TiffanyESL

The weather is getting colder...do you have heat and hot water in your apartment? If you don't, there is something you can do about it. New York State has strict laws about how much heat and hot water landlords are required to provide.

First of all, hot water must be provided to you all year long, every day, at a constant minimum temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius).

Heat must be provided to you under the following conditions:

• During "Heat Season": October 1 to May 3

• Between 6:00am and 10:00pm: If the temperature outside falls below 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius), the temperature inside your apartment must be at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius).

• Between 10:00pm and 6:00am: If the temperature outside falls below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), the temperature inside your apartment must be at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius).

If you don't have heat or hot water, you can dial 311 (no area code needed) to complain. The city asks that you first try to contact your landlord to fix the problem. If that doesn't work, then you should call 311.

The city employs representatives that speak the following languages in addition to English: Spanish, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, Russian, and Haitian Creole.

When you call 311, you will hear a message in English. If you want to speak to a representative in your language, just continue to hold until you hear the same message repeated in your language.

For more information:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/tenants/heat-and-hot-water.shtml