§ 47a-1 — Definitions.

Connecticut § 47a-1

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 47a: Landlord and Tenant
• Ch. 830: Rights and Responsibilities of Landlord and Tenant

Text

As used in this chapter, sections 47a-21, 47a-23 to 47a-23c, inclusive, 47a-26a to 47a-26g, inclusive, 47a-35 to 47a-35b, inclusive, 47a-41a, 47a-43, and 47a-46: (a) “Action” includes recoupment, counterclaim, set-off, cause of action and any other proceeding in which rights are determined, including an action for possession. (b) “Building and housing codes” include any law, ordinance or governmental regulation concerning fitness for habitation or the construction, maintenance, operation, occupancy, use or appearance of any premises or dwelling unit. (c) “Dwelling unit” means any house or building, or portion thereof, which is occupied, is designed to be occupied, or is rented, leased or hired out to be occupied, as a home or residence of one or more persons. (d) “Landlord” means the owner, lessor or sublessor of the dwelling unit, the building of which it is a part or the premises. (e) “Owner” means one or more persons, jointly or severally, in whom is vested (1) all or part of the legal title to property, or (2) all or part of the beneficial ownership and a right to present use and enjoyment of the premises and includes a mortgagee in possession. (f) “Person” means an individual, corporation, limited liability company, the state or any political subdivision thereof, or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, two or more persons having a joint or common interest, and any other legal or commercial entity. (g) “Premises” means a dwelling unit and the structure of which it is a part and facilities and appurtenances therein and grounds, areas and facilities held out for the use of tenants generally or whose use is promised to the tenant. (h) “Rent” means all periodic payments to be made to the landlord under the rental agreement. (i) “Rental agreement” means all agreements, written or oral, and valid rules and regulations adopted under section 47a-9 or subsection (d) of section 21-70 embodying the terms and conditions concerning the use and occupancy of a dwelling unit or premises. (j) “Roomer” means a person occupying a dwelling unit, which unit does not include a refrigerator, stove, kitchen sink, toilet and shower or bathtub and one or more of these facilities are used in common by other occupants in the structure. (k) “Single-family residence” means a structure maintained and used as a single dwelling unit. Notwithstanding that a dwelling unit shares one or more walls with another dwelling unit or has a common parking facility, it is a single-family residence if it has direct access to a street or thoroughfare and does not share heating facilities, hot water equipment or any other essential facility or service with any other dwelling unit. (l) “Tenant” means the lessee, sublessee or person entitled under a rental agreement to occupy a dwelling unit or premises to the exclusion of others or as is otherwise defined by law. (m) “Tenement house” means any house or building, or portion thereof, which is rented, leased or hired out to be occupied, or is arranged or designed to be occupied, or is occupied, as the home or residence of three or more families, living independently of each other, and doing their cooking upon the premises, and having a common right in the halls, stairways or yards.

Legislative History

(P.A. 76-95, S. 1, 27; 76-435, S. 75, 82; P.A. 79-571, S. 2; 79-631, S. 96, 111; P.A. 86-267, S. 4; P.A. 89-254, S. 1; P.A. 91-383, S. 13; P.A. 95-79, S. 171, 189; P.A. 10-137, S. 4; P.A. 21-78, S. 21; P.A. 23-207, S. 5; P.A. 24-143, S. 16.) History: P.A. 76-435 deleted provision in Sec. 27 of P.A. 76-95 which specified that the act applied to “rental agreements entered into or extended or renewed on and after” January 1, 1977; P.A. 79-571 added Subdiv. (m) defining “tenement house” and revised list of applicable sections; P.A. 79-631 removed Sec. 47a-26 from list of applicable sections; P.A. 86-267 made definitions applicable to Sec. 47a-23c and rephrased definition of dwelling unit; P.A. 89-254 redefined “dwelling unit” to include realty “designed to be occupied” as a home or residence; P.A. 91-383 amended the definition of “landlord” to include the owner, lessor or sublessor of “the premises”, amended the definition of “rental agreement” to include rules and regulations adopted under “subsection (d) of section 21-70”, and amended the definition of “tenant” to include a person occupying “premises”; P.A. 95-79 redefined “person” to include a limited liability company, effective May 31, 1995; P.A. 10-137 applied definitions to Sec. 47a-11e and made a technical change; P.A. 21-78 applied definitions to Sec. 47a-7b; P.A. 23-207 applied definitions to Secs. 47a-4d and 47a-7c. (Revisor's note: In 2024 a reference to Sec. 47a-7b in the introductory language was deleted editorially by the Revisors for clarity because said section is included in “this chapter”); P.A. 24-143 applied definitions to Sec. 47a-4e. Cited. 190 C. 364; 194 C. 129; 215 C. 367; 237 C. 679. Cited. 4 CA 608; 25 CA 177; 28 CA 684; 40 CA 513. Defendant's argument that sublessor is not an owner is misplaced, as it overlooks Subdiv. (e)(2) which provides in part that owner is one who has a beneficial interest in the premises and the right to possession. 81 CA 486. Cited. 36 CS 611; 37 CS 579; 38 CS 1; Id., 370; Id., 683.