How can a lease be terminated in the State of Connecticut?

A written lease for a specified term is terminated at the expiry of the lease period. If there is no written lease, the law treats the tenancy as a month-to-month oral lease. The landlord can terminate the lease by giving a Notice to Quit to terminate the tenancy at the end of the month (or end of the week if the tenancy is week-to-week).

On what grounds can a landlord evict a tenant under Connecticut law?

A landlord can evict a tenant for the following reasons:

(a) holding over after expiry of the lease term;
(b) nonpayment of rent when due or within the grace period;
(c) violation of the terms of the lease or failure by the tenant to fulfill his or her responsibilities under the lease;
(d) nuisance or serious nuisance;
(e) no right or privilege to occupy the premises; or
(f) the right or privilege to occupy has terminated.

A landlord can only evict a tenant through a court action called summary process. The landlord cannot physically evict a tenant. This must be done by a state marshal. A landlord also cannot retaliate against a tenant through eviction, increasing the rent or decreasing services if the tenant has made a complaint to local or government officials about the condition of the premises or a violation by the landlord, or has requested repairs from the landlord, or brought an action against the landlord for violations, or organized or become a member of a tenants' organization.

The foregoing summary is provided for information purposes only and is not to be considered legal or business advice. The information may not be complete, accurate or applicable for any particular situation and should not be relied upon.

[close]