Heat season is here. What NYC landlords owe you, and what to do if your apartment is cold.
From October 1 to May 31, New York City sets a legal minimum temperature inside your apartment. Here are the exact numbers, how to report a cold unit, and what owners face if they ignore it.
From October 1 to May 31, NYC landlords must keep your apartment at least 68 degrees from 6am to 10pm when it is below 55 outside, and at least 62 degrees from 10pm to 6am no matter the outside temperature.
- →Hot water must be at least 120 degrees, 365 days a year.
- →No heat or hot water? Tell your landlord, then call 311 or file online.
- →Owners can be fined $250 to $500 per day for a first violation.
Heat season started on October 1. It runs through May 31.
And every winter, a lot of New Yorkers find out whether their building’s boiler actually works.
Here is the thing most renters do not know. The temperature inside your apartment is not up to your landlord. The city sets it.
What temperature does my landlord have to keep my apartment at?
The rule has two parts, day and night.
- Daytime (6am to 10pm). When it is below 55 degrees outside, your apartment has to be at least 68 degrees inside.
- Nighttime (10pm to 6am). Your apartment has to be at least 62 degrees inside. This one applies no matter what the outside temperature is.
So a 50 degree afternoon means 68 inside.
A 60 degree night still means 62 inside.
What about hot water?
Hot water is not seasonal.
It has to be provided 365 days a year, at a constant minimum temperature of 120 degrees.
If your shower runs lukewarm in July, that is a violation too.
My apartment is cold. What do I do?
Here is what I would tell any friend dealing with this tonight.
- Tell your landlord first. The city itself says this is the easiest way to fix it. Text or email so you have it in writing.
- Write down the temperature. Note the time, the reading inside and the temperature outside. A cheap thermometer is enough.
- Call 311. If the heat is not back, call 311 (TTY 212-504-4115), or file online or in the 311 app.
- Keep your phone on. After a complaint, the city tries to reach the owner, may try to reach you, and tries to send an inspector if you say the heat still is not back.
- Go to Housing Court if it keeps happening. You can start what is called an HP action to force an owner to provide services like heat and hot water. You do not need a lawyer to start one.
What happens to the landlord?
This is where it gets expensive for owners who ignore it.
If an inspector finds a violation, the penalties are per day.
- First violation. $250 to $500 per day, for each heat or hot water violation.
- Repeat violations. $500 to $1,000 per day, for each one.
- Inspection fees. The city charges $200 for every inspection after the first two that finds a heat violation in the same heat season (or a hot water violation in the same calendar year).
And if an owner still does not restore heat after getting a violation, the city’s Emergency Repair Program can hire a private contractor to do it and bill the owner for the repair, plus fees.
For owners and managers
If you own or run a building, here is how I see it.
A cold apartment is not just a fine. It is a tenant who stops trusting you.
- Test before the cold hits. If the boiler has not run since May, find the problem now, not at 11pm in January.
- Watch the night rule. 62 degrees applies every night of heat season, even when the days are mild.
- Answer fast. The first call usually comes to you. Fix it then, and it never becomes a 311 complaint.
- Remember hot water. 120 degrees, all year. It is the rule owners forget in the summer.
The short version
October 1 to May 31.
68 by day when it is under 55 outside.
62 every night.
Hot water at 120, all year.
Save that. You will need it in February.
“Heat is not a favor from your landlord. It's the law.”
Frequently asked questions
What temperature does a landlord have to keep an apartment in NYC?
During heat season (October 1 to May 31), at least 68 degrees from 6am to 10pm when it is below 55 outside, and at least 62 degrees from 10pm to 6am regardless of the outside temperature.
When does heat season start in NYC?
October 1. It runs through May 31.
How do I report no heat in NYC?
Contact your landlord first. If that does not fix it, call 311 (TTY 212-504-4115) or file a complaint online or in the 311 app.
What is the fine for no heat in NYC?
HPD can issue violations carrying $250 to $500 per day for each first heat or hot water violation, and $500 to $1,000 per day for each subsequent one.
Einhorn, Gabe. “Heat season is here. What NYC landlords owe you, and what to do if your apartment is cold.” Nessoo Report, Nessoo (nessoo.com), Oct 17, 2026.
Co-founder of Nessoo, the verify-first rental marketplace in New York. He writes every Nessoo Report. nessoo.com
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