, AC, and other facilities and appliances reasonably
- +3 more requirements
Retaliation Protections
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-20, 47a-20a, 47a-33
✅ Key Requirements
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- 6-month protection period after any protected activity
- Landlord cannot evict, raise rent, or reduce services during this period
- Presumption of retaliation — landlord bears burden of proving legitimate reason
- Only 4 statutory grounds can rebut the presumption (§ 47a-20a)
- Retaliation is an affirmative defense in eviction proceedings (§ 47a-33)
- +1 more requirements
Late Fees and Grace Periods
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a
✅ Key Requirements
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- 9-day mandatory grace period for monthly tenants — no late fees during this period
- 4-day mandatory grace period for weekly tenants
- Late fee maximum: lesser of $5/day (up to $50) or 5% of delinquent rent
- Late fee must be part of a valid written lease agreement
- No eviction proceedings may begin until after the grace period expires
- +1 more requirements
Rent Increases and Rent Control
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-4e; § 7-148b (Fair Rent Commissions)
✅ Key Requirements
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- No statewide rent cap — but local Fair Rent Commissions can review increases
- 3 months' written notice for annual leases or longer (§ 47a-4e)
- No mid-lease increases unless lease permits
- Tenants can file complaints with local Fair Rent Commission if increase is unreasonable
- Fair Rent Commission can order rent reduction or suspend an increase
Landlord Right of Entry
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-16
✅ Key Requirements
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- Reasonable notice required — typically 24 hours by custom
- Tenant cannot unreasonably refuse entry for legitimate purposes
- Permitted: inspections, repairs, showing unit, agreed services
- No notice needed for genuine emergencies
- Landlord cannot use entry to harass tenant
- +1 more requirements
Lease Requirements and Required Disclosures
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-1 through 47a-6b
✅ Key Requirements
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- Written lease recommended but not required for tenancies under 1 year
- Owner/agent identification must be disclosed before tenancy starts
- Security deposit bank and interest info within 30 days
- Lead paint disclosure for pre-1978 housing
- Cannot require electronic-only rent payment (§ 47a-4c)
- +2 more requirements
Domestic Violence Tenant Protections
Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-11e, 47a-7b
✅ Key Requirements
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- Cannot evict or refuse to renew based on domestic violence victim status
- Lock change available upon tenant request with documentation
- Lock change cost may be charged to tenant or deducted from deposit
- Tenant may terminate lease early with protective order or police report
- Landlord cannot disclose DV victim status to other tenants