As you may have noticed, summer is really gone and we're starting to get some chilly weather here—which means it is a great time to review New York's rules about heating in residential apartments. So you know? If your landlord doesn't have the heat on today they are breaking the law. Though most people think "heat season" starts in November it actually started October 1st.
According to the law between October 1st and May 31st building owners are required to provide heat under the following conditions:
- Between the hours of 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM, if the outside temperature falls below 55 degrees, the inside temperature is required to be at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit; and,
- Between the hours of 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM, if the temperature outside falls below 40 degrees, the inside temperature is required to be at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
In other words today, when the high is supposed to be 50°, your landlord needs to have the heat on up to at least 68° until at least 10 p.m.. And after that, if it goes below 40° (as it is expected to), they need to have the heat up to at least 55°. If your landlord hasn't turned the heat on you should contact them and let them know the rules, and if that doesn't work, you should call 311.
As for offices, there are no laws on the books for them that we're finding, but the federal government recommends "temperature control in the range of 68-76° F and humidity control in the range of 20%-60%."
Know your rights!
