Guides
What a Notice to Quit means and what happens next
General information about Connecticut court procedure, not legal advice.
A Notice to Quit is the first step a Connecticut landlord takes toward an eviction. It is not a court order, and it does not mean you have to be out by the date on it. It means a clock has started. This guide explains what the notice is, what it is not, and what happens if you stay.
What a Notice to Quit is
The Notice to Quit (form JD-HM-7) is a written notice from your landlord that states a date to move out and the reason the landlord gives for ending your tenancy. A state marshal or other proper officer serves it on every adult tenant, along with a Right to Counsel notice telling you that free legal help may be available.
Keep every page of it. The details on the notice, who is named, the address, the reason, the move out date, how it reached you, and the date it was served, all matter later if a court case starts.
What a Notice to Quit is not
The notice is not an eviction. In Connecticut, only a court can order you to leave, and only a state marshal carrying out a court issued execution can remove you. A landlord cannot change the locks, remove your belongings, or shut off utilities because the date on the notice passed. Between the notice and any court judgment there are several steps, and you have a part in each of them.
The reasons a notice can give
Connecticut law requires the notice to state a reason. The common ones are:
- Nonpayment of rent
- Lapse of time, meaning the lease term ended and is not being renewed
- Breaking a rule in the lease
- Serious nuisance
- Illegal conduct
- Never having had a right or privilege to occupy, or that right having ended
The reason on the notice matters because any later court case is supposed to proceed on that same reason.
The move out date
If you move out by the date on the notice, the matter ends there. If you stay past it, the landlord's next step is a court case, described below. Staying past the date is not an offense; it is what triggers the court process where both sides are heard.
Many notices include a line saying that any money paid after the move out date is accepted for use and occupancy only. That language means paying after the date does not cancel the notice. Look for those words near the bottom of your notice.
If you stay: the court case
If you are still in the home after the move out date, the landlord can start a summary process case, which is Connecticut's name for an eviction case:
- The landlord prepares a Summons (form JD-HM-32) and a Complaint stating the claim.
- The court clerk assigns a Return Date. The Return Date is not a hearing. Nothing happens in court that day. It is the date that sets your filing deadlines.
- A state marshal serves the Summons and Complaint on every adult tenant.
- Your first deadline arrives fast: your Appearance (form JD-CL-12) is due within 2 days after the Return Date. If the Return Date is a Thursday, that is Monday. If it is a Friday, that is Tuesday.
- After the Appearance, you respond to the Complaint with an Answer.
Our guides on the Appearance and the Answer walk through both filings.
What to do now
- Keep the notice and the envelope or papers it came with.
- Write down how and when it was delivered to you while it is fresh.
- Read the Right to Counsel notice that came with it. Tenants facing eviction may qualify for a free lawyer through the state's Right to Counsel program.
- Watch your mail and your door. If a Summons and Complaint arrive, the 2 day Appearance deadline is what to act on first.
Where to get help
Connecticut's Court Service Centers offer free help for self-represented parties. The clerk's office can answer questions about procedure but cannot give legal advice. Legal aid organizations serve people who qualify, and tenants facing eviction may qualify for the state's Right to Counsel program. If you want legal advice, talk to a licensed Connecticut attorney.
ProSay is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. ProSay is a self-help document preparation service.