Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 47a — LANDLORD AND TENANT · Chapter 830 — Rights and Responsibilities of Landlord and Tenant
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-11b (2025)

Abandonment of unit by occupants. Landlord's remedies

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(a) For the purposes of this section, “abandonment” means the occupants have vacated the premises without notice to the landlord and do not intend to return, which intention may be evidenced by the removal by the occupants or their agent of substantially all of their possessions and personal effects from the premises and either (1) nonpayment of rent for more than two months or (2) an express statement by the occupants that they do not intend to occupy the premises after a specified date.

(b) If all the occupants abandon the dwelling unit, the landlord may send notice to each occupant at his last-known address both by regular mail, postage prepaid, and by certified mail, return receipt requested, stating that (1) he has reason to believe that the occupant has abandoned the dwelling unit, (2) he intends to reenter and take possession of the dwelling unit unless the occupant contacts him within ten days of receipt of the notice, (3) if the occupant does not contact him, he intends to remove any possessions and personal effects remaining in the premises and to rerent the premises, and (4) if the occupant does not reclaim such possessions and personal effects within thirty days after the notice, they will be disposed of as permitted by this section. The notice shall be in clear and simple language and shall include a telephone number and a mailing address at which the landlord can be contacted. If the notices are returned as undeliverable, or the occupant fails to contact the landlord within ten days of the receipt of the notice, the landlord may reenter and take possession of the dwelling unit, at which time any rental agreement or lease still in effect shall be deemed to be terminated.

(c) The landlord shall not be required to serve a notice to quit as provided in section 47a-23 and bring a summary process action as provided in section 47a-23a to obtain possession or occupancy of a dwelling unit which has been abandoned. Nothing in this section shall relieve a landlord from complying with the provisions of sections 47a-1 to 47a-20a, inclusive, and sections 47a-23 to 47a-42, inclusive, if the landlord knows, or reasonably should know, that the occupant has not abandoned the dwelling unit.

(d) The landlord shall inventory any possessions and personal effects of the occupant in the premises and shall remove and keep them for not less than thirty days. The occupant may reclaim such possessions and personal effects from the landlord within said thirty-day period. If the occupant does not reclaim such possessions and personal effects by the end of said thirty-day period, the landlord may dispose of them as he deems appropriate.

(e) No action shall be brought under section 47a-43 against a landlord who takes action in compliance with the provisions of this section.

(P.A. 92-171, S. 8; P.A. 93-435, S. 17, 95.)

History: P.A. 93-435 made a technical change in Subsec. (c), substituting “occupant” for “tenant”, effective June 28, 1993.

Cited. 32 CA 133.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2012–2021 · leading case: State v. Jacques, 210 A.3d 533 (Conn. 2019).
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State v. Jacques, 210 A.3d 533 (Conn. 2019). · cites it 2× “See General Statutes § 47a-11b (a) (providing that abandonment of premises by occupant means occupant has left premises without notice to landlord as evidenced by removal of all personal belongings from premises and either nonpayment of more than two months of rent or express…”
Herron v. Daniels, 264 A.3d 184 (Conn. App. Ct. 2021). · cites it 6× “Thus, we look to § 47a-11b for guidance in our interpretation of the terms ‘‘abandons’’ and ‘‘abandonment’’ in § 47a-11a.”
Marut v. Indymac Bank, FSB, 34 A.3d 439 (Conn. App. Ct. 2012). “Even if the defendant did not comply with the notice requirement of § 47a-11b, the plaintiffs claim of conversion against this defendant is not advanced in any way.”
Haslam-james v. Lawrence, 35 A.3d 368 (Conn. App. Ct. 2012). · cites it 6× “to obtain possession or occupancy of a dwelling unit which has been abandoned. Nothing in this section shall relieve a landlord from complying with the provisions of sections 47a-1 to 47a-20a, inclusive .”
State v. Jacques, No. SC19783 (Conn. July 16, 2019). · cites it 2× “In particular, the defendant directs our attention to several specific statutory provisions. See General Statutes § 47a-11b (a) (providing that abandonment of premises by occupant means occupant has left premises without notice to landlord as evidenced by removal of all personal…”
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