Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a § 47a-54c
Toilets and bathrooms.
Operative Text
(a) Each building used as a tenement, lodging or boarding house shall be furnished with adequate and suitable privy vaults or water closets. There shall be at least one such water closet or vault for each two dwelling units or apartments of two rooms or less each, and one such water closet or vault for each dwelling unit or apartment of three or more rooms. Each tenement, boarding or lodging house located on premises abutting on any street or alley where running water is available and through which there is a sewer with which connection may be had shall be provided with water closets connected with such sewer, and each such water closet shall be located on the same floor as the dwelling unit or apartment which it serves. (b) Each bathroom or water closet compartment in a tenement, lodging or boarding house shall be ventilated by a freely opening window of at least three square feet in area, opening to the outer air or upon a vent shaft having such openings at the bottom and top as meet the approval of the board of health, or by a separate ventilating flue of noncorroding material and at least thirty-six square inches in area, leading directly to the roof. (c) Each such bathroom or water closet compartment, not otherwise sufficiently lighted, shall be provided with light from an adjoining room or rooms by means of translucent glass, of adequate size, in a fixed sash.
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-54c, tenements, lodging houses, and boarding houses in Connecticut must provide a minimum number of toilets or privy vaults based on the size and number of dwelling units, and those facilities must be connected to a sewer where one is accessible. Bathrooms and water closet compartments are required to have adequate ventilation—either through a window of at least three square feet opening to outside air, a vent shaft, or a dedicated flue—and must receive sufficient light, whether natural or through translucent glass from an adjoining room. These standards establish baseline habitability conditions for shared and multi-unit residential buildings.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating tenements, lodging houses, or boarding houses in Connecticut should ensure their buildings meet the toilet-to-unit ratios, sewer connection requirements, and ventilation standards set out in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-54c. Compliant operators generally confirm that each bathroom or water closet compartment has a qualifying window, vent shaft, or flue of the dimensions specified in the statute, and that lighting meets the standard described. Routine inspections of plumbing, ventilation openings, and sash glazing help operators maintain ongoing compliance with § 47a-54c's requirements.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-54c gives tenants in tenements, lodging houses, and boarding houses the right to properly ventilated, lit, and adequately supplied toilet facilities. If a bathroom lacks a compliant window, vent shaft, or flue, or if the number of available toilets falls below the ratios the statute requires, tenants may have grounds to raise these conditions as a habitability concern with their local board of health or housing authority. Tenants who believe their building does not meet the standards of § 47a-54c may also wish to consult a tenant-rights organization to understand the options available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 17, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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