This week’s bitter cold is a powerful reminder that housing security means more than just a roof over your head — it also means being warm and safe under that roof. As New York City endures this very cold winter HPD wants you to know you have a right to adequate heat and hot water and we are here to ensure that building owners fulfill their obligations to tenants. Here is what you need to know.
Every New Yorker has the right to adequate heat and hot water . During heat season, which runs from Oct. 1 to May 31, landlords are required by law to maintain indoor temperatures at a minimum of 68 degrees between 6 a.
m. and 10 p.m.
, when outdoor temperatures fall below 55 degrees, and at least 62 degrees from 10 p.m. to 6 a.
m., regardless of the weather outside. Hot water must be available year-round at a minimum temperature of 120 degrees.
If your heat or hot water isn’t working, contact your building’s management first. If they are unresponsive, call NYC’s 311 complaint system immediately — our HPD team is ready to help. When you file a complaint through 311 — whether by phone, online, or via the 311 app — HPD’s inspectors spring into action.
Last winter, our team responded to more than 144,000 heat-related complaints, often within hours. During the winter, heat complaints are our No. 1 priority.
After you report an issue, HPD contacts your landlord by reaching out to your building owner or manager to make sure they know what’s happening and more importantly to .
