Notice to Quit and Summary Process Complaint Package - Connecticut

NOTICE TO QUIT AND SUMMARY PROCESS COMPLAINT PACKAGE — CONNECTICUT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Pre-Notice Compliance Checklist
2. Part A — 15-Day Kapa Pretermination Notice (Lease Violation)
3. Part B — 3-Day Notice to Quit Possession (Nonpayment)
4. Part C — 3-Day Notice to Quit (Lapse of Time / Other Cause)
5. Part D — Return of Service by Authorized Officer
6. Part E — Summary Process Complaint
7. Part F — Court Summary Process Summons (JD-HM-32)
8. Part G — Verification and Certificate of Service
9. Connecticut Practice Notes
10. Sources and References

1. PRE-NOTICE COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST

☐ Confirmed property is residential and subject to Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 830 / 832.
☐ Before using the nonpayment ground, the applicable nine-day grace period (four days for a one-week tenancy), including any five-day extension when the landlord's online payment system prevented payment when due, has expired (§ 47a-15a). If that system prevented payment within the grace period, review the separate restriction on this notice ground in § 47a-23(a)(1)(D). For a mobile manufactured home tenancy, check § 21-83 separately.
☐ For non-rent violations: § 47a-15 Kapa pretermination notice served and 15-day cure period expired.
☐ Tenant's status as a senior (62+) or person with a qualifying disability evaluated; check § 47a-23c just-cause protection for a building or complex with five or more units, a mobile manufactured home park, and any qualifying conversion tenant.
☐ Decided whether to retain the optional § 47a-23(e) use and occupancy disclaimer in the Notice to Quit; if retained, checked its wording and effective date.
☐ Notice to Quit will be served by a proper officer as § 47a-23(c) requires; use the separate summons-service rule for court papers.
☐ Current CT-RTC Right to Counsel Program notice will be attached to every served Notice to Quit and to the summons and complaint (§ 47a-75(f)(2)); attach it to a public or subsidized housing lease-termination notice as well.
☐ No retaliation issue (§ 47a-20 prohibits retaliation for six months following protected activity).
☐ No fair-housing concern (federal FHA; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-64c).
☐ Servicemember (SCRA) status considered.
☐ Federal CARES Act 30-day notice (if covered property).

2. PART A — 15-DAY KAPA PRETERMINATION NOTICE (LEASE VIOLATION)

NOTICE OF MATERIAL NONCOMPLIANCE — 15-DAY RIGHT TO CURE

Pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15

TO: [TENANT NAME(S)]

PREMISES: [________________________________] (street, unit, town, Connecticut, ZIP)

DATE OF NOTICE: [__/__/____]

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that you are in material noncompliance with your rental agreement and/or Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-11 (tenant obligations) in the following specific manner(s):

1. [____________________________________________________________]
2. [____________________________________________________________]
3. [____________________________________________________________]

The acts or omissions described above occurred on or about [__/__/____].

YOU MAY REMEDY (CURE) THE NONCOMPLIANCE WITHIN FIFTEEN (15) DAYS of delivery of this Notice — that is, on or before [__/__/____]. If the noncompliance is remedied within the cure period, the tenancy will continue.

If the noncompliance is NOT remedied within 15 days, the rental agreement will terminate and the Landlord may serve a Notice to Quit and bring a summary process action under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23.

Repeat violation: If substantially the same act or omission for which this Notice is given recurs within six (6) months, the Landlord may terminate the rental agreement without a further right to cure (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15).

Landlord / Agent: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

3. PART B — 3-DAY NOTICE TO QUIT POSSESSION (NONPAYMENT)

NOTICE TO QUIT POSSESSION

Pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23

TO: [TENANT NAME(S)] and all other occupants in possession of:

PREMISES: [________________________________]

DATE OF NOTICE: [__/__/____]

I HEREBY GIVE YOU NOTICE that you are to QUIT POSSESSION OR OCCUPANCY of the above-described premises which you now occupy, on or before [__/__/____] (no fewer than three (3) days from delivery of this Notice), for the following reason:

☐ NONPAYMENT OF RENT in the amount of $[____________] for the rental period(s) [__/__/____] through [__/__/____]. The applicable grace period under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a, including any five-day online-system extension for the affected rental period, expired on [__/__/____]. The landlord's online payment system did not prevent payment within the grace period in a way that excludes this ground under § 47a-23(a)(1)(D).

☐ LAPSE OF TIME — The rental agreement has terminated by its terms / by 30-day notice / by month-to-month termination.

☐ VIOLATION OF RENTAL AGREEMENT — The 15-day cure period under § 47a-15 has expired and the violation has not been cured.

☐ NUISANCE / SERIOUS NUISANCE under § 47a-15 (no cure required for "serious nuisance" defined in § 47a-15).

☐ OTHER: [____________________________________________________________]

OPTIONAL USE AND OCCUPANCY DISCLAIMER (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23(e); remove if not used):

Any payments tendered after the date specified to quit possession or occupancy, or the date of the completion of the pretermination process if that is later, will be accepted for use and occupancy only and not for rent, with full reservation of rights to continue with the eviction action.

TO THE TENANT: If you do not vacate by the date above, the Landlord will commence a summary process action against you in the Superior Court / Housing Session for [________________________________].

LEGAL RIGHTS NOTICE: You may consult with an attorney. If you cannot afford one, call Statewide Legal Services at 1-800-453-3320 to apply for free legal help, or see ctlawhelp.org. Connecticut Legal Services directs applicants to that hotline. If you are a servicemember, you may be entitled to a stay under the SCRA, 50 U.S.C. § 3901 et seq.

REQUIRED ATTACHMENT: Attach the current Connecticut Judicial Branch CT-RTC Right to Counsel Program notice to each copy served.

LANDLORD / AGENT:
Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Telephone: [____________________]
Signature: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

4. PART C — 3-DAY NOTICE TO QUIT (LAPSE OF TIME / OTHER CAUSE)

Use the same form as Part B and check the applicable reason. For "lapse of time" (end of fixed-term lease or month-to-month termination), the Notice to Quit follows expiration of any required tenancy-termination notice.

For senior or disabled tenants protected by § 47a-23c, the Landlord must establish just cause:

☐ Nonpayment of rent
☐ Refusal to agree to a fair and equitable rent increase
☐ Material noncompliance with the rental agreement
☐ Material noncompliance with rules
☐ Material noncompliance with § 47a-11
☐ Permanent removal by the Landlord from the housing rental market
☐ Bona fide intention by the Landlord to use the premises as the Landlord's own principal residence (not available for a conversion tenant where § 47a-23c(b)(2) applies)

Only a ground listed in § 47a-23c(b) may be used for a tenant protected by that section. Ordinary lapse of time and a family member's proposed occupancy are not listed grounds.

5. PART D — RETURN OF SERVICE BY AUTHORIZED OFFICER

RETURN OF SERVICE

STATE OF CONNECTICUT
COUNTY OF [________________________________]

I, [________________________________], a [STATE MARSHAL / CONSTABLE / OTHER AUTHORIZED OFFICER: ____________], certify that on [__/__/____] at [____] ☐ a.m. ☐ p.m., I duly served the foregoing Notice to Quit Possession on [TENANT NAME] in compliance with Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23(c) by:

☐ Personal in-hand service upon the Tenant at the premises
☐ Leaving a true and attested copy at the Tenant's usual place of abode (the premises) per § 52-57
☐ Other (specify): [________________________________]

I am authorized to serve this notice in the capacity stated above.

Authorized Server: [________________________________]
Badge / Commission No. (if applicable): [____________]
Date: [__/__/____]
Fee: $[____________]

6. PART E — SUMMARY PROCESS COMPLAINT

Use the current Connecticut Judicial Branch complaint form for the selected ground: JD-HM-8 for nonpayment of rent or JD-HM-20 for termination by lapse of time. This Part E supplies fillable complaint allegations; select the court's applicable form before filing.

SUPERIOR COURT

☐ HOUSING SESSION at [________________________________]
☐ JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF [________________________________] AT [________________________________]

Docket No. [________________________________]

SUMMARY PROCESS COMPLAINT

(Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23a; see Conn. Practice Book § 17-30 for summary process defaults)

Plaintiff respectfully alleges:

1. Plaintiff is the owner or lessor of the residential premises located at [________________________________], [TOWN], [COUNTY] County, Connecticut [ZIP] (the "Premises").

2. Defendant(s) are in possession of the Premises pursuant to a written / oral rental agreement entered on or about [__/__/____].

3. The agreed monthly rent is $[____________], due on the [____] day of each month.

4. (For Nonpayment) Defendant(s) failed to pay rent due on [__/__/____] in the amount of $[____________]. The applicable nine-day (or four-day weekly) grace period under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a, including any five-day extension for an online payment system failure in this rental period, expired on [__/__/____]. The online system did not prevent payment within the grace period so as to exclude this nonpayment ground under § 47a-23(a)(1)(D).

5. (For Lease Violation) Plaintiff served a Kapa pretermination notice on [__/__/____] (Exhibit A) pursuant to § 47a-15 specifying [________________________________]. The 15-day cure period expired on [__/__/____] without cure.

6. On [__/__/____], Plaintiff caused a Notice to Quit Possession to be served on Defendant(s) by State Marshal [________________________________] pursuant to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23 (Exhibit B). The Notice to Quit directed Defendant(s) to vacate the Premises on or before [__/__/____].

7. The reason(s) stated in the Notice to Quit are: ☐ nonpayment of rent ☐ lapse of time ☐ violation of rental agreement ☐ nuisance / serious nuisance ☐ originally had right to occupy but right has terminated ☐ never had right to occupy.

8. Defendant(s) have failed to vacate and continue in possession of the Premises after the date specified in the Notice to Quit.

9. ☐ Defendant(s) are not protected senior or disabled tenants under § 47a-23c. ☐ Defendant(s) are protected, and Plaintiff has just cause for termination as stated above.

10. ☐ The Premises is NOT a "covered dwelling" under 15 U.S.C. § 9058 (CARES Act). ☐ The Premises is covered, and the required federal 30-day notice was served on [__/__/____].

WHEREFORE, the Plaintiff claims:

A. Immediate possession of the Premises (judgment of possession);
B. Costs of suit;
C. Such other relief in law or equity as is just.

Dated at [________________________________], Connecticut, this [____] day of [________________], 20[____].

THE PLAINTIFF,

By: [________________________________]
Attorney for Plaintiff
Juris No.: [____________]
Firm: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
Telephone: [____________________]
Email: [________________________________]

7. PART F — COURT SUMMARY PROCESS SUMMONS (JD-HM-32)

Prepare the current Connecticut Judicial Branch Form JD-HM-32 — Summary Process Summons. Connecticut Practice Book § 8-1 calls for a summons substantially in compliance with that form. This section is a filing checklist; it is not a summons to serve.

☐ Complete the court form's parties, addresses, court, return date, contact fields, and required notices to occupants.

☐ Attach the complaint and a copy for each defendant. If self-represented, present the proposed summons and complaint to the clerk for signature as § 8-1 directs.

☐ Attach the current CT-RTC Right to Counsel Program notice to the summons and complaint under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-75(f)(2)(B).

☐ Arrange lawful service and file the officer's return using the court's current instructions.

A defendant who appears must plead within two days after the return day to avoid a motion for judgment for failure to plead (§ 47a-26a).

8. PART G — VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

VERIFICATION OF THE COMPLAINT

I, [________________________________], being duly sworn, depose and state that I am the Plaintiff (or authorized agent) in the above action; that I have read the foregoing Complaint; and that the facts stated therein are true and correct based upon my personal knowledge or information and belief.

Signature: [________________________________]

Subscribed and sworn before me this [____] day of [________________], 20[____].

[________________________________]
Notary Public / Commissioner of Superior Court
My commission expires: [__/__/____]

STATE MARSHAL'S RETURN — COMPLAINT AND SUMMONS

I served the Complaint and Summons on [TENANT NAME] on [__/__/____] by:

☐ Personal in-hand service
☐ Abode service at [________________________________] (premises) — copy attested

State Marshal: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]
Fee: $[____________]

9. CONNECTICUT PRACTICE NOTES

• Notice to Quit jurisdictional. Connecticut courts treat the Notice to Quit as a jurisdictional prerequisite. An incorrect grace-period calculation, wrong reason stated, or improper service may defeat the summary process action. Section 47a-23(e) permits but does not require a use and occupancy disclaimer; omission alone is not a notice defect.
• Kapa notice for covered material noncompliance. Section 47a-15 requires written pretermination notice specifying the breach and a termination date at least 15 days after receipt when eviction is based on covered material noncompliance; a remediable breach may be cured within that period. The statute excepts nonpayment, serious nuisance, and § 47a-11(h) grounds. Kapa Associates v. Flores, 35 Conn. Supp. 274 (1979); Milford Redevelopment & Housing Partnership v. Glicklin, 228 Conn. App. 593, 611 n.14 (2024).
• Rent grace period and payment system. Section 47a-15a provides nine days after rent is due, or four days for a one-week tenancy, and extends that period five days for the affected month or week if the landlord's online payment system prevents payment when due. Section 47a-23(a)(1)(D) also excludes its nonpayment ground if the system prevents payment within the grace period. Check § 21-83 separately for a mobile manufactured home tenancy.
• Optional disclaimer language. Section 47a-23(e) allows the disclaimer to address payments tendered after the quit date, or after completion of a later pretermination process. If used, the disclaimer should take effect only after that later date and substantially follow the statutory text above. Review acceptance of any later payment separately.
• Authorized service. Section 47a-23(c) requires service of a Notice to Quit by a proper officer. Summons service follows the separate process rules, including § 52-50.
• Return date / appearance. Section 47a-23a(a) allows the complaint to be made returnable six days, inclusive, after service and requires it to be returned to court at least three days before the return day. The statute permits service on any day of the week; Practice Book § 24-9 addresses small claims writs, not this return day. A defendant who appears must plead within two days after the return day under § 47a-26a; a later failure-to-plead motion has its own response period.
• Senior / disabled just cause. Section 47a-23c applies to qualifying tenants in buildings or complexes with at least five dwelling units and in mobile manufactured home parks; subsection (a)(2) separately addresses conversion tenants and other tenants in common interest communities. Check each statutory condition before selecting a ground.
• Execution stay. Tenant gets 5 days after judgment to file appeal (§ 47a-35). A defendant may apply for a stay under § 47a-37 for qualifying grounds, subject to that section's exclusions. For a nonpayment judgment, the defendant must deposit the full arrearage with the court clerk within five days before applying. If the court grants a stay under § 47a-39, the general cap is six months from judgment; a nonpayment stay is capped at three months. The statute also sets conditions for the application and the court's decision.
• Late fees (§ 47a-15a(b)). A valid lease-authorized charge may not exceed the lesser of $5 per day up to $50, or 5% of the delinquent rent payment (or the tenant's share where an eligible third party pays part). The landlord may assess no more than one late charge on a delinquent rent payment and may not assess it before the applicable grace period ends.
• Application fees (PA 23-207). Capped at $50, refundable if not used for background check.
• Eviction record website removal (PA 23-207, § 23). For a withdrawn, dismissed, nonsuited, or defendant-favorable summary-process case, the Judicial Department must remove identifying case information from its website within 30 days of disposition, subject to the act's later-activity and appeal provisions. This is an automatic website-removal duty, not a tenant petition to seal the court record.
• Unlawful exclusion (§§ 47a-43, 47a-46). A person harmed by conduct covered by § 47a-43 may seek possession and, in a civil action when the statutory conditions are met, double damages and costs under § 47a-46. Section 47a-46 does not itself award two months' rent or attorney fees.
• Fair Rent Commissions. Many CT towns have Fair Rent Commissions (§ 7-148b) that can roll back rent increases.
• Federal CARES Act 30-day notice. Covered properties (federally backed mortgages, HUD programs) still require 30-day notice (15 U.S.C. § 9058).

10. SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 830 (Landlord-Tenant): https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_830.htm
• Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 832 (Summary Process): https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_832.htm
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_832.htm#sec_47a-23
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15 (Kapa notice): https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_830.htm#sec_47a-15
• Milford Redevelopment & Housing Partnership v. Glicklin, 228 Conn. App. 593, 611 n.14 (2024) (citing Kapa Associates v. Flores): https://www.jud.ct.gov/legalresources/Docs/LJDocs/Misc/2024/42/CLJ10152024.pdf
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23a (Complaint)
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23c (Senior/disabled just cause)
• Conn. Practice Book § 17-30 — summary process defaults; § 17-53 — summary process executions. Chapter 24 governs small claims.
• Conn. Judicial Branch Housing forms: https://www.jud.ct.gov/webforms/
• JD-HM-8 Summary Process Complaint — Nonpayment of Rent — https://www.jud.ct.gov/webforms/forms/hm008.pdf
• JD-HM-20 Summary Process Complaint — Termination of Lease by Lapse of Time — https://www.jud.ct.gov/webforms/forms/hm020.pdf
• JD-HM-32 Summary Process Summons
• JD-CL-12 Appearance
• PA 23-207 — Tenant Protections Act (2023)
• Connecticut Fair Housing Center: https://www.ctfairhousing.org/
• Statewide Legal Services CT: https://ctlawhelp.org/
• CARES Act, 15 U.S.C. § 9058

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