New Britain, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 13 § 13-39

Authorization to inspect; right of entry; purpose; policy re notice

In Force
Verified 11/11/2026 · Next check 12/11/2026
New BritainHabitability & Repair

Operative Text

New Britain, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 13 § 13-39
(a) The chief building inspector and the director of health are hereby authorized and directed to make periodic inspections by and with the consent of the owner, occupant, or person in charge, to determine the condition of dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, rooming units, hotels, hotel units, and premises located within the city for the purpose of determining compliance with the provisions of this article.
(b) For the purpose of making such inspections, the chief building inspector and the director of health, with the consent of the owner, occupant, or person in charge, are hereby authorized to enter, examine and survey between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. all dwellings, dwelling units, rooming houses, rooming units, hotels and hotel units, and premises, or at such other time which is mutually satisfactory to and agreed upon by the chief building inspector or the director of health and the owner, operator or occupant of the dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house, rooming unit, hotel or hotel unit.
(c) Such inspection, examination or survey shall not have for its purpose harassment of such owner, operator or occupant. Such inspection, examination or survey shall be made in a manner that will cause the least amount of inconvenience to such owner, operator or occupant, consistent with an efficient performance of the duties of the inspecting officer.
(d) To further ensure that the policy of this article, which is to achieve compliance through cooperation of owners or operators and occupants, be successfully maintained, it shall be the practice of the chief building inspector and the director of health, whenever practicable, to provide reasonable advance notice to owners, operators and/or occupants of any planned blanket inspection or any inspections of a routine nature.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

New Britain Code of Ordinances ch. 13, art. II, div. 2 § 13-39 establishes the authority of the city's chief building inspector and director of health to conduct periodic inspections of residential and lodging properties to check for compliance with local housing standards. These inspections generally require the consent of the owner, occupant, or person in charge, and are to be carried out between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. or at a mutually agreed-upon time. The provision also directs that inspections be conducted with minimal disruption and that advance notice be given whenever practicable for routine or blanket inspections, reflecting a policy of achieving compliance through cooperation rather than confrontation.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 11, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 13-39, property owners and operators in New Britain can generally expect that the chief building inspector and director of health will seek consent before entering a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming house, hotel unit, or related premises for a compliance inspection. Compliant operators typically cooperate with scheduled inspections, respond to advance notice of routine or blanket inspections, and work with inspectors to arrange mutually convenient times when the standard 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. window is not suitable. Maintaining open communication with inspecting officials aligns with the article's stated policy of achieving compliance through cooperation.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section 13-39 of the New Britain Code of Ordinances provides that inspections of your dwelling unit are generally conducted only with the consent of the owner, occupant, or person in charge, and must be carried out in a way that minimizes inconvenience to residents. The provision also establishes that inspections are not to be used as a tool for harassment, and that advance notice should be given whenever practicable for routine or blanket inspections. Tenants who believe an inspection has been conducted in a manner inconsistent with these requirements may wish to review the provision directly, contact the city's building or health department for clarification, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance.

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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§ 748-38
Recovery of expenses

Source Information