HOW LONG DOES THE CONNECTICUT EVICTION PROCESS TAKE?

At Idoni Management, the Connecticut eviction process is not something that happens often.

That’s because 99% of all our tenants pay on time and fulfill the terms of their lease. However, eviction is a valid fear and concern that most homeowners have when they’re renting out their property.

So, we are talking about how long the Connecticut eviction process takes.

According to a representative of the housing court:

The minimum time for a summary process to proceed to judgment is 30 to 45 days from the service on the tenant of the notice to quit possession.

How quickly a landlord can have a tenant removed after judgment depends on whether the tenant appeals and whether the judge stays the execution of the judgment.

What is the Eviction Process in CT?

The eviction process in Connecticut has five major steps:

Notice to Quit
Summons & Complaint
Trial Date set after tenant appearance
Judge Order
Execution

Rental Due Dates

All tenants must pay rent by the first of the month. There is a grace period that extends to the tenth of the month. This covers any holidays or weekends. Also, if the rent check goes in the mail on the first, it may take a few days to get to us. So by the tenth, we know that anyone who attempted to pay their rent on time will manage to get it in. On the eleventh of the month, the rent is late. Between the eleventh and the fifteenth, tenants are subject to late fees. Anyone with a legitimate reason for their late payment, like an emergency or the need to go out of town, can still pay by the fifteenth with a late fee.

Filing an Eviction Notice to Quit

On the fifteenth of the month, we file the notice to quit. First, we go to the local courthouse in Bridgeport. We file the first round of paperwork, which usually costs $40-60. Then we deliver the paperwork to a constable who delivers it to the tenant. Typically, the constable will try twice to get that paperwork to the tenant. If we cannot serve the tenant with the eviction paperwork, we will mail it certified.

The purpose of the notice to quit CT is to serve the resident via sheriff / marshall with an official written notice. This could be when they cannot pay rent, the lease has expired, or other grounds for eviction in CT.

It gives them 3 days to move or cure the breach of the lease. If not, a court case will be started.

The notice to quit is the first document to serve during the Connecticut eviction process.

The landlord must serve the notice to quit at least 3 days before the lease ends or 3 days before the date specified in the notice to quit. You must give the tenant at least three full days to move out.

Then, the Marshall can serve the notice on any day of the week.

What happens if the tenant refuses to move out of the property? You may continue proceedings in Superior Court by filing a summons and complaint.

How to use the Notice to Quit CT:

- Fill out the notice to quit CT form. Make sure that the person signing this notice is the owner or lessor, or the owner’s legal representative, or the owner’s attorney or in-fact.

- Give the completed notice to a state marshal or any proper officer with enough copies for each adult occupant and tenant you want to evict.

- After service/delivery to the tenants, the original Notice to Quit will be returned to you. If you don’t want your address on the form, give it to the marshal on a separate sheet. Then the officer can return the original notice to you after service.

For further questions on the fast eviction service, feel free to browse the landlord tenant responsibilities guide on the CT Housing Court website.

In conclusion, serve this form first when your tenant is 10 days late with the rent. In most cases, they will pay right away after being served.

Connecticut Eviction Process Flow Chart

Eviction Timing

Mailed paperwork takes 21 days to process. If the tenant answers the door and receives the paperwork, it only takes 10 days. We file our Eviction Execution if no arrangement is made with the tenant to receive payment once the paperwork is served.

Eviction Execution

The Eviction Execution is a 24-hour notice for the tenants to vacate the property. It usually takes five days to serve the paperwork. The constable will receive it, put the notice on the door, and then 24 hours later we can complete our eviction. So the real difference in the timing is when and how you deliver the original paperwork. We are within a 30-day window unless we have to wait the 21 days for that paperwork to be mailed. Then, it might take 35 days.

This is why it’s so important not to wait. Whatever the reason that your tenant can’t pay, make sure you file the eviction to start the process. If the tenant comes through and pays, you can stop the eviction and you’ve only paid a little bit. But if the tenant cannot ultimately pay, you want to get that time clock started. The goal is to get your tenant out within 30 days so you can use the security deposit to cover the unpaid rent.

Tenant Defenses to Connecticut Eviction Process

There are a variety of defenses available to a tenant in a Connecticut eviction, including the following:

Improper service of the Notice to Quit or summons and complaint. Always use a Marshall or Sheriff to serve the notice to quit.
Insufficient Notice to Quit. At least 3 days must be given on the CT notice to quit.
Compliance was made within the notice time.
Eviction was in retaliation for filing a complaint against the landlord.
Eviction is for a discriminatory purpose based on the tenant’s constitutionally protected status such as race, gender, creed, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, family status or disability.
The landlord breached the promise of quiet enjoyment or failed to provide a fit and habitable premises despite written notice to fix the issue.
The tenant did not commit any of the acts constituting a nuisance as alleged.