Connecticut Lease Agreement

Required Landlord Disclosures (5)

Connecticut has five disclosures that landlords must provide for tenants to sign before moving in.

The required disclosures are as follows:

1. Lead-Based Paint: Landlords nationwide are required to tell tenants if the property has any lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards if the property was constructed before 1978.

2. Bed Bugs: Landlords must notify tenants if bedbugs are found (§ 47a-7a(c)).

3. Sprinklers: The rental contract needs to specify whether a sprinkler system is in place and when it was last inspected (§ 47a-3f).

4. Landlord’s Identity: The property owner must provide their name and contact information in the lease agreement and a location where tenants may mail important legal documents if applicable (§ 47a-6).

5. Condo Interest Community Disclosure: Landlords must inform tenants in writing if the property is in a common interest community (§ 47a-3e).

Security Deposit Regulations

Maximum Security Deposit Amount: Landlords can charge as much as two months’ rent for tenants below age 62 and a single month’s rent if the tenant exceeds age 62. If the tenant turns 62 while a tenant, the landlord must give them back the security deposit amount in excess of one month’s rent (§ 47a-21b).

Receipt of Deposit: Landlords must send tenants a receipt showing the financial institution holding their security deposit, location, and the total amount (§ 47a-21).

Interest: The security deposit must be held in an escrow account, where it can accrue interest. Landlords must pay the tenant interest on this amount (§ 47a-21h, § 47a-21i).

Deduction Tracking: Landlords have 15 days to provide a list of deductions, if applicable, within 21 days if they have a tenant’s forwarding address. The timeline extends to 21 days if they don’t have the forwarding address (§ 47a-21d(2)).

Returning a Tenant’s Security Deposit: If and once the landlord has a forwarding address, they have 15 days to return the deposit. Otherwise, the landlord has 21 days to return the deposit (§ 47a-21d(2)).

Landlord’s Access to Property

Advance Notice: Connecticut landlords must provide a reasonable amount of notice before entering a property (§ 47a-16).

Immediate Access: No notice is needed if there is an emergency, a court order is in place, or the property has been abandoned (§ 47a-16).

Landlord Harassment: If a landlord fails to notify the tenant about their entry as required by law, their entry could be considered landlord harassment and give a tenant a reason to terminate a lease early (§ 47a-16).

Rent Payment Laws

Grace Period: In Connecticut, a tenant has 9 days to pay rent after the due date before it is considered late (§ 47a-15a).

Late Rent Fees: In Connecticut, a landlord can charge a maximum late fee of $5 per day (up to $50) or 5% of the total rent due (§ 47a-15a(b)).

Tenant’s Right to Withhold Rent: Tenants have the right to withhold rent if there’s a significant repair issue and the landlord has not taken care of it in a reasonable time frame. They can also withhold rent if a fire or related situation occurs where the property undergoes significant damage, assuming they were not at fault (§ 47a-13, § 47a-14).

Breach of Rental Agreement

Missed Rent Payment: If a tenant surpasses the grace period and doesn’t pay rent, the landlord may implement a late fee or send a 3-day notice to quit or pay rent (§ 47a-15a).

Lease Violation: A Connecticut landlord can notify a tenant to quit or fix the issue if the tenant has violated a lease term (§ 47a-23a).

Self-Help Evictions: Self-help evictions are illegal in Connecticut (§ 47a-43). Do not attempt them.

Lease Abandonment: If a tenant moves out of a property before the lease end date, they may need to pay the total amount remaining as defined in the current rental contract. Although, it is important to note that the landlord should attempt to find a new tenant in the meantime (§ 47a-11c).

Ending a Lease

Month-to-Month: A Connecticut tenant and landlord should provide at least 3 days’ notice or up to a 30-day written notice if they intend to terminate a month-to-month lease. It is necessary to view the rental agreement as this time requirement may vary (§ 47a-23).

Fixed-Term: Connecticut tenants can legally break a fixed-term lease before its end date if there has been landlord harassment, domestic violence, or military relocation (§ 47a-11e).

Property Abandonment: If a tenant forgets or chooses not to bring their personal property to their new location, the landlord only has to keep it for 30 days before getting rid of it (§ 47a-11b(d)).

Renewing a Lease

Required Renewals: Connecticut landlords are not required to allow tenants to renew their leases.

Required Notice: Connecticut landlords are recommended to give tenants at least 30 days’ notice that they won’t be renewing a lease. However, in many cases, just 3 days’ notice is sufficient (§ 47a-23).

Rent Control & Stabilization

Rent control and stabilization do not exist at the state level in Connecticut. However, there are Fair Rent Commissions in certain cities with a minimum of 25,000 residents, which may have additional rent laws and prevent landlords from raising rent by “excessive” amounts (§ 7-148b).