If the landlord makes an entry prohibited by section 47a-16 or 47a-16a, or makes repeated demands for entry otherwise lawful but which have the effect of unreasonably harassing the tenant, the tenant may recover actual damages not less than an amount equal to one month's rent and reasonable attorney's fees. The tenant may also obtain injunctive relief to prevent the recurrence of the conduct or terminate the rental agreement.
(P.A. 79-571, S. 25; P.A. 89-254, S. 7.)
History: P.A. 89-254 restated provisions to clarify that the tenant does not have to obtain injunctive relief or terminate the rental agreement in order to recover actual damages.
Cited. 32 CA 133; 45 CA 46. Term “one month's rent” includes all rent payments made to the landlord, regardless of their source and therefore includes both tenant's portion and subsidized portion of rent payments made to the landlord; attorney's fees provision found in section is not limited to percentage of the award of damages; other factors relevant to reasonableness of an award of attorney's fees under statute include work performed by counsel, as documented by the attorney's affidavits, prevailing hourly rates or the award of attorney's fees in similar cases. 88 CA 193. Where damages awarded under section encompass the same conduct as for damages awarded pursuant to Sec. 47a-46, the sum for actual damages may not be included in the award pursuant to both this section and Sec. 47a-46. 89 CA 836.
Cited. 38 CS 683.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 47a - Landlord and Tenant
Chapter 830 - Rights and Responsibilities of Landlord and Tenant
Section 47a-3. - Rental agreement: Permissible terms.
Section 47a-3a. - Rental agreement: Payment of rent. Written receipt for cash payment.
Section 47a-3b. - Rental agreement: Term of tenancy in absence of agreement.
Section 47a-3c. - Payment in absence of rental agreement.
Section 47a-3f. - Rental agreement: Notice re operative fire sprinkler system.
Section 47a-4. - Terms prohibited in rental agreement.
Section 47a-4a. - Effect of failure to comply with section 47a-7.
Section 47a-4b. (Formerly Sec. 53-303g). - Commercial leases. Certain provisions void.
Section 47a-6. - Identification of landlord.
Section 47a-6b. - Civil penalties for failure to file residential address of nonresident landlord.
Section 47a-7. - Landlord's responsibilities.
Section 47a-8. (Formerly Sec. 47-24c). - Paint not conforming to standards renders property unfit.
Section 47a-9. - Landlord rules and regulations.
Section 47a-10. - Termination of responsibility.
Section 47a-11. - Tenant's responsibilities.
Section 47a-11a. - Abandonment of unit by tenant.
Section 47a-11b. - Abandonment of unit by occupants. Landlord's remedies.
Section 47a-11c. - Breach of rental agreement by tenant. Measure of damages.
Section 47a-11d. - Death of tenant. Landlord's remedies.
Section 47a-12. - Breach of agreement by landlord. Tenant's remedies.
Section 47a-13. - Failure of landlord to supply essential services. Tenant's remedies.
Section 47a-13a. - Implementation of energy conservation measures by tenant.
Section 47a-13b. - Installation of electric vehicle charging station by tenant.
Section 47a-14. - Damage or destruction of unit. Tenant's remedies.
Section 47a-14c. (Formerly Sec. 19-347m). - Tenement receivership: Defense.
Section 47a-14d. (Formerly Sec. 19-347n). - Tenement receivership: Judgment.
Section 47a-15. - Noncompliance by tenant. Remedy of breach by tenant. Landlord's remedies.
Section 47a-15a. - Nonpayment of rent by tenant: Landlord's remedy.
Section 47a-16. - When landlord may enter rented unit.
Section 47a-16a. - Notification by tenant of extended absence. When landlord may enter.
Section 47a-17. - Tenant to occupy only as dwelling unit.
Section 47a-18. - Judicial relief if tenant refuses entry.
Section 47a-18a. - Judicial relief if landlord unlawfully enters.
Section 47a-19. - Rental agreement: Acceptance of rent when overdue.
Section 47a-20. (Formerly Sec. 19-375a). - Retaliatory action by landlord prohibited.
Section 47a-20a. - Actions deemed not retaliatory.
Section 47a-20e. - Protection of tenant in foreclosed property.
Section 47a-20f. - Offer of incentive to tenant in foreclosed property to vacate.