COVID-19 FAQs for Renters: Evictions, Lockouts, & Leases
Updates as of April 10, 2020 – you can also check jud.ct.gov and the Center’s COVID-19 Daily Updates for the most up-to-date information.
- If you cannot pay rent due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 emergency, your landlord cannot evict you until July 1, 2020. This means your landlord is NOT permitted to send you a Notice to Quit or start an eviction (summary process) case against you in housing court until July 1, 2020.
- There is one exception to the freeze of evictions: landlords can still file an eviction for serious nuisance, such as such as physically harming another tenant or the landlord.
- If you were unable to pay April rent, Governor Lamont’s most recent Executive Order provides an automatic 60-day grace period for April rent. This means you automatically have an additional 60 days from the date your April rent was due to make the rent payment to your landlord. Your landlord is not allowed to evict you, charge late fees or interest, or impose any other penalties against you if you pay your rent within the 60-day grace period.
- If you will not be able to pay rent in May due to the COVID-19 emergency because you lost your job, lost income, or have more expenses due to COVID-19, you can request a 60-day extension to pay rent owed. You must make this request in writing on or before May 10, 2020. You can make the request by text message, email, or letter, and you should keep a copy of your request to your landlord. If you request the 60-day extension on time, your landlord is not allowed to evict you, charge late fees or interest, or impose any other penalties against you if you pay your rent within the 60-day grace period.
- If you paid a security deposit amount for more than one month’s rent, you can ask your landlord to apply the extra security deposit amount towards a missed rent payment in April, May, or June 2020. You must make this request in writing and you should keep a copy of your request.
- Your landlord cannot demand that you re-pay this security deposit amount until the Governor declares an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
- You can also find more information about how to deal with evictions or lockouts here.
- If your landlord sends you a Notice to Quit or tells you have to move out, and you have questions, you can call Statewide Legal Services at (800) 453-3320.
- Your landlord cannot evict you until July 1, 2020. This means your landlord is not permitted to send you a Notice to Quit or start an eviction (summary process) case against you in housing court until July 1, 2020.
- If you received a Notice to Quit before the Governor’s new Executive Order went into effect on April 10, 2020, that Notice to Quit will not go into effect until after July 1, 2020.
- There is one exception to the freeze of evictions: landlords can still file an eviction for serious nuisance, such as such as physically harming another tenant or the landlord.
- Your landlord cannot force you to leave your house or apartment. Only a judge can require you to leave after ruling on an eviction case and the court has put a hold on all eviction cases for now.
- If your landlord changes your locks to keep you out or physically stops your from entering your home, you can call the police or go to the court.
- If you have questions about how to respond to an eviction notice, you should seek legal advice immediately. You can call Statewide Legal Services at (800) 453-3320 and find more information about how to deal with evictions or lockouts here.
- If you have an eviction case in court now, you should sign up for email alerts about your case. The court should also mail you a notice if something happens in your case.
- If you have an eviction case in court now, you should sign up for email alerts about your case. If you have filed an appearance, the court should also mail you a notice if something happens in your case.
- If you already have a judgment entered against you in court, you cannot be removed by a marshal until at least July 1, 2020.
- It is illegal for your landlord to change your locks or lock you out.
- If your landlord locks you out, you should call the police.
- The court is still open to hear unlawful lockout cases.
- You can ask your landlord to renew your lease and continue to pay rent. You should put in writing any agreement your landlord makes with you. You can use a letter or an e-mail to your landlord to document your agreement. It is important to keep a copy of any letters or messages exchanged.
- If your landlord refuses to renew your lease and you are able to move WITHOUT endangering your health or causing harm to other people, you can move out when your lease expires.
- If your landlord refuses to renew your lease and you are NOT ABLE to find alternative safe, healthy, and permanent housing at this time, you do not need to move immediately. The Governor’s new Executive Order issued on April 10, 2020 prevents the landlord from sending you a Notice to Quit or beginning an eviction process against you in court until July 1, 2020.
- Everyone in Connecticut should follow the Governor’s Executive Order for all Connecticut residents to “Stay Safe, Stay Home.” This means all members of each household should not interact with individuals outside of the household unless for essential needs such as food, medicine, medical care or exercise and when doing so to maintain a physical distance of more than 6 feet from others.
- A landlord can advise renters to self-quarantine for 14 days if they are coming from areas with widespread community transmission or if they’ve had contact with someone who tested positive for or experienced symptoms of COVID-19.
- Guidance on how to self-quarantine can be found at: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus. For additional tips from the CDC on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.
- If you pay rent in cash, you can still ask your landlord to provide a written, signed notice (a paper receipt or e-mail) acknowledging they received the rent payment, the amount of the payment, and date of the payment. NOTE: A money order is not a receipt that your landlord has received your rent.
- You can also send a written note to your landlord with your payment, saying you are sending them the rent payment, with the amount of rent and the payment date written on the note
- Be sure to keep a copy of any written communication between you and your landlord.
- If you make any alternate rent payment arrangements with your landlord during the COVID-19 health emergency, you should put the new agreement in writing.
- If your landlord makes a verbal agreement with you, be sure to write them a letter confirming the agreement and keep a copy of the letter.
- When you write a letter to your landlord, clearly say what you both agreed to, date the letter, and include details such as the amount of each installment and if there will be any late fees charged for paying in installments.
- Be sure to keep a copy of any written communication between you and your landlord.