Injured at a Summer Rental? How Connecticut’s Liability Laws Apply to Short-Term Rentals

Summer travel looks different than it used to. Instead of hotels, more Connecticut families are booking a lake house on VRBO or a shoreline cottage on Airbnb. That shift raises a question people rarely think about until something goes wrong:

If you get hurt at a rental, or a guest gets hurt at yours, who is actually responsible?

Connecticut has not passed a special injury law for short-term rentals. The same premises liability rules that govern any property apply here too, and knowing how they work can save you a lot of stress if your getaway takes an unexpected turn.

Short-Term Rentals Are Getting More Attention, But Not for Injuries

You may have heard that Connecticut’s courts have been busy with short-term rentals lately. In 2024, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled in a Branford case that a home used for short-term rentals can still count as a residence under local zoning rules, and the state passed Public Act 24-143, giving towns clearer authority to regulate short-term rentals.

Here is the key point: those developments are about zoning and local regulation, not who pays when someone is injured. For injury claims, Connecticut still relies on its long-standing premises liability and strict liability rules.

Who Owes You a Duty of Care at a Rental

When you stay at a short-term rental, you are a lawful guest, so the property owner and host owe you a duty to keep the premises reasonably safe. If you are injured by a hazard they knew about, or should have known about, and failed to fix or warn you about, they may be liable. Common summer examples include:

• A loose deck railing or rotted step that gives way
• A pool with no fence, a broken gate, or no depth markings
• Slippery walkways, poor lighting, faulty wiring, or a hidden defect

Because a rental may involve both a property owner and a separate host or management company, responsibility can be shared. Who is liable is fact specific, and it is one of the first things worth reviewing with an attorney.

Dog Bites: Strict Liability Follows the Dog, Not the Address

Dog bites are one of the few situations where Connecticut applies true strict liability, and it matters at rentals, where hosts and guests often bring pets.

Under Connecticut General Statutes Section 22-357, the owner or keeper of a dog is responsible for the injury it causes, and the injured person does not have to prove the owner was careless or knew the dog was dangerous.

This rule does not depend on whether the dog is at a primary home or a rental. It follows the owner or keeper of the dog, so if a host’s dog bites a guest, or a guest’s dog bites someone, the rule still applies. The exceptions are narrow: it does not apply if the injured person was trespassing, committing another wrong, or teasing the dog. Children under seven are presumed not to have been doing any of those things.

The Coverage Gap That Catches People Off Guard

Here is the part that surprises both hosts and guests. A standard homeowners policy is written for an owner-occupied home, and most carriers treat renting to short-term guests as a business use that can void key coverage. A host who assumes their regular policy covers a guest injury may find the claim denied and be left personally responsible.

Platform protections do not fully close the gap either. Airbnb’s host coverage is not the same as liability insurance and generally does not extend to off-platform bookings, so hosts who want real protection usually need a dedicated short-term rental or commercial liability policy. This matters for guests too, because it can affect how a claim is pursued and who ultimately pays.

If You Are Injured at a Rental This Summer

• Get medical care right away and keep every record.
• Photograph the hazard, the scene, and your injuries before anything is repaired or moved.
• Save your booking confirmation and any messages with the host.
• Get contact information for the host, property owner, and any witnesses.
• Act promptly. Connecticut generally allows two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury claim under Section 52-584.

We’re Here When Legal Matters

Rental stays are new territory for a lot of families, but the law behind them is not, and you do not have to figure it out on your own. Our team helps people across eastern and central Connecticut understand their rights after an injury.

When legal matters, we’re here for you. Contact us to schedule a consultation at any of our four offices in Willimantic, Brooklyn, Coventry, or Colchester. 

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Sources

Connecticut General Statutes Section 22-357 (Damage to person or property by dogs): https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_435.htm 

Connecticut General Statutes Section 52-584 (Limitation of action for injury to person or property): https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_926.htm 

Public Act No. 24-143, municipal authority to regulate short-term rentals, Connecticut General Assembly: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2024/act/pa/pdf/2024PA-00143-R00HB-05353-PA.pdf 

CT Mirror, 2024 Connecticut Supreme Court ruling on short-term rentals (Wihbey v. Zoning Board of Appeals): https://ctmirror.org/2024/08/01/ct-supreme-court-airbnb-vrbo-short-term-rental/ 

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The Prue Law Group has served eastern and central Connecticut since 1980, providing comprehensive business law, estate planning, probate, and elder law services. Our team’s deep local knowledge and specialized expertise help business owners protect what matters most. AI may have been used for the initial research and drafting of the article. This content is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, please contact our office for a consultation.