Connecticut Notice to Pay Rent or Quit (Kapa 9-Day Grace + Notice to Quit)

CONNECTICUT NOTICE TO PAY RENT OR QUIT — NONPAYMENT (KAPA 9-DAY GRACE + STATUTORY NOTICE TO QUIT)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Overview of Connecticut Two-Step Procedure
2. Part A — Optional Courtesy Pay-or-Quit Demand During 9-Day Grace
3. Part B — Statutory Notice to Quit Possession (After 9-Day Grace)
4. Part C — Tenant Rights Notice and Right to Counsel Advisory
5. Service Instructions for State Marshal
6. Marshal's Return of Service
7. Connecticut Practice Notes
8. Sources and References

1. OVERVIEW OF CONNECTICUT TWO-STEP PROCEDURE

Connecticut is a two-notice / two-step state for residential nonpayment evictions. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a establishes a mandatory grace period of nine (9) calendar days for monthly tenancies (four (4) days for weekly tenancies) before a landlord may treat rent as in default. Only after that grace period expires may the landlord cause a Notice to Quit Possession under § 47a-23 to be served. The Notice to Quit is itself a precondition to the filing of a Summary Process Complaint under § 47a-23a.

Critical timing checklist ☐:

• ☐ Rent is past due on the contractually agreed day (typically the 1st of each month).
• ☐ Nine (9) calendar days have elapsed without full payment (or four (4) for weekly tenants).
• ☐ The Notice to Quit specifies a quit date that is at least three (3) full days after service, excluding the date of service and the date to quit.
• ☐ The Notice to Quit states the statutory reason verbatim: "nonpayment of rent."
• ☐ Service is effected by a Connecticut state marshal, indifferent person, or proper officer per § 47a-23(c).
• ☐ The landlord has not accepted any partial or full rent payment for any period after the notice issues.

2. PART A — OPTIONAL COURTESY PAY-OR-QUIT DEMAND DURING 9-DAY GRACE

[LANDLORD / OWNER NAME]
[LANDLORD ADDRESS]
[CITY], CT [ZIP]
[TELEPHONE]
[EMAIL]

Date: [__/__/____]

To: [TENANT NAME(S)]
Premises: [STREET ADDRESS, UNIT NO.]
[CITY], CT [ZIP]

RE: NOTICE OF UNPAID RENT — 9-DAY GRACE PERIOD UNDER CONN. GEN. STAT. § 47a-15a

Dear [TENANT NAME]:

This letter is sent during the nine (9) calendar day grace period afforded by Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a. Your rent for the rental period beginning [__/__/____] in the amount of $[________] was due on [__/__/____] and remains unpaid as of the date of this letter.

You have until [__/__/____] (the ninth day after rent became due, not counting the due date itself) to tender the full amount owed. If you pay the full delinquent rent within the grace period, no Notice to Quit will issue and your tenancy will continue uninterrupted.

Payment should be made to: [PAYEE / METHOD / ADDRESS].

If full payment is not received by [__/__/____], a Notice to Quit will be served upon you in accordance with Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23, and a summary process action may be commenced in the Superior Court Housing Session.

This letter is NOT a Notice to Quit and does not by itself terminate your tenancy.

Sincerely,

[LANDLORD NAME / TITLE]

3. PART B — STATUTORY NOTICE TO QUIT POSSESSION (AFTER 9-DAY GRACE)

NOTICE TO QUIT POSSESSION OF PREMISES

CONN. GEN. STAT. § 47a-23

STATE OF CONNECTICUT

To: [TENANT NAME(S)] and all other occupants of the premises located at:

[STREET ADDRESS, UNIT NO.]
[CITY], CT [ZIP]

I, [LANDLORD / AGENT NAME], as [Landlord / Owner / Authorized Agent of Landlord], hereby give you notice that you are to QUIT POSSESSION of the above-described premises now occupied by you on or before:

[__/__/____] (the "Quit Date")

The reason for this Notice to Quit Possession is:

NONPAYMENT OF RENT

(Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23(a)(1)(D)).

The rent that is in default and which has caused this Notice to Quit Possession to issue is the rent for the rental period(s) commencing [__/__/____], in the unpaid amount of $[________], which became due on [__/__/____] and was not paid within the nine (9) day grace period required by Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a (or four (4) day grace period for weekly tenants).

To the extent any provision of federal law (including but not limited to 24 C.F.R. parts 5, 880, 882, 884, 886, 247, 982, or the Violence Against Women Act, 34 U.S.C. § 12491 et seq.) requires additional pretermination notice, that notice has been or is being concurrently provided. [STRIKE IF NOT APPLICABLE].

ANY PAYMENTS TENDERED AFTER THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR USE AND OCCUPANCY ONLY, and not as rent, with full reservation of all rights to proceed with summary process and to recover possession of the premises. The acceptance of any such payment shall not be construed as a waiver of this Notice to Quit, the creation of a new tenancy, or reinstatement of the rental agreement. (Use-and-occupancy disclaimer authorized by § 47a-23(e).)

Dated at [CITY], Connecticut, this ____ day of [MONTH], [YEAR].

[LANDLORD / AGENT NAME], Landlord / Authorized Agent

Signature: [________________________________]

Address: [________________________________]

Telephone: [________________________________]

4. PART C — TENANT RIGHTS NOTICE AND RIGHT TO COUNSEL ADVISORY

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TENANT — PLEASE READ

You may have legal rights and defenses. Connecticut law provides important protections to tenants facing eviction.

• Right to Counsel. If your household income is at or below 80% of the state median income and you live in a qualifying ZIP code, you may be entitled to a free attorney through Connecticut's Right to Counsel Program established by Public Act 21-34. To apply, call 2-1-1 or visit EvictionHelpCT.org.
• Habitability defenses. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-7 requires the landlord to keep the premises fit and habitable. If serious defects exist, you may have a defense to nonpayment of rent (see Tonetti v. Penati, 367 A.2d 1099 (Conn. 1976); Steiner v. Bran Park Assocs., 11 Conn. App. 156 (1987)).
• Retaliation. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-20 creates a rebuttable presumption that any eviction commenced within six (6) months after a tenant complains to a code-enforcement agency, requests repairs, or otherwise exercises a tenant right is retaliatory.
• Discrimination. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-64c prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, lawful source of income (including Section 8 vouchers), familial status, religion, status as a veteran, status as a victim of domestic violence, and (for housing) lawful immigration status.
• Security deposit. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21, you have rights regarding return of your security deposit and statutory interest.
• Self-help is illegal. Your landlord may not lock you out, shut off utilities, or remove your belongings. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-43 provides for double damages for forcible entry and detainer.

FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE:

5. SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS FOR STATE MARSHAL

TO THE STATE MARSHAL OR INDIFFERENT PERSON:

You are hereby directed to serve a true and attested copy of the foregoing Notice to Quit Possession upon the named tenant(s) and all other occupants of the premises by:

• ☐ Personal service upon the tenant; or
• ☐ Abode service by leaving a true and attested copy at the usual place of abode of the tenant; or
• ☐ Such other method authorized by Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23(c).

Service must be made not later than [__/__/____] so as to allow at least three (3) full days, excluding the date of service and the Quit Date, before the Quit Date stated above.

Following service, please complete the Marshal's Return of Service set forth in Section 6 below and return the original of the Notice to:

[LANDLORD / COUNSEL NAME AND ADDRESS]

6. MARSHAL'S RETURN OF SERVICE

STATE OF CONNECTICUT

COUNTY OF [____________]

I, the undersigned Connecticut State Marshal / indifferent person / proper officer, hereby certify and return that I served a true and attested copy of the foregoing Notice to Quit Possession upon [TENANT NAME(S)] at [STREET ADDRESS, UNIT NO., CITY, CT ZIP] on [__/__/____] at [____ AM/PM] by:

• ☐ Personal service upon the tenant
• ☐ Abode service (leaving a true and attested copy at the usual place of abode)
• ☐ Other (specify): [________________________________]

Fees: $[________]

Dated: [__/__/____]

Signature: [________________________________]

[STATE MARSHAL NAME, BADGE NO., COUNTY]

7. CONNECTICUT PRACTICE NOTES

1. Strict construction. Connecticut housing courts strictly construe Notices to Quit. Defects in timing, identification of premises, identification of parties, or recitation of statutory grounds will result in dismissal. Bridgeport v. Barbour-Daniel Elecs., Inc., 16 Conn. App. 574 (1988).
2. Reason must mirror summary process complaint. The reason stated on the Notice to Quit must match the ground pleaded in the Summary Process Complaint. Adding or shifting grounds at trial is grounds for dismissal.
3. One Notice to Quit per default. A second Notice to Quit on the same default does not cure a defective first notice; the landlord must wait for a new default to occur.
4. Acceptance of rent post-notice. Acceptance of rent (rather than use and occupancy) for any period after the quit date will generally be construed as creation of a new tenancy and waiver of the notice. Borst v. Ruff, 137 Conn. 359 (1950).
5. Federal subsidized housing. Tenants in federally subsidized housing (Section 8 voucher, Public Housing, RAD, LIHTC, project-based, USDA Rural Development) require additional federal pretermination notice (typically 14 days for nonpayment under HUD regulations and 30 days for cause, plus VAWA notice). The Connecticut Notice to Quit must be combined with — not substituted for — the federal notice.
6. Use-and-occupancy disclaimer. § 47a-23(e) authorizes a use-and-occupancy disclaimer permitting the landlord to accept payments for use and occupancy without waiving the Notice to Quit. The disclaimer must be in writing and must take effect only after the quit date.
7. No late fees as condition of cure. Late fees, attorney fees, and other non-rent charges may not be made a condition of cure under § 47a-15a. Late fees are also capped per § 47a-15a(c).
8. Six geographic Housing Sessions. Hartford-New Britain (G.A. 12 in Hartford, G.A. 15 in New Britain), New Haven (G.A. 23), Bridgeport (G.A. 2), Waterbury (G.A. 4), and Norwich (G.A. 21). All other towns are heard in the regular Superior Court J.D. of geographic residence; venue per § 47a-23a(b).
9. Recordation of rent receipts. Connecticut's small-claims-style record practice means landlord should bring a written rent ledger to court.
10. Right to Counsel pilot. Tenant right to counsel was funded permanently in 2021 (P.A. 21-34) and is presently administered by the Connecticut Bar Foundation. Hartford and New Haven were the first two cities; Bridgeport, Waterbury, New Britain, Norwich, Stamford, Meriden, Manchester, and certain other ZIP codes have rolled out as funding has expanded. Verify current ZIP coverage.

8. SOURCES AND REFERENCES

Statutes

• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-15a — Nonpayment of rent — 9-day grace period (Justia)
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23 — Notice to quit (Justia)
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23a — Summary process complaint
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-23c — Protected tenants — elderly/disabled (Justia)
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-7 — Landlord's responsibilities (Justia)
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-20 — Retaliatory action prohibited (Justia)
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21 — Security deposits
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-43 — Self-help / forcible entry and detainer
• Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46a-64c — Discriminatory housing practices (Justia)

Connecticut General Assembly

• Chapter 830 — Rights and Responsibilities of Landlord and Tenant
• Chapter 832 — Summary Process

Connecticut Judicial Branch

• A Landlord's Guide to Eviction (Summary Process)
• A Tenant's Guide to Summary Process
• Right to Counsel Program — Notice to Tenants

Right to Counsel and Tenant Resources

• Eviction Help CT
• Connecticut Bar Foundation — Right to Counsel
• National Coalition on Civil Right to Counsel — Connecticut

Key Connecticut Cases

• Tonetti v. Penati, 367 A.2d 1099 (Conn. 1976) (warranty of habitability defense to nonpayment summary process)
• Steiner v. Bran Park Assocs., 11 Conn. App. 156 (1987) (constructive eviction / habitability)
• Bridgeport v. Barbour-Daniel Elecs., Inc., 16 Conn. App. 574 (1988) (strict construction of notice to quit)
• Borst v. Ruff, 137 Conn. 359 (1950) (waiver by acceptance of rent)
• Marrinan v. Hamer, 5 Conn. App. 101 (1985) (Kapa-style pretermination notice)

END OF NOTICE — PART B IS THE OPERATIVE STATUTORY DOCUMENT