Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a § 47a-19
Rental agreement: Acceptance of rent when overdue.
Operative Text
Acceptance of rent with the knowledge that such rent is overdue constitutes a waiver of the landlord's right to terminate the rental agreement for the tenant's failure to pay such rent when it was due.
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-19, when a landlord knowingly accepts rent that is already past due, that acceptance operates as a legal waiver of the landlord's right to end the tenancy based on that particular late payment. The rule does not prevent a landlord from pursuing future violations, but it does extinguish the specific termination right tied to the overdue amount that was accepted. This provision reflects a broader principle that a party's conduct can forfeit rights they might otherwise have held.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-19 means that property owners and managers who collect overdue rent while knowing it is late generally lose the ability to terminate the tenancy on the grounds of that specific nonpayment. Compliant operators who wish to preserve termination rights typically avoid accepting late rent without a written reservation-of-rights agreement or other protective documentation. Consistent recordkeeping of payment dates and any written communications about late payments is a practice commonly associated with maintaining clear legal standing.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-19 provides tenants with a meaningful protection: if a landlord knowingly accepted rent after it was due, that landlord has generally waived the right to terminate the rental agreement based on that particular late payment. Tenants who receive a termination notice after a landlord has already accepted the overdue rent may be able to raise this waiver as a defense in eviction proceedings. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices can help explain how this provision applies in a given context and what options may be available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 17, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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