Connecticut General Statutes 47a-57 – Certificate of occupancy required for lawful occupation. Penalty for allowing occupancy without certificate
(a) An apartment or dwelling unit in any structure containing three or more housing units in any municipality which adopts the provisions of this section by vote of its legislative body shall not be occupied for human habitation, after a vacancy, until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the person designated by the legislative body of such municipality to administer the provisions of this section, certifying that such apartment or dwelling unit conforms to the requirements of the applicable housing ordinances of such municipality and this chapter. No provision of this section shall apply to any structure occupied by the owner thereof and containing three or less housing units. No provision of this section shall be construed to prohibit human occupancy of such apartment or dwelling unit during the pendency of an application for such certificate.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 47a-57
- apartment: means any house or building, or portion thereof, which is rented, leased or hired out to be occupied, or is occupied as a home or residence of one or more persons. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-50
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- court: means an open, unoccupied space, other than a yard, on the same lot with a tenement house. See Connecticut General Statutes 47a-50
- legislative body: means : (1) As applied to unconsolidated towns, the town meeting. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
(b) Any person aggrieved by the refusal of a certificate of occupancy may appeal to the superior court for the judicial district within which the structure is located. Such appeal shall be privileged.
(c) Any owner or lessor who recovers rent for the occupation of any apartment or dwelling unit for which a certificate of occupancy has not been obtained prior to the rental thereof in violation of subsection (a) of this section shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than twenty dollars per day for not more than two hundred days for such period of unlawful occupation.
(d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any structure which has been constructed or substantially reconstructed within the ten-year period immediately before the date such certificate of occupancy would otherwise be required under this section.