Ansonia, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 13 § 13-19
Responsibilities of owners and occupants—Public areas in rooming houses, etc., generally
Operative Text
Every owner of a dwelling containing two or more dwelling units, and every proprietor of a rooming house containing two or more habitable rooms, shall be responsible for maintaining in a clean and sanitary condition the shared or public areas of the dwelling and premises thereof; however, the tenant shall also be liable if a violation is caused by a wilful act, assistance or negligence of his own or that of any member of his family or household or of his guests.
Under Ansonia Code of Ordinances ch. 13, art. I § 13-19, owners of multi-unit dwellings and rooming-house proprietors bear primary responsibility for keeping shared and public areas clean and sanitary. However, the rule also assigns liability to a tenant when a violation results from that tenant's own willful act, negligence, or assistance — or from similar conduct by a family member, household member, or guest. The provision draws a clear line between baseline owner duty and tenant-caused conditions.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 13-19, compliant operators of two-or-more-unit dwellings and rooming houses generally maintain a routine schedule for cleaning and inspecting all shared or public areas — hallways, stairwells, common bathrooms, and similar spaces. Documenting the condition of these areas and promptly addressing sanitation issues helps demonstrate that the owner is meeting the baseline duty the ordinance establishes. When a tenant, household member, or guest causes a sanitation problem, the ordinance contemplates that liability may shift, but the owner's underlying maintenance obligation remains.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 13-19 of the Ansonia Code of Ordinances gives tenants a basis to expect that shared and public areas of their building will be kept clean and sanitary, with that duty resting primarily on the owner or rooming-house proprietor. Tenants who believe a landlord is failing to meet this standard may consider documenting the conditions and reporting the concern to the appropriate local code-enforcement authority in Ansonia. It is also worth knowing that the same provision holds tenants liable for violations they, their household members, or their guests cause through willful acts or negligence, so tenant-rights organizations can help clarify how that shared-liability language applies in a given context.
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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