Evictions During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Updated as of February 16, 2022
If you are being evicted, see our Eviction Guide and Form Filler for information about getting getting legal help and representing yourself.
www.cteviction.guide
Most of the Covid-19 emergency eviction protections have ended. This means that your landlord can start an eviction court case against you. Your landlord must always go through the court process and get the court’s permission to evict. Your landlord is not allowed to lock you out, remove your belongings, or cut off utilities, even if you own rent. Only a state marshal with a court order called the Execution may physically remove you from your home.
The buttons below link to more information about the steps you can take to defend yourself if you are facing eviction.
What can tenants facing eviction do?
1. Apply for legal help:
Connecticut has started to roll out a new Right to Counsel program to provide free legal representation to tenants facing eviction. If you live in one of the zip codes listed below, or if you or any member of your household has served in the armed forces, call (800) 559-1565 to request free legal representation or visit evictionhelpct.org for information about the program.
Zip Codes Eligible for Right to Counsel
If you do not live in one of the zip codes above, you may still be able to receive free legal help by calling the Statewide Legal Services hotline at (800) 453-3320 or applying online at CT Online Application (slsct.org). Call hours are available Monday – Friday from 9 am – 12 pm, and 1 pm – 2 pm.
2. Respond to eviction papers and attend any remote court events:
The eviction process moves quickly. But if you respond to the papers and participate in the case, you may be able to stay in your home or get more time to move.
Read the CTLawHelp article on Evictions and Lockouts for more information about the eviction process and how to respond to eviction papers.
3. Apply for rental assistance:
The UniteCT rental assistance program has paused acceptance of new applications as of February 15, 2022. However, there may be other available programs in your area. Call 2-1- 1 for information and referrals to any available rental assistance programs. They can also provide referrals related to emergency shelter and food assistance.
If you applied for UniteCT on or before February 15, there is still one special eviction protection that you may qualify for. See below for more information.
4. If you applied for UniteCT on or before February 15, 2022, tell the court immediately:
If you or your landlord applied for UniteCT rental assistance on or before February 15, 2022 and you are involved in any eviction court case (except those filed for serious nuisance), the court must put all parts of the case on hold for 30 days or until the UniteCT application is approved or denied, whichever is earlier. The 30-day stay applies no matter what stage the case is in. But to get this 30-day hold, you must tell the court in writing that you have applied for UniteCT.
To inform the court, you can use this UniteCT notice form. (The form below and linked in text.)
- Fill out, print, and sign the form. (If you don’t know your UniteCT case number, you can find it by logging back into your application: https://ctdoh.rentrelief.com/content2/access/login)
- Next, hand deliver or fax it to the Clerk’s Office at the court handling your case.
- Then, mail, email, or hand-deliver a copy of the form to your landlord’s lawyer (or directly to your landlord if they don’t have a lawyer) and any other tenants who submitted Appearance forms.
Use the form below to tell the court you have applied for UniteCT.
If the UniteCT application is approved, the court must put the case on hold until the UniteCT payment is made, and the case is withdrawn by your landlord.
If your landlord receives a UniteCT payment, your landlord must give paperwork to the court to officially withdraw (meaning end) the eviction court case against you.
If your UniteCT application has not been approved after 30 days, you can explain your situation to the court and request additional time. The court is not required to stay your case for longer than 30 days, but judges are allowed to grant additional time and may be willing to do so where there is a UniteCT application pending.
5. If you applied for UniteCT on or before February 15, 2022, call your local UniteCT Resource Center:
You can also contact your local UniteCT Resource Center and request to speak with an Eviction Specialist. Inform them that you have received eviction papers and request to speed up the review of your application. For Resource Center phone numbers and more information, visit: https://portal.ct.gov/DOH/DOH/Programs/UniteCT—Tenants-facing-Eviction
What can tenants that have already received an Execution do now?
If you lost your eviction case and the Execution (order that allows the marshal to evict you) has issued, you may still qualify for an additional 30-day hold on your case if you applied for UniteCT on or before February 15, 2022. To qualify for the 30-day hold you must take action before the date and time of your scheduled move out (this information is on the copy of the Execution the marshal leaves at your door )You should immediately:
- Call Statewide Legal Services at 1-800-453-3320 (Open Monday – Friday, 9 am – 12 pm & 1 pm – 2 pm) for legal help. You may be able to ask the court to temporarily stop the marshal and hold a hearing by filling out and delivering the emergency “audita” application at the Court Clerk’s Office.
- If your landlord started the eviction case for any reason other than serious nuisance, you may use this emergency audita application packet to tell the court if you applied for UniteCT and to ask that the court temporarily stop the marshal from using the Execution.
Emergency Audita Application
If the court has already issued the Execution (order that allows the marshal to physically remove you), use the emergency “audita” packet below to tell the court if you have applied for UniteCT and ask the court to stop the marshal from using the Execution until a hearing is held.
3. Call the Court Clerk’s Office if you have any questions about the status of your case.
4. Call 2-1-1 and press #3 and #1 for information about available housing and shelter assistance.
5. Prepare to move: Unless an emergency “audita” application is delivered to the Court Clerk’s Office and the judge orders the marshal to hold off, the marshal will proceed to move all your remaining belongings to a storage facility on the date and time listed on the Execution.
Try to pack and move as much as you can before the scheduled move out. Focus first on packing your essentials – like medications and ID cards – so you always have them with you. After the marshal moves your things into storage, your town must hold them there for at least 15 days. Call your town for more information on how long they will hold your things and is they charge any fees.
The marshal must give you at least 24 hours’ notice of the date and time of the eviction. This information will be on the Execution order left at your door. On the date and time of the eviction, the marshal will move all remaining belongings to a storage facility. Your town must hold your things in storage for at least 15 days. Call your town hall for more information on how long they will hold belongings and if they charge any fees.
Free Legal Help and More information
Connecticut has started rolling out a new Right to Counsel program to provide free legal representation to tenants facing eviction. If you live in one of the zip codes listed below, or if you or any member of your household has served in the armed forces, call 1-800-559-1565 to apply for legal representation.
Bridgeport: 06610 Waterbury: 06710
Hartford: 06105 / 06106 / 06112 / 06114 / 06120
New Haven: 06511 / 06513 / 06519
West Haven: 06516 Willimantic: 06226
Danielson: 06239 Putnam: 06260
- Call the Statewide Legal Services hotline at 1-800-453-3320 (Open Monday – Friday, 9 am – 12 pm & 1 pm – 2 pm)
- Read the CTLawHelp article on Evictions and Lockouts for more information about the eviction process and how to respond to eviction papers.