Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 830 - Rights and Responsibilities of Landlord and Tenant
Section 47a-5. (Formerly Sec. 47-24a). - Penalty for allowing occupancy without certificate of occupancy.

In any borough, city or town which requires a certificate of occupancy prior to human habitation of any building located therein, if any building is occupied in whole or in part without such occupancy permit, the owner or lessor of the premises shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than twenty dollars per day, per apartment or dwelling unit, for not more than two hundred days for such period of unlawful occupation.

(1959, P.A. 415, S. 1; P.A. 79-571, S. 8; P.A. 97-231, S. 4; P.A. 98-107, S. 4, 6.)
History: Sec. 47-24a transferred to Sec. 47a-5 in 1977; P.A. 79-571 rephrased provisions but made no substantive changes; P.A. 97-231 revised the sanction for an owner or lessor who allows occupancy of premises without a certificate of occupancy by replacing the prohibition on the recovery of rent for such period of unlawful occupation with a civil penalty of not more than $20 per day for such period; P.A. 98-107 specified that the daily civil penalty is “per apartment or dwelling unit, for not more than two hundred days”, effective July 1, 1998.
See Sec. 47a-57 re certificate of occupancy requirement with respect to apartments or dwelling units containing three or more housing units.
Annotation to former section 47-24a:
Statute does not authorize action by tenant for recovery of rent voluntarily paid during period of violation. 150 C. 702.
Annotations to present section:
Cited. 191 C. 484.
Cited. 10 CA 527; 32 CA 133.
Cited. 37 CS 688; 38 CS 683.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes