With the recent passage of the HEAT Act, landlords will have to reconsider before they refuse to provide heat or hot water to tenants. The Heat Enforcement for All Tenants (HEAT) Act will put landlords at risk with stiff penalties for repeatedly withholding heat from their residents.
This recent legislation, passed by the City Council, is in response to the thousands of calls made to 3-1-1 with heat complaints.
This winter, the city has received more than 172,000 complaints about heat from tenants, according to the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. From October through February, 23,822 calls were made by Queens residents to 311 with Brooklyn coming in with 56,449 calls, the most out of any borough, but not by much.
“If you’re a good landlord you have nothing to worry about, the bill won’t affect you at all. But if you’re looking to not live up to your responsibilities, you’re going to pay the price,” said Councilmember Erik Martin Dilan, Chair of the Committee on Housing and Buildings, who helped pass the bill.
HEAT raises the maximum fine for heat violations to $1,000-per-unit, per-day, for up to two years. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio championed the bill and helped advocate for its passage into legislation.
“We don’t want a single New York family to face another brutal winter without heat,” said de Blasio. “We are changing the economics so that landlords will think twice before turning off their tenants’ heat just to save money.”
Fighting the harsh winters of New York is not easy and without proper heat, it can be nearly impossible for residents. Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez believes there is an immediate need for legislation such as the HEAT Act to improve the lives of tenants throughout the city.
“This is a step forward in showing landlords that they will be held accountable for neglecting to do what is needed ensure that even the most basic needs of their tenants are always met,” said Rodriguez. “This legislation will have a very positive impact in areas of the city such as District 10, where many buildings are over 100 years old and the heating systems often give out leaving residents to brave the cold weather.”
Tenants not receiving sufficient amounts of heat or hot water from their landlords can be hopeful that with the help of HEAT, they will not be left in the cold.
