Bristol, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 12 § 12-64
Location standards
Operative Text
(a) No dwelling or dwelling unit containing two (2) or more sleeping rooms shall have such room arrangements that access to a bathroom or water closet compartment, intended for use by occupants of more than one (1) sleeping room, can be had only by going through another sleeping room, nor shall room arrangements be such that access to a sleeping room can be had only by going through another sleeping room. An exception shall be permitted to this paragraph for units in existence on August 7, 1962 and continuously occupied for use by one (1) family. (b) A bathroom or water closet compartment shall not be used as the only passageway to any habitable room, hall, basement or cellar or to the exterior of the dwelling units.
Bristol Code of Ordinances ch. 12, art. IV § 12-64 establishes layout standards for dwellings with multiple sleeping rooms. Specifically, it prohibits room arrangements where a bathroom or toilet compartment shared by more than one sleeping room can only be reached by passing through another sleeping room, and it prohibits sleeping rooms that can only be accessed by walking through another sleeping room. A bathroom or toilet compartment also cannot serve as the sole passageway to any habitable room, hallway, basement, cellar, or building exit. An exception applies to units that existed on August 7, 1962, and have been continuously occupied by a single family.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Bristol Code of Ordinances ch. 12, art. IV § 12-64, compliant operators generally ensure that shared bathrooms and toilet compartments in multi-sleeping-room dwellings are accessible from a common area rather than through another sleeping room, and that each sleeping room has independent access that does not route through another sleeping room. Operators also confirm that no bathroom or toilet compartment doubles as the only corridor to habitable rooms, hallways, basements, cellars, or exterior exits. Properties that were in existence on August 7, 1962, and have been continuously occupied by one family may qualify for the stated exception, so maintaining documentation of continuous single-family occupancy since that date is a practice associated with relying on that exemption.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Bristol Code of Ordinances ch. 12, art. IV § 12-64 gives occupants of multi-sleeping-room dwellings a right to room layouts that do not force passage through one sleeping room to reach another or to access a shared bathroom, and prohibit bathrooms from serving as the only route to other living spaces or exits. If a rental unit appears to violate these location standards, tenants may consider documenting the layout and raising the issue with Bristol's local housing or code enforcement authority. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Bristol's housing code can help explain available options, including how a code violation might be raised in relevant housing proceedings.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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