No owner or other person shall rent to another or permit the
occupation by another of any vacant dwelling unit unless it and the
premises are clean, sanitary and fit for human occupancy and comply
with all applicable legal requirements of the State of Connecticut
and the Town of Barkhamsted.
An apartment or dwelling unit in any structure containing three
or more housing units shall not be occupied for human habitation after
a vacancy until a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the
Building Inspector or his authorized representative certifying that
such apartment or dwelling unit conforms to the requirements of the
State Building Code, as adopted by the Town of Barkhamsted on September
21, 1970, and of Title 47a, Chapter 833a, of the Connecticut General
Statutes. No provision of this section shall apply to any structure
occupied by the owner thereof and containing three or fewer housing
units. No provision of this section shall be construed to prohibit
human occupancy of such apartment or dwelling unit during pendency
of an application for such certificate.
Any person aggrieved by the refusal of a certificate of occupancy
may appeal to the Superior Court for the Judicial District of Litchfield.
Such appeal shall be privileged.
The owner or lessor of such structure shall not recover, receive or collect rent for the occupancy of any apartment or dwelling unit for which a certificate of occupancy has not been obtained prior to the rental thereof in violation of §
98-2.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any structure
which has been constructed or substantially reconstructed within the
five-year period immediately before the date such certificate of occupancy
would otherwise be required under this chapter. No apartment shall
be inspected more than once in a twelve-month period.
The Board of Selectmen may set a reasonable schedule of fees,
which fees are to be paid prior to the issuance of the certificate
of occupancy required by this chapter.
No person filing an application for a certificate of occupancy
shall knowingly make any false statement as to the names, ages, relationship
or number of persons who will occupy a dwelling unit.
Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter
shall be subject to the penalty provided for violations of the provisions
of the Building Code.