A Connecticut Security Deposit Itemization is the written statement of deductions a landlord must prepare when keeping any part of a tenant’s security deposit at the end of a tenancy. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 47a-21(d)(2), the landlord must deliver, within the statutory window, the balance of the deposit and accrued interest together with a written statement itemizing the nature and amount of every deduction. This page explains the itemization law, then generates a ready-to-sign itemized deduction statement that does the deposit math for you.

Generate Your Connecticut Security Deposit Itemization Statement

Complete the fields below to produce a state-compliant itemized deduction statement you can print, sign, and deliver with the refund. Enter the original deposit and any accrued interest, itemize each deduction with a specific description, and the generator adds the deposit plus interest, subtracts the total deductions, and prints the refund balance automatically. If deductions exceed the deposit, the statement shows the balance the tenant still owes instead of a refund. For the cover letter that accompanies this schedule, use the Connecticut security deposit return letter; for the underlying rules, see the Connecticut security deposit laws guide.

How the Connecticut Deposit Itemization Law Works

Connecticut’s security deposit rules live in a single detailed statute, Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 47a-21, enforced by the Connecticut Department of Banking. The statute treats the deposit as the tenant’s money held in trust: the landlord must keep it in an escrow account, pay annual interest on it, and account for every dollar in writing when the tenancy ends. The itemized deduction statement is the document that closes the loop — it lists every charge the landlord takes against the deposit, proves each deduction was for actual damage and not ordinary wear, and computes the exact refund the tenant is owed.

The itemization requirement is triggered whenever the landlord keeps any part of the deposit. Under Sec. 47a-21(d)(2), the landlord must deliver, within the statutory window, either the full deposit plus accrued interest, or the balance of the deposit and interest after deduction for damages, together with a written statement itemizing the nature and amount of those damages. A refund that arrives without the written itemization — even a generous one — is itself a violation of the return provision. So is an itemization that arrives after the deadline. The Connecticut landlord-tenant laws overview puts this duty alongside the other end-of-tenancy obligations, and the Connecticut security deposit laws guide walks the full statute.

The single most important number is the deadline. Under Sec. 47a-21(d)(2), the landlord must deliver the balance and the itemized statement within twenty-one days after termination of the tenancy or fifteen days after receiving the tenant’s written forwarding address, whichever is later. Public Act 23-207, effective October 1, 2023, shortened the older thirty-day window to twenty-one days, so any landlord relying on a form or a blog that still says thirty days is now working from a repealed number and risks blowing the deadline.

Statutory Detail: What Sec. 47a-21 Requires

The Written Itemized Statement Under Sec. 47a-21(d)(2)

When the landlord keeps any part of the deposit, Sec. 47a-21(d)(2) requires a written statement itemizing the nature and amount of each deduction, delivered together with whatever balance is refunded. “Nature and amount” is the operative phrase: the statement must say what the deduction is for and how much it is. A line reading only “cleaning — two hundred fifty dollars” states an amount but not a defensible nature; “professional carpet cleaning to remove pet urine staining, living room, invoice attached — two hundred fifty dollars” states both. The statement this page generates builds that itemized accounting automatically, one line per deduction, and totals them against the deposit.

The Deposit Cap Under Sec. 47a-21(b)

A landlord may not require a security deposit greater than two months’ rent. If the tenant is sixty-two years of age or older, the cap is reduced to one month’s rent, and a landlord holding more than one month’s rent for such a tenant must return the excess on demand. The cap matters at itemization time because the deposit the landlord is accounting for should never have exceeded the statutory limit; an over-collected deposit is refundable regardless of any damage claim, so the itemization starts from the lawful deposit figure, not an inflated one.

Annual Interest Under Sec. 47a-21(i)

The landlord must pay interest on the deposit at the rate the Connecticut Banking Commissioner sets each year — the statewide deposit index published under Sec. 36a-26. For calendar year 2026 the deposit index, and therefore the rental security deposit interest rate, is 0.49 percent. Interest is credited annually on the anniversary of the tenancy and is paid to the tenant either each year or as a lump sum when the deposit is returned. On the itemization, the accrued interest is added to the original deposit before deductions are subtracted, so a landlord who forgets it understates the tenant’s balance. Because the rate changes annually, always confirm the current-year figure on the Department of Banking deposit-index page before you compute the accrued interest you enter above. In a multi-year tenancy, the accrued interest is the cumulative total across each year at that year’s rate, not a single year’s figure.

The Double-Damages Remedy Under Sec. 47a-21(d)(2)

A landlord who violates the return provision is liable for twice the amount of the security deposit paid by the tenant. This is a statutory penalty, and Connecticut does not require the tenant to prove willfulness or bad faith to recover it, which sets the state apart from the many jurisdictions that reserve double or treble damages for bad-faith withholding. A defective itemization — missing, late, or so vague that it fails to state the nature and amount — can be treated as a violation of the return provision and expose the landlord to twice the whole deposit, not merely twice the disputed line. If the only violation is failure to pay the accrued interest, the landlord is liable instead for ten dollars or twice the accrued interest, whichever is greater — a smaller but still real measure of statutory damages.

Itemization Versus Return Letter: Two Documents, One Package

Landlords often ask whether the itemization and the return letter are the same thing. They are two parts of the same compliance package, and keeping them straight avoids a common filing mistake. The itemized deduction statement — the document this page builds — is the accounting schedule: it lists each deduction by nature and amount, adds the deposit and interest, subtracts the deductions, and shows the refund or the balance owed. The return letter is the cover letter the landlord signs and mails, addressed to the tenant, that transmits the refund check and attaches the itemization.

In practice, many Connecticut landlords deliver a single envelope containing the signed return letter, the itemized statement, the refund check, and copies of the supporting receipts and photographs. That single delivery satisfies both the “deliver the balance” and the “written statement itemizing the nature and amount” requirements of Sec. 47a-21(d)(2) at once. If you want the matching cover letter for this schedule, generate it with the Connecticut security deposit return letter form; the two forms share the same figures, so fill the deposit, interest, and deductions the same way on both. Where the itemization is the “what and how much,” the return letter is the “here it is, signed and dated.”

Party Rights and Remedies

The statute balances duties on both sides. The landlord’s rights include deducting for unpaid rent and for damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, provided each deduction is itemized in writing and supported by documentation. The tenant’s rights include timely return of the balance plus interest, a written accounting stating the nature and amount of each deduction, and the double-damages remedy when the landlord violates the return provision.

A tenant who does not receive a compliant itemized statement within the statutory window may bring a small-claims action for twice the deposit. The landlord’s best defense is a clean paper trail: a signed lease, a dated move-in and move-out inspection record, before-and-after photographs, receipts or written estimates for every repair, and proof of certified-mail delivery within the deadline. The itemization is the centerpiece of that defense because it is the document that ties each dollar to a described, documented item of damage. Landlords who screen carefully at the application stage tend to reach move-out with far fewer disputed deductions in the first place — the tenant background check process surfaces the payment and eviction history that predict a costly, contested move-out before the lease is ever signed.

Counting the Deadline Correctly

Because the deadline is the later of two clocks, the safest practice is to compute both dates the moment the tenancy ends and diary the later one. The first clock starts on the termination of the tenancy and runs twenty-one days. The second clock starts only when the landlord receives the tenant’s written forwarding address and runs fifteen days. If the tenant hands over a forwarding address at move-out, the twenty-one-day clock almost always controls. But if the tenant leaves without a forwarding address and mails one twelve days later, the fifteen-day clock can push the true deadline past the twenty-one-day mark, and the itemized statement is timely as long as it is delivered by the later date.

The statute measures delivery, not mailing, in practical terms: the tenant must actually receive the balance and the itemized statement by the deadline. That is why certified mail matters — it timestamps delivery. Sending the itemization to the last known address when no forwarding address was ever provided is permitted, but the landlord should document the attempt. When the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, do not rely on an informal grace period; deliver early. A landlord who misreads the trigger date — or who relies on the repealed thirty-day figure — is the most common defendant in a Connecticut deposit double-damages claim.

Building a Defensible Itemized Statement, Line by Line

An itemization survives a challenge when each line answers three questions: what was damaged, why the charge was necessary, and what proof supports the amount. Walk the unit against the move-in checklist and photograph every item you intend to charge, then write each deduction as a full sentence rather than a category. “Repairs” is a category; “replace bedroom door damaged by forced entry, contractor invoice #4471 attached — one hundred eighty dollars” is a line item a small-claims magistrate can uphold.

Group related charges but keep them separate on the statement so the tenant can see the arithmetic. Attach a receipt for completed work or a written estimate for work not yet performed; Connecticut landlords are not required to have already spent the money, but they must be able to substantiate the amount. Where a deduction covers unpaid rent rather than damage, label it as unpaid rent for a stated period, because rent and damage are treated differently and a tenant is entitled to see which is which. Round to the actual documented figure rather than a tidy estimate; a suspiciously round number invites the tenant to demand the underlying receipt. Finally, total the deductions on the statement, subtract them from the deposit plus interest, and state the resulting refund or balance in plain dollars — which is exactly what the generator above does when you enter each line.

Computing the Accrued Interest for the Itemization

The accrued-interest line is where careful landlords and careless ones part ways, because Sec. 47a-21(i) does not let the landlord skip it. Interest runs from the start of the tenancy and is credited on the anniversary date each year at that calendar year’s deposit index. On the itemization, the accrued interest is added to the original deposit before any deduction is subtracted, so an omitted or understated interest line lowers the tenant’s balance and, standing alone, is a violation carrying its own penalty of ten dollars or twice the accrued interest, whichever is greater.

A worked example makes the mechanics concrete. Suppose a tenant paid a deposit of one thousand five hundred dollars and stayed two full years, and suppose the deposit index was fixed at roughly one-half of one percent for each of those years. The first year’s interest is one thousand five hundred dollars multiplied by the annual rate, which at one-half of one percent is about seven dollars and fifty cents. The second year accrues on the same principal, adding roughly another seven dollars and fifty cents, for a cumulative accrued interest of about fifteen dollars carried onto the itemization. The landlord adds that cumulative interest to the one thousand five hundred dollar deposit, then subtracts the total itemized deductions, and the remainder is the refund. If the deposit index changes from one year to the next, the landlord applies each year’s published rate to that year’s accrual rather than averaging, because the statute ties the rate to the index in effect for the calendar year. Because the rate is small, the dollars are small — but the omission, not the amount, is what a small-claims magistrate penalizes, so the line belongs on every itemization even when it rounds to a few dollars.

The Connecticut Department of Banking publishes an interest calculation table each year that landlords can use to confirm the accrued figure, and the deposit index for the current calendar year is the anchor number to verify before you fill in the accrued-interest field above. When a tenancy spans a partial year — for example, a tenant who moves out three months into a lease year — the prudent approach is to credit interest through the anniversary already reached and to treat any additional partial-year accrual conservatively in the tenant’s favor, since erring high on interest costs the landlord a few dollars while erring low invites a statutory-damages claim. Keeping a simple running ledger of the deposit, each anniversary date, and the rate applied turns the accrued-interest computation into a lookup rather than a reconstruction at move-out.

A Category-by-Category Guide to Connecticut Deductions

Most itemization disputes turn on whether a particular charge is a permissible deduction for damage or an impermissible charge for ordinary wear and tear. Connecticut allows deductions only for damages the landlord suffered by reason of the tenant’s failure to comply with the tenant’s obligations, plus unpaid rent. Walking the common categories helps a landlord decide what belongs on the statement.

Paint and Walls

Repainting to cover ordinary fading, minor scuffs, and small nail or pin holes from hanging pictures is not deductible; that deterioration is the expected result of someone living in the unit. Repainting becomes deductible when the tenant painted the walls a non-neutral color without permission, gouged or punched holes that require patching beyond spackle, or left smoke or grease staining that a normal cleaning cannot remove. The itemization line should describe the specific wall condition and, ideally, reference the move-in photograph that shows the wall was sound at the start.

Carpet and Flooring

Thinning and matting of carpet along walking paths, and the gradual dulling of a hardwood finish, are wear and tear. Pet urine saturation, burns, large stains that survive professional cleaning, and gouges or water damage to flooring are damage. Connecticut landlords should account for the useful life of carpet: charging a departing tenant the full replacement cost of a carpet that was already several years into its useful life at move-in overstates the deduction, and a tenant can challenge the amount as a betterment rather than a repair. The defensible line prorates or documents the actual out-of-pocket repair.

Cleaning

A unit must be returned in the condition it was received, less ordinary wear. Routine cleaning to ready the unit for the next tenant is generally a cost of turnover, not a deductible charge, unless the tenant left the unit in a condition materially dirtier than move-in — grease-caked appliances, biohazard conditions, or removal of abandoned belongings and trash. The itemization should describe the specific condition and attach the cleaning invoice; “cleaning” as a bare category is the single most frequently disallowed line in Connecticut small-claims sessions.

Fixtures, Appliances, and Keys

Broken fixtures, missing or damaged appliances, unreturned keys or remotes, and removed smoke or carbon-monoxide detectors are deductible at the documented cost to repair or replace. As with flooring, replacement of an aged appliance should reflect its depreciated value rather than the price of a brand-new unit. Unreturned keys justify a re-keying charge supported by a locksmith invoice.

Unpaid Rent and Utilities

Unpaid rent for the period the tenant occupied or was obligated on the unit is a permissible deduction, as are unpaid utility charges the lease made the tenant’s responsibility. These lines should be labeled distinctly as rent or utilities rather than lumped with damage, because a magistrate reviewing the statement treats a rent shortfall differently from a repair, and the tenant is entitled to see which is which. Late fees and other contractual charges are deductible only to the extent the lease and Connecticut law actually authorize them.

What a Connecticut Deposit Dispute Actually Looks Like

When a tenant believes a deduction was improper or the deadline was missed, the usual forum is the small-claims session of the Connecticut Superior Court, where deposit cases are common and the amounts fall within the small-claims limit. The tenant files, the landlord answers, and both sides appear before a magistrate with their documents. The case rarely turns on eloquence; it turns on paper. The tenant who shows move-in photographs, a signed inspection checklist, and a copy of the forwarding-address letter usually prevails on any deduction the landlord cannot document, and if the landlord failed to deliver a compliant itemized statement within the window, the tenant argues for twice the deposit.

The landlord who prevails is the one whose itemized statement reads like an exhibit list: each line describes the nature of the damage, states the amount, and points to an attached receipt or photograph. Because the double-damages remedy does not require the tenant to prove bad faith, the landlord cannot rely on having acted honestly; the landlord must have acted correctly and documented it. A landlord who over-deducts on a single line risks more than that line, because a statement a magistrate finds non-compliant can open the door to the doubling of the entire deposit. This asymmetry — small upside for aggressive deductions, large downside for a defective statement — is why the conservative, well-documented itemization is almost always the financially smarter one. The Connecticut eviction notice laws and the Connecticut lease termination laws govern how the tenancy ended, which in turn fixes the termination date that starts the itemization clock.

End-of-Tenancy Scenarios That Change the Itemization

Not every tenancy ends cleanly on a lease-end date, and several common scenarios change how the twenty-one-day clock runs and what the itemization should say. Understanding them prevents a technically defective statement.

Early Termination and Broken Leases

When a tenant breaks the lease early, the termination of the tenancy for itemization purposes is generally the date possession is surrendered or the tenancy is otherwise legally ended, not the original lease-end date. The landlord may itemize unpaid rent that accrued and any lawful re-letting costs, subject to the landlord’s duty to mitigate by seeking a replacement tenant. The itemization should tie any rent deduction to the specific period claimed.

Abandonment

If a tenant abandons the unit without notice, the landlord still owes the itemized statement but faces the practical problem of a forwarding address. The fifteen-day clock never starts if no written forwarding address is ever received, so the landlord delivers the statement and any balance to the tenant’s last known address within the twenty-one-day window measured from the date the tenancy legally terminated, documenting the delivery attempt. Charges for removing and storing or disposing of abandoned property should be itemized carefully and only to the extent Connecticut law allows.

Roommate Turnover and Multiple Tenants

Where several tenants signed one lease and paid one deposit, the deposit is generally accounted for as a single sum at the end of the whole tenancy, and the itemized statement and refund go to the tenants jointly at the forwarding address they provide. A mid-lease departure of one roommate, with the tenancy continuing, does not by itself trigger the itemization duty for the leaving roommate’s share unless the deposit is legally being returned; landlords should avoid piecemeal refunds that fracture the single-deposit accounting the statute contemplates.

Death of a Tenant

When a sole tenant dies, the deposit accounting is owed to the tenant’s estate, and the landlord delivers the itemized statement and any balance to the estate’s representative or to the last known address, documenting the effort. The substantive rules — the deadline, the itemization requirement, the interest, and the wear-and-tear exclusion — do not change; only the recipient does.

Escrow, Receipts, and the Landlord’s Ongoing Duties

Beyond the itemized statement, Sec. 47a-21 imposes duties that run throughout the tenancy and shape what the final itemization looks like. The landlord must hold each security deposit in an escrow account at a Connecticut financial institution and may not commingle it with operating funds. On request, the landlord must disclose the name and address of the institution holding the deposit. The annual interest obligation runs from the start of the tenancy, so a multi-year tenancy accrues interest each year at that year’s deposit index, and the final itemization should reflect the cumulative accrued interest — not a single year’s figure. Landlords who transfer a property mid-tenancy must transfer the deposit and the interest obligation to the successor owner, who then stands in the original landlord’s shoes for the itemization duty. Keeping the escrow records, the annual interest calculations, and the move-in documentation organized from day one is what makes the twenty-one-day itemized statement a short task instead of a scramble.

Common Mistakes Connecticut Landlords Make

• Relying on the repealed thirty-day deadline. Since October 1, 2023, the rule is twenty-one days from termination or fifteen days from the written forwarding address, whichever is later. Calendar the correct date the moment the tenancy ends.
• Refunding without an itemized statement. Even a generous partial refund violates the return provision if no written statement of the nature and amount accompanies it.
• Writing vague, single-word deductions. “Cleaning” or “repairs” with no description and no receipt is not itemization and is routinely disallowed.
• Charging for ordinary wear and tear. Faded paint, minor carpet wear, and small nail holes are not deductible; charging for them invites the double-damages penalty.
• Forgetting the annual interest. Interest at the deposit index accrues every year and is added before deductions; omitting it understates the refund and is itself a violation with its own penalty.
• Skipping certified mail. Without proof of delivery, a landlord cannot show the itemized statement reached the tenant inside the statutory window.
• Itemizing against an over-collected deposit. More than two months’ rent (or one month for a tenant sixty-two or older) is unlawful and refundable on demand, no matter what damage is claimed.

Wear and Tear Versus Damage

Connecticut treats ordinary wear and tear as the natural, gradual deterioration of the unit from normal use over the length of the tenancy — faded or lightly scuffed paint, thinning carpet along walking paths, minor scuffs near door handles, and small nail or pin holes from hanging pictures. None of that is deductible, and none of it belongs on the itemized statement. Damage is harm beyond ordinary use: large holes in walls, burns or pet-stains in carpet, broken fixtures, missing appliances, and deliberate alterations. Only damage, plus unpaid rent, may be charged against the deposit and itemized. A dated move-in and move-out checklist paired with photographs is the evidence that separates the two if a deduction is ever challenged; the Connecticut move-in / move-out checklist is designed to record exactly that baseline, and the deductions you carry onto the itemization should trace back to a documented change between move-in and move-out.

Connecticut Statute and Citation Reference

Topic	Rule	Citation
Itemized statement	Written statement itemizing the nature and amount of each deduction, delivered with the balance	Sec. 47a-21(d)(2)
Delivery deadline	21 days after termination, or 15 days after written forwarding address, whichever is later (P.A. 23-207, eff. Oct. 1, 2023)	Sec. 47a-21(d)(2)
Deposit cap	Two months’ rent; one month if tenant is 62 or older	Sec. 47a-21(b)
Annual interest	Deposit index rate set yearly by the Banking Commissioner (0.49% for 2026)	Sec. 47a-21(i); Sec. 36a-26
Return violation penalty	Liable for twice the amount of the deposit	Sec. 47a-21(d)(2)
Interest-only violation	Ten dollars or twice the accrued interest, whichever is greater	Sec. 47a-21(d)(2)
Wear and tear	Deductions limited to damages from tenant non-compliance and unpaid rent; no ordinary wear and tear	Sec. 47a-21(d)(2)
Escrow account	Deposit held in escrow at a Connecticut financial institution; name and address disclosed on request	Sec. 47a-21(h)

Best Practices for a Clean Deposit Itemization

• Calendar the deadline immediately. On the termination date, mark twenty-one days out and fifteen days from any forwarding address, and work to the later of the two.
• Inspect with the checklist and camera. A move-out inspection paired with the move-in baseline is the record that survives a challenge to any deduction.
• Itemize with receipts. Every deduction needs a described nature, an amount, and a supporting document; keep vague categories off the statement.
• Add the interest first. Apply the current-year deposit index, show the accrued interest as its own line, and add it before subtracting deductions.
• Separate damage from unpaid rent. Label each line so the tenant can see which charges are for damage and which are for rent.
• Send certified mail. Return receipt requested, to the forwarding address, and keep the receipt with the statement.
• Retain everything four years. The itemization, receipts, photographs, escrow records, and mailing proof.

The single best long-term defense against deposit disputes is choosing reliable tenants before move-in. The cleanest itemizations come from tenants with verifiable income and a clean rental history, so the start-a-tenant-screening workflow and a full background screening package pay for themselves the first time they head off a contested move-out.

The Move-Out to Delivery Workflow

Turning the statute into a repeatable routine is what keeps a landlord out of the double-damages trap. The workflow below compresses everything above into an ordered sequence a Connecticut landlord can run every time a tenancy ends.

1. Fix the termination date. Identify the date the tenancy legally ended — lease expiration, the date possession was surrendered on an early termination, or the date an eviction concluded. This date starts the twenty-one-day clock.
2. Capture the forwarding address in writing. Ask for it at move-out and note the date received; that date starts the fifteen-day clock. Work to whichever deadline falls later.
3. Inspect and photograph. Walk the unit against the move-in checklist, photograph every condition you intend to charge, and note whether each condition is damage or ordinary wear.
4. Gather documentation. Collect receipts for completed repairs and written estimates for work not yet done, plus any records of unpaid rent or utilities.
5. Compute the accrued interest. Look up the deposit index for each year of the tenancy, credit interest on each anniversary, and total the cumulative accrued interest.
6. Build the itemized statement. Enter the deposit, the accrued interest, and each deduction with a described nature and amount into the generator above; it totals the deductions and computes the refund or balance owed.
7. Assemble the package. Print the itemized statement, attach copies of the receipts and photographs, and pair it with the refund check and the matching return letter.
8. Deliver by the deadline, certified. Send the package by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the forwarding address, and keep the mailing receipt.
9. Retain the file. Keep the statement, documentation, escrow records, and proof of delivery for at least four years in case of a later claim.

Run in that order, the twenty-one-day itemization becomes a short administrative task rather than a scramble, and the resulting file is the exact evidence that defends every deduction if the tenant ever files.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Connecticut security deposit itemization form?

It is the written statement itemizing the nature and amount of each deduction a Connecticut landlord takes from a security deposit at the end of a tenancy. Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 47a-21(d)(2) requires this written itemized statement to be delivered together with the balance of the deposit and accrued interest. The itemization is the accounting schedule; the return letter is the cover letter that carries it.

How many days does a Connecticut landlord have to deliver the itemized statement?

Under Sec. 47a-21(d)(2), as amended by Public Act 23-207 effective October 1, 2023, the landlord must deliver the itemized written statement and the balance within twenty-one days after termination of the tenancy or within fifteen days after receiving the tenant’s written forwarding address, whichever is later. The former thirty-day window was shortened to twenty-one days, so older forms that still say thirty days are out of date.

What must the itemized deduction statement include?

It must state the nature and the amount of each deduction. Vague single-word categories such as cleaning or repairs are not itemization. Each line should describe what was damaged or cleaned, why the charge was necessary, and be supported by a receipt, invoice, or dated photograph. The statement also shows the original deposit, the accrued interest, the total deductions, and the resulting refund or balance owed, and it is signed and dated by the landlord.

How much interest must a Connecticut landlord pay on a deposit?

Under Sec. 47a-21(i), interest accrues at the deposit index the Connecticut Banking Commissioner determines annually under Sec. 36a-26. For calendar year 2026 the deposit index, and therefore the rental security deposit interest rate, is 0.49 percent. Interest is credited on the anniversary of the tenancy and paid annually or when the deposit is returned. Always verify the current-year rate with the Department of Banking before you calculate.

Can a Connecticut landlord deduct for ordinary wear and tear?

No. Sec. 47a-21 allows deductions only for damages caused by the tenant’s failure to comply with the tenant’s obligations, plus unpaid rent, not for ordinary wear and tear. Faded paint, thinning carpet along walking paths, minor scuffs, and small nail holes are wear and tear and may not be charged. Only damage beyond ordinary use may be itemized, and each such line must be documented.

What happens if a landlord fails to itemize or misses the deadline?

A landlord who violates the return provision of Sec. 47a-21(d), including by refunding without the required written itemization or by missing the deadline, is liable for twice the amount of the security deposit paid by the tenant. Connecticut does not require proof of bad faith for this double-damages remedy. If the only violation is failure to deliver the accrued interest, the landlord is liable for ten dollars or twice the accrued interest, whichever is greater.

How large a security deposit can a Connecticut landlord require?

Under Sec. 47a-21(b), a landlord may not demand a security deposit greater than two months’ rent. For a tenant who is sixty-two years of age or older, the cap is one month’s rent, and a landlord holding more than one month’s rent for such a tenant must return the excess on demand. The cap is measured against the rent in effect.

Is the itemization different from the return letter?

They are two parts of the same compliance package. The itemized deduction statement is the accounting schedule that lists each deduction and computes the refund; the return letter is the cover letter a landlord signs and mails with the refund check. Many landlords attach the itemization to the return letter and deliver both in one certified envelope.

Related Connecticut Forms and Resources