What to do if your apartment in New York does not have heating or hot water

It got colder in New York, so the issue of heating and hot water in homes became vital. What if you have problems with these services in your home? Edition Curbed gave recommendations on how to proceed in this case.

According to the Department of Housing Conservation and Development (HPD), the heating season in New York lasts from October 1 to May 31 - during this period, landlords are required to provide heat in the apartments of residents of the metropolis.

In particular, it is obligatory to heat residential buildings during the day, from 6: 00 to 22: 00, if the outdoor temperature drops below 12 degrees Celsius. In this case, the indoor temperature should be at least 20 degrees Celsius.

At night, between 22: 00 and 6: 00 hours, the internal temperature should be at least 17 degrees Celsius.

Landlords must also provide “365 days of the year hot water at a constant minimum temperature of 49 degrees Celsius”.

Of course, this is not always the case: every year tens of thousands of complaints about violation of thermal standards come.

What to do if the apartment is too cold or there is no hot water

If your apartment is too cold or there is no hot water, remember that you have a license.

If you are not getting enough heat or are running out of hot water, call your landlord first and make sure they are aware of the problem. This may well be enough to fix the problem, otherwise you can take other steps.

It is useful to record the temperature in your apartment using a thermometer for indoor and outdoor air.

If you find that the temperature is consistently below the required temperature, be sure to apply complaint to 311 and record the fact of its submission. On this site, you can view complaints against homeowners and track the status of your own application.

To solve the problem more quickly, involve other residents of the house. Get them to file 311 complaints too - the more people are involved, the better the chances of success.

On the subject: What is the temperature to keep in the American housing in the winter, so as not to get a huge bill

If your landlord does not answer your phone calls, send them a certified letter describing the problem (asking for a letter of receipt in return). Thus, you will have a formal confirmation of the complaint.

Even if your landlord cannot provide the apartment where you live with heat, the city is ready to do it. However, you should not rely on him. The city rarely intervenes, however you can get help from local officials.

What happens after how do i file a 311 complaint?

After filing a complaint with 311, HPD attempts to notify the building owner or managing agent of the problem, and may also try to contact the tenant to find out if the service has been restored.

If the heating has not been restored, the HPD inspector will go to the building to check the complaint and report the violation.

Also, landlords can be fined between $ 250 and $ 1000 if they do not respond to violations reported by HPD. The amount of the fine depends on how serious the violation was and how much time has passed since it was reported.

I called 311: there is a violation, but nothing has changed - now what?

If the problem escalates to the point that you need to sue, it is best for you to find a lawyer who specializes in tenant rights.

People who live in rent-regulated apartments and are therefore managed by the NYS Department of Housing can also file complaints through this agency.