NEW YORK (PIX11) -- Are you dealing with bitter temperatures inside your apartment?
Building owners in New York City are required by law to provide heat to tenants and adhere to specific rules from Oct. 1 through May 31.
Tenants can make a complaint about a residential building if these rules are not followed:
- From 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., the inside temperature must be at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit if the outside temperature is below 55 degrees.
- From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., the inside temperature must always be at least 62 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rent-controlled and rent-stabilized tenants in New York City are urged to contact the NYC Citizen Service Center at 311 for all heat complaints.
Tenants are encouraged to talk with their landlord, managing agent, or superintendent to try and resolve the issue before filing a complaint.
Once a complaint is filed, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development will attempt to contact the building's managing agent. The agent will be notified a complaint was filed and that a violation can be issued if the condition is not fixed immediately.
If the issue is ongoing, a New York City Code Enforcement inspector will investigate the complaint and can issue a building violation or order emergency repairs to restore services.
To submit a complaint about the lack of heat in a single apartment, click here.
If there is a heat problem affecting an entire residential building, click here.
To report a heat problem in a New York City Housing Authority public housing building, contact the NYCHA maintenance hotline at (718) 707-7771. Staff are available 24 hours, 7 days a week. Routine maintenance repairs can be scheduled from 6 a.m. to midnight on weekdays.
Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.
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