Eviction notice rules in Connecticut
Nonpayment notice
Two-step: rent must be at least 9 days late, then landlord delivers a 3-day notice to quit (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§47a-15a, 47a-23). The 9-day grace period is mandatory — the notice to quit cannot be delivered before it expires.
Lease-violation notice
Pretermination notice specifying the breach with 15 days to remedy (Conn. Gen. Stat. §47a-15); if a substantially similar act recurs within 6 months, a 3-day notice to quit follows with no further cure opportunity (statute detail partially verified — needs attorney review).
Unconditional quit (no second chance)
Yes — 'serious nuisance' conduct (drug activity, prostitution, weapons offenses on the premises) gets a 3-day notice to quit with no cure opportunity (Conn. Gen. Stat. §47a-15 — unverified detail, needs attorney review).
No-cause / end-of-tenancy notice
30 days' notice to quit for month-to-month termination, with the quit date at the end of the rental period (Conn. Gen. Stat. §47a-23 — unverified detail, needs attorney review). NOTE: expanded 'good cause' protections now apply to buildings with 5+ units (§47a-23c), limiting no-cause non-renewals for covered tenants.
How the notice must be served
Notice to quit must be delivered by a state marshal or other proper officer, personally to each lessee/occupant or left at their place of residence; delivery allowed on any day of the week (Conn. Gen. Stat. §47a-23(c)). Improper service voids the summary process action.
Your right to fix it (cure)
Nonpayment: pay within the 9-day grace period. Lease violations: 15 days to remedy, except serious nuisances and repeat violations within 6 months (no cure).
How days are counted
The notice to quit's quit date must be at least 3 days after service; per the CT Judicial Branch landlord guide, a notice served May 28 must give until June 1. Grace-period mechanics beyond that are <em>reported — confirm with a licensed attorney</em>.
After the notice expires
Landlord files a summary process action (writ, summons, and complaint) in Superior Court (§47a-23a). Tenant does NOT have to leave when notice expires; only a court judgment and execution for possession can remove the tenant.
Court timeline
Complaint returnable 6+ days after service; summary process hearings typically weeks out; contested cases run 1–3 months.
Retaliation & defenses
Retaliatory action prohibited within 6 months after the tenant complains to officials, requests repairs in good faith, files a 47a-14h action, or organizes/joins a tenants' union (§47a-20 — verified via 2025 CT code). Discrimination barred by fair housing law.
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