2018 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 47a - Landlord and Tenant
Chapter 833a - Public Enforcement of Health and Safety Standards in Tenement and Boarding Houses, and in Rented Dwellings
Section 47a-52 - (Formerly Sec. 19-88). Abatement of conditions in rented dwelling other than tenement house constituting danger to life or health.
(a) As used in this section, “rented dwelling” means any structure or portion thereof which is rented, leased, or hired out to be occupied as the home or residence of one or two families and any mobile manufactured home in a mobile manufactured home park which, although owned by its resident, sits upon a space or lot which is rented, leased or hired out, but shall not include a tenement house as defined in section 19a-355 or in section 47a-1.
(b) “Department of health” means the health authority of each city, borough or town, by whatever name such health authority may be known.
(c) When any defect in the plumbing, sewerage, water supply, drainage, lighting, ventilation, or sanitary condition of a rented dwelling, or of the premises on which it is situated, in the opinion of the department of health of the municipality where such dwelling is located, constitutes a danger to life or health, the department may order the responsible party to correct the same in such manner as it specifies. If the responsible party is a registrant, the department may deliver the order in accordance with section 7-148ii, provided nothing in this section shall preclude a director from providing notice in another manner permitted by applicable law. If the order is not complied with within the time limit set by the department, the person in charge of the department may institute a civil action for injunctive relief, in accordance with chapter 916, to require the abatement of such danger.
(d) Paint on the exposed surfaces of the interior of a rented dwelling shall not be cracked, chipped, blistered, flaking, loose or peeling so as to constitute a health hazard. Testing, remediation, abatement and management of lead-based paint at a rented dwelling or its premises shall be as defined in, and in accordance with, the regulations, if any, adopted pursuant to section 19a-111c.
(e) When the department of health certifies that any such rented dwelling or premises are unfit for human habitation, by reason of defects which may cause sickness or endanger the health of the occupants, the department may issue an order requiring the rented dwelling, premises or any portion thereof to be vacated within not less than twenty-four hours or more than ten days.
(f) Any person who violates or assists in violating, or fails to comply with, any provision of this section or any legal order of a department of health made under any such provision shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor.
(g) Any person aggrieved by an order issued under this section may appeal, pursuant to section 19a-229, to the Commissioner of Public Health.
(1953, S. 2139d; P.A. 79-276, S. 1; 79-571, S. 72; P.A. 91-383, S. 21; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2, S. 56; P.A. 09-144, S. 6; P.A. 12-80, S. 115.)
History: P.A. 79-276 authorized institution of civil action for injunctive relief when order not complied with within set time limit; P.A. 79-571 divided section into Subsecs., added reference to Secs. 47a-1 and 47a-50 in Subsec. (a), reworded Subsec. (d) and added Subsec. (f) re appeals; Sec. 19-88 transferred to Sec. 47a-52 in 1981; P.A. 91-383 amended Subsec. (a) to include in definition of “rented dwelling” a mobile manufactured home which is owned by its resident but sits upon a rented space or lot; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-2 made a technical change in Subsec. (c), added new Subsec. (d) re testing, remediation, abatement and management of lead-based paint at rented dwellings and redesignated existing Subsecs. (d), (e) and (f) as Subsecs. (e), (f) and (g), respectively; P.A. 09-144 amended Subsec. (c) by allowing order to be delivered to a registrant in accordance with Sec. 7-148ii; P.A. 12-80 amended Subsec. (f) to change penalty from a fine of not more than $200 or imprisonment of not more than 60 days or both to a class C misdemeanor.
Cited. 192 C. 207; 211 C. 501.
