No person, firm, corporation or partnership supplying fuel oil or bottled gas for the purpose of heating to a residential building which such person, firm, corporation or partnership knows, or reasonably should know, is occupied by any person other than the owner or any other party legally liable to the supplier for such fuel oil or bottled gas shall fail to provide such fuel oil or bottled gas in quantities sufficient to maintain the interior of such building at sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit, unless such supplier notifies, at least three days or, in the situation where such supplier has a contract providing for automatic delivery, at least ten days prior to the time such building is reasonably expected to require an additional supply of fuel oil or bottled gas to continue to maintain the interior of the building at such temperature, the owner or any other party legally liable to the supplier for such fuel oil or bottled gas, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the chief health officer of the municipality, town, city or borough in which such building is located of his intention to discontinue such supply of fuel oil or bottled gas. Such notice shall include: (1) The address of the residential building affected; (2) the name and if known to the supplier of fuel oil or bottled gas, the address and telephone number of the person, firm, corporation, or partnership or its agent financially responsible for the supply of fuel oil or bottled gas; (3) the date on which the building is reasonably expected to require additional supplies of fuel oil or bottled gas to maintain the interior of the building at sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit; and (4) the reason for the refusal to provide fuel oil or bottled gas to the residential building. Such notice shall be given by telephone or in person during normal business hours of the municipality, town, city, or borough in which such building is located. The person, firm, corporation, or partnership supplying fuel oil or bottled gas shall maintain adequate records at its principal place of business of such notice including the date, time, and person to whom such notice is given. A copy of such record shall be mailed to the health officer, the owner or party legally liable to the supplier for such fuel oil or bottled gas and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management on the same day as the notice is given. Within twenty-four hours after such notice is received from the fuel oil or bottled gas supplier, (A) the health officer shall contact the owner, agent, lessor, or manager of such building and advise him of his responsibilities pursuant to section 19a-109, and shall post notices in conspicuous places on the premises that service may be discontinued; and (B) the health officer, or an agent designated by the chief executive officer of the municipality, shall take reasonable steps to notify each tenant that he may have rights and remedies under sections 47a-13 and 47a-14a. A copy of such notice shall also be delivered to each dwelling unit within the premises. The name of the supplier shall not be mentioned in such notice. The supplier of fuel oil or bottled gas shall not be liable to such person, firm, corporation, or partnership financially responsible to such supplier for the supply of fuel oil or bottled gas or its agent for any damages whatsoever caused by the negligence of such supplier in making the notification required by the provisions of this section.

(P.A. 75-315; P.A. 77-2, S. 2, 4; Oct. Sp. Sess. P.A. 79-8, S. 1, 6.)

History: P.A. 77-2 lowered minimum temperature allowed in residential rentals where heat supplied by owner or other legally liable person from sixty-eight to sixty-five degrees; October, 1979, P.A. 79-8 required ten days' notice of intent to discontinue fuel supply service in cases involving contracts for automatic delivery, required notification of building owner or legally liable person and secretary of office of policy and management, as well as of municipality's chief health officer, and of tenants and required health officer or his agent to inform tenants of “rights and remedies” under law; Sec. 19-88a transferred to Sec. 19a-214 in 1983.

See Sec. 16a-22 re regulation of wholesale fuel oil dealers.

See Sec. 16a-22a re regulation of heating fuel dealers.