Connecticut · Roommate money dispute

Roommate money dispute in Connecticut small claims

Ex-roommate owes you money? Recover it in small claims.

When a roommate leaves without paying their share of rent, utilities, or other agreed expenses — or when money was lent and not repaid — small claims court is an accessible option to recover. Your case turns on showing what was agreed, what was paid by each person, and what remains unpaid. A written roommate agreement or lease addendum is the strongest evidence, but texts, emails, and payment records can also establish the arrangement.

In Connecticut, small-claims cases are heard in the Small Claims Court (a session of the Superior Court) and you can sue for up to $5,000 (money damages only, or up to $15,000 for a home-improvement contract).

Good to know: Small claims in Connecticut is a session of the Superior Court (the booklet is titled "State of Connecticut Judicial Branch Superior Court"). Most cases are heard and ruled on by magistrates, and hearings are conducted as remote hearings over the internet unless the court instructs otherwise. Libel and slander cases cannot be heard in small claims.

Roommate money dispute in Connecticut: local specifics

Connecticut applies different limitations periods to written agreements and oral arrangements, so whether you had a written roommate agreement or lease addendum affects your filing deadline. Hearings are conducted remotely by court magistrates.

Roommate money dispute: steps that matter

1. Gather your roommate agreement, lease, and any written communications about shared expenses, payments made, and what was owed.
2. Compile payment records showing what you paid and what the other person did or did not pay.
3. Send a written demand for the amount owed and keep proof you sent it.
4. File in the court for the county where the rental property is located or where the defendant currently lives.

Filing your Small Claims Writ and Notice of Suit (Form JD-CV-40) in Connecticut

1. Complete the Small Claims Writ and Notice of Suit (Form JD-CV-40). Fill out Form JD-CV-40, typed or printed neatly, using only the exact, correct, legal names of the parties (no initials, nicknames, or abbreviations). Attach copies of supporting documents (leases, statements, invoices, bills) and keep the originals. Your signature must be notarized.
2. Serve each defendant BEFORE filing. Serve the completed Writ and Notice of Suit, the Instructions to Defendant (Form JD-CV-122), and copies of all attachments on each defendant by one of four methods: priority mail with delivery confirmation; certified mail with return receipt requested; a nationally recognized courier with delivery confirmation; or service by a proper officer (e.g., a state marshal). Service by a proper officer is required for out-of-state businesses.
3. File the original papers with the court within one month of service. After service is completed, file the original Writ and Notice of Suit plus a Statement of Service (Form JD-CV-123) for each defendant. These must be filed no later than one month after the date of service. File by mail, hand delivery, or e-file with the proper court (judicial district / housing session). Pay the entry fee at filing.
4. Receive the docket number and answer date. After filing, the clerk's office assigns a docket number and an answer date (the date by which the defendant must respond) and mails an answer form and the answer date to each defendant. Do not come to court on the answer date.

Filing fees: The entry (filing) fee is $95, set by state law; you also pay the cost of service separately and may recover it if you win. Verify current fees with the court.

Deadline that applies to your roommate money dispute

A roommate money dispute is usually a contract or debt claim — unpaid shared expenses, a loan between roommates, or one roommate leaving the other holding the lease. The statute of limitations is typically the contract or debt period, starting from when the money was due or the last payment was made.

Written contract: 6 years (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-576)

Answering a lawsuit: Connecticut requires you to serve the defendant before you file. After you file, the clerk assigns an “answer date” and mails the defendant an answer form; the defendant responds by that date. Do not appear in court on the answer date.

Serving the defendant: The plaintiff must serve each defendant BEFORE filing, by one of four methods: (1) priority mail with delivery confirmation; (2) certified mail with return receipt requested; (3) a nationally recognized courier with delivery confirmation; or (4) service by a proper officer (e.g., a state marshal). Service by a proper officer is required for out-of-state businesses. Proof is filed as a Statement of Service (Form JD-CV-123).

Appeals: No appeal. Small claims judgments cannot be appealed.

All Connecticut small-claims deadlines

The table below lists the filing deadlines Small Claims Court (a session of the Superior Court) applies by claim category. Confirm the exact rule that applies to your roommate money dispute claim with your court before relying on any figure.

Connecticut small-claims forms for your roommate money dispute case

These forms are published by the Small Claims Court (a session of the Superior Court). CaseBySelf can pre-fill them automatically from your case details.

• Small Claims Writ and Notice of Suit: Starts a Connecticut small-claims case.
• Instructions to Defendant: Explains how a Connecticut small-claims defendant responds to the writ and notice of suit.
• Application For Waiver of Fees/Payment of Costs - Civil, Housing, Small Claims, and Appellate: Requests waiver of Connecticut court fees or costs in a small-claims case.
• Small Claims Answer Form: Lets a Connecticut small-claims defendant answer the claim.

This page is general information, not legal advice, and CaseBySelf is not a law firm. Rules, fees, and deadlines change and vary by court: verify with the specific court where you file. Source: Connecticut Judicial Branch - How Small Claims Court Works (CV045 booklet). Last reviewed 2026-06-23.