Connecticut Month-to-Month Lease Agreement

Last Updated: April 25, 2024 by Roberto Valenzuela

A Connecticut month-to-month rental agreement is a contract (not necessarily in writing) which allows a tenant to rent property from a landlord, for one month at a time, in exchange for a fee (“rent”). The rental renews monthly, until either party gives proper notice to end it.

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For information about fixed-term leases in Connecticut (i.e., a term of one year or more), click here.

Basics of a Connecticut Month-to-Month Rental Agreement

In Connecticut, a landlord and tenant create a month-to-month lease by agreeing to rent a property according to acceptable terms. Written rental agreements are clearer and legally stronger, but oral leases are legal in a month-to-month context.

Parties under a month-to-month lease enjoy full rights under Connecticut landlord-tenant law. The tenant must use the property in a responsible way and pay rent on time. The landlord must keep essential features of the property in habitable condition, and protect the tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the lease.

The main difference between a month-to-month lease and a fixed-term lease is that month-to-month leases can be terminated (with proper notice) by either party for any reason without penalty. Landlords also can usually modify terms from one month to the next, again with proper notice.

Required Disclosures for Month-to-Month Rentals in Connecticut

Connecticut landlords may not rent a property out without making the following disclosures to a potential tenant, as relevant:

  • Landlord’s Name and Address – Landlords must give the tenant their name and address, or that of their authorized agent, to enable smooth communication of legal notice.
  • Move-In Checklist – Landlords must provide tenants with a move-in checklist to take inventory of existing property damage before the tenant occupies the property.
  • Notice of Elderly and Disabled Tenant Rights Landlords must provide a Housing Commission notice of special protections against eviction and rent increase available to tenants over age 62, disabled tenants, and family members who live with them.
  • Common Interest Community Notice – Connecticut leases must contain a disclosure if they are located in a common interest community (where the tenant pays fees for shared amenities).
  • Operative Fire Sprinkler NoticeConnecticut landlords of property that requires a fire sprinkler system pursuant to the State Fire Safety Code or the Sate Fire Prevention Code must disclose to tenants whether that system is installed and in proper operating condition.
  • Bed Bug Disclosure – Connecticut landlords must provide notice of infestation whenever bed bugs are found on the rental property or an adjacent or contiguous property.
  • Lead-Based Paint – Landlords must provide an EPA-approved disclosure and informational pamphlet to tenants renting any property built before 1978.

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The state page for fixed-term leases may have more detailed information on required disclosures.

Required Notice To End a Month-to-Month Rental in Connecticut

Connecticut does not have specific statutory guidance on the required advance notice to end a month-to-month lease. The default at common law is at least 30 days of advance notice. In general, any reason that isn’t landlord retaliation is a legal and valid grounds for ending a month-to-month lease.

Connecticut requires written notice to end a month-to-month lease.

Required Notice To Raise the Rent on a Connecticut Month-to-Month Lease

Connecticut requires that notice for a rental increase be delivered in writing, but doesn’t specify a particular timeframe for that notice. This means in most cases it’s reasonable for a landlord to keep the same standard advance notice provided for termination or other major lease changes, which in Connecticut is 30 days.

Eviction in Connecticut Month-to-Month Rentals

Connecticut tenants may face eviction for violating a month-to-month lease or remaining on the property after the notice period allowed by a valid termination. Evictions in Connecticut typically take four to seven weeks.

For more information on the eviction process in Connecticut, click here.

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