Heating season has begun in NYC: Know your rights

NEW YORK (PIX11) – Heating season in New York City has officially begun.

From Oct. 1 to May 31, New York law requires building owners to set the heat at or above 68 degrees when the temperature falls below 55 degrees between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Thermostats must hit at least 62 degrees, regardless of the temperature outside, between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

If your heat is not turned on, contact your landlord or file a complaint with 311 .

The city recommends following these steps to keep your apartment and building warm:

• Keep your windows fully closed
• Remove your window air conditioning unit or cover it
• Move your furniture away from radiators to keep the air moving freely
• Open the valve on your radiator. Turn the knob to the left to open it, which will provide more heat, and to the right to close it for less heat
• Keep hallway and stairwell windows closed

Building owners who do not regulate their buildings’ temperatures may be subject to hundreds of dollars in fines, according to the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development .

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here .

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