Deciding to rent or lease a home is a big step. Before you enter into a lease as either a lessee or lessor, take a look at our guide to Connecticut Landlord Tenant Rights.
Landlord Responsibilities
Under Connecticut law, landlords have certain responsibilities to their tenants. These include the duty to address, provide, or maintain the following:
- Dwelling structures
- Lighting in passageways and stairwells
- Plumbing/sanitation
- Water
- HVAC
- Electrical wiring and outlets
- Trash containers
- Bed bugs
Tenants are allowed to make repairs themselves and deduct the cost from any rent due or withhold rent if they file a complaint through the local housing court. Landlords are prohibited from engaging in retaliatory conduct.
Tenant Responsibilities
State law also gives tenants responsibilities to their landlords. The lessee has a duty to:
- Pay rent in a timely manner
- Make small repairs and maintenance
- Inform landlord of damage to the property
- Allow the landlord to enter to make repairs and complete maintenance
- Give notice to the landlord if the tenant will be absent from the premises for an extended amount of time
- Keep fixtures in a clean and sanitary condition
- Not disturb other tenants or neighbors
Security Deposit
Connecticut law allows landlords to collect 1 month of rent for tenants 62 years old or older, or 2 months’ rent for all other tenants as a security deposit. The landlord has 30 days to return the deposit minus deductions or can be held liable for twice the original security deposit amount.
Rent and Fees
Landlords can charge any amount for rent and do not have to give tenants notice before raising the current rent rate. Late fees may be charged after a 9-day grace period, with no limit on the amount of the fee.
Evictions
Landlords can evict tenants for the following reasons:
- Nonpayment of rent
- Lease violation
- No lease or end of lease
- The owner wishes to use the rental unit for themselves
- The owner no longer wishes to rent the unit to anyone and will not reside in it themselves
- Refusal to accept a rent increase
- Illegal activity
Tenants can legally break a lease early in the following circumstances:
- If there is an early termination clause in the lease agreement
- Active military duty
- The unit is uninhabitable
- Lease violation
- Domestic violence
- The tenant is a senior citizen or has a health issue
Tenants who terminate their lease early may still be held liable for the rest of the tenancy’s rent, but the landlord has a duty to mitigate damages by re-renting the premises.
Lease Termination Notice
Connecticut law assigns lease termination notice requirements to both landlords and tenants.
If a landlord chooses to terminate a lease because of non-payment of rent, they must give the tenant a 3-day notice to pay. If the landlord will terminate the lease because of a violation, they should issue a 15-day notice to cure or quit. For no lease or end of lease, the landlord should provide a 3-day notice. If the owner decides they no longer want to use the premises as a rental unit for any reason, they must give the tenant a 3-day notice. Tenants who refuse a rent increase will be given a 3-day notice. If the lease is being terminated for illegal acts, the tenant should be given a 15-day notice.
If a week-to-week or month-to-month tenant wishes to terminate their lease, they must give a 3-day notice.
Relevant State Agencies
Connecticut Department of Housing and Urban Development