How long does a landlord in Connecticut have to return a security deposit?
The deadline is the LATER of twenty-one days after termination of the tenancy or fifteen days after the landlord receives written notification of the tenant's forwarding address. The twenty-one-day clock runs from termination whether or not a forwarding address is ever given, so a forwarding address can only postpone the deadline, never create it; delivery is to the tenant at the forwarding address.
In plain terms, the statute says
A landlord who violates any provision of subsection (d) is liable for twice the amount of the security deposit paid by the tenant, with no finding of bad faith or willfulness required, except that where the only violation is failure to deliver the accrued interest the landlord is liable for ten dollars or twice the accrued interest, whichever is greater. The separate fines under subsection (k) — up to two hundred fifty dollars for nonpayment of a deposit and up to one hundred dollars for nonpayment of interest — do require a knowing and wilful violation, and the deposit fine carries a good-faith affirmative defense.
Who this covers
Residential tenancies, including mobile manufactured home parks. Landlords of residential units in buildings owned or controlled by an educational institution and used to house its students and their families are exempt from the interest requirement in subsection (i).
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Questions people ask
How long does a landlord in Connecticut have to return a security deposit?
The deadline is the LATER of twenty-one days after termination of the tenancy or fifteen days after the landlord receives written notification of the tenant's forwarding address. The twenty-one-day clock runs from termination whether or not a forwarding address is ever given, so a forwarding address can only postpone the deadline, never create it; delivery is to the tenant at the forwarding address.
Who does Connecticut's security-deposit law cover?
Residential tenancies, including mobile manufactured home parks. Landlords of residential units in buildings owned or controlled by an educational institution and used to house its students and their families are exempt from the interest requirement in subsection (i).
What happens if a landlord in Connecticut is late?
A landlord who violates any provision of subsection (d) is liable for twice the amount of the security deposit paid by the tenant, with no finding of bad faith or willfulness required, except that where the only violation is failure to deliver the accrued interest the landlord is liable for ten dollars or twice the accrued interest, whichever is greater. The separate fines under subsection (k) — up to two hundred fifty dollars for nonpayment of a deposit and up to one hundred dollars for nonpayment of interest — do require a knowing and wilful violation, and the deposit fine carries a good-faith affirmative defense.
Where can I read Connecticut's security-deposit law?
Connecticut's rule is in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-21(d). The link on this page goes to the official text, so you can read the section yourself rather than take our word for it.
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