When The Weather Outside Is Frightful

While the weather has only been chilly here and there, October is traditionally the month when it's cold enough to start thinking about turning on the heat. After speaking with some people about their respective landlords' attitudes about the heat , Gothamist would like to remind everyone that the requirements to turn on the heat are as follows:
- When the temperature drops below 55 degrees between 6AM-10PM, inside temperature should be at least 68 degrees.
- When the temperature drops below 40 degrees between 10PM-6AM, inside temperature should be at least 55 degrees.

Information from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. And if you're in an illegal sublet or your landlord is of the slumlord variety, you can look into buying space heaters or blankets at Bed Bath & Beyond. And see what Gothamist Weather says about the weather.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on October 13, 2004 5:01 PM

Comments [rss]

sweltering

Thanks for the info about what to do if your building is too cold. What do we do if the building is too HOT? My building becomes an insufferable sauna from November to April. I don't have any way of controlling the amount of heat pumping out of the radiators. Once I left chocolate out on a table in the middle of the room, I came home to find it in a melted puddle. These conditions don't seem particularly healthy. Do I have any legal recourse?

Planethalder

So are these temperatures the legal right of all US citizens? Does this give people the right to sue their landlords? Hmmmm, I wonder if we have the same in London... Planethalder.