Connecticut Executive Order Extends Certain Protections for Residential Renters During COVID-19 Pandemic

On June 29, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont issued Executive Order No. 7DDD, with immediate effect, extending certain protections previously provided to Connecticut residential renters in Executive Order No. 7X, which was promulgated April 10. Executive Order No. 7DDD provides the following:

• No Notice to Quit or Service of Summary Process Before August 22. No Connecticut residential landlord may deliver a notice to quit or serve or return a summary process action prior to August 22, 2020 (previously July 1, 2020, as provided in Executive Order No. 7X), except for serious nuisance or nonpayment of rent due on or prior to February 29, 2020 (note that the latter exception is a new addition of Executive Order No. 7DDD);

• Extended Opportunity to Apply Additional Security Deposit to Rent, Upon Request. Connecticut residential renters who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and who have paid more than one month's rent as a security deposit may now request in writing (including by electronic communication) that landlords withdraw the amount of the security deposit in excess of one month's rent and apply it to the rent due in July or August 2020 (as well as the rent due in April, May or June 2020, as provided in Executive Order No. 7X). Landlords continue to be prohibited from demanding that the security deposit be restored to the amount greater than one month's rent prior to the later of (a) the end of the public health and civil preparedness emergency, and (b) the date that the rental agreement is extended or renewed.

Note that Executive Order No. 7DDD does not relieve renters of their liability for unpaid rent, nor does it relieve renters or landlords of their responsibility to comply with their respective other obligations under rental agreements or state statutes.

Additionally, Executive Order No. 7DDD renewed the discretionary 90-day deadline extending power previously granted to state agencies in Executive Order No. 7M, which was promulgated March 25, as follows:

• Authority to Extend Statutory and Regulatory Administrative Deadlines by an Additional 90 Days. Each Connecticut department head, commissioner, agency head and board and commission may extend, as they deem reasonably necessary to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, any statutory or regulatory time requirements or deadlines for 90 days (including further extensions of any deadline previously extended pursuant to Executive Order No. 7M that would have expired June 28, 2020), provided any such extension is granted prior to September 9, 2020.

Further details on the provisions above can be found in Executive Order No. 7DDD here.

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COVID-19 DISCLAIMER: As you are aware, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, things are changing quickly and the effect, enforceability and interpretation of laws may be affected by future events. The material set forth in this document is not an unequivocal statement of law, but instead represents our best interpretation of where things stand as of the date of first publication. We have not attempted to address the potential impacts of all local, state and federal orders that may have been issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.