1. Tell your landlord about the problem
Question & Answer
How much heat does my landlord have to provide?If there is a problem with heat in your place, make sure your landlord knows about it right away. Tell your landlord what is wrong and ask to have the problem fixed. Keep notes for yourself about when you talked to your landlord and what each of you said.
It is a good idea to write down the inside temperature at different times of day and night. If you don’t have a thermometer to measure the temperature, there might be a thermostat on your wall that shows the temperature.
If your landlord does not fix the problem as soon as possible, send a letter or an email to your landlord. Make sure to keep a copy for yourself. Or, if your landlord has a special form for repair requests, fill one out and keep a copy.
Use this form to tell your landlord what needs to be fixed.
If the energy company has shut off the supply, contact them to find out why. If it is because your landlord told them to turn it off or didn’t pay a bill they were supposed to pay, ask the company to give you a letter telling you this. If the energy company will not give you a letter, make notes about who you spoke to at the company and what they said.
It is safest to keep paying your rent while you are trying to get your landlord to deal with heat problems. If you do not pay all your rent, your landlord can try to have you evicted.
