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No heat in a Bronx apartment: what tenants and owners can do

Much of the Bronx lives in pre-war apartment buildings heated by one central boiler, and plenty of owners in neighborhoods like Throggs Neck, Pelham Bay, Wakefield and Riverdale rent out a floor of a one- to three-family house. When the heat goes out during heat season (October 1 to May 31), tenants have a clear path to report it and owners have clear legal duties. Here's what each side can do.

Renting? Heat is your landlord's job, not yours. Tell your landlord or super first (in writing, like a text or email, so you have a record). If it isn't fixed, file a complaint with 311 (call 311, use the 311 app or 311 online), and HPD can send an inspector. Don't pay a contractor to fix your building's heat. Our matching is for homeowners, co-op/condo owners and landlords.

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Emergency? Gas smell, CO alarm, fire, sparking or flooding: get to safety and call 911 first.

What NYC law requires

  • Day (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.): at least 68°F inside whenever it's below 55°F outside.
  • Night (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.): at least 62°F inside, no matter the outside temperature.
  • Hot water: at least 120°F, 365 days a year.

These are HPD's rules for heat season. More detail is in our heat season guide.

Tenants: step by step

  1. Check what you control. If you have your own thermostat, check its mode and batteries. Make sure radiator valves are open and radiators aren't blocked by furniture or covers.
  2. Tell the landlord or super, and follow up in writing (text or email) with the date, time and indoor temperature. Keep copies.
  3. File with 311 if it isn't fixed: call 311, use 311 online or the 311 app. HPD says you can file anonymously.
  4. Check HPDONLINE for the status of your complaint and any open heat violations on the building.
  5. Housing Court: tenants can also bring an HP Action to ask the court to order repairs.

What happens after a 311 heat complaint

According to HPD, after a heat or hot water complaint HPD tries to notify the owner or managing agent, may contact the tenant to see if service is back, and tries to inspect if it isn't. A day violation can only be issued when the inspector records an outdoor temperature below 55°F. If an owner doesn't restore heat after a violation, HPD's Emergency Repair Program may hire a private company to restore it and bill the owner.

Staying safe while you wait

  • Never use a gas stove or oven to heat your apartment. NYC Health lists it as a source of carbon monoxide.
  • If you use an electric space heater, plug it straight into a wall outlet (not an extension cord or power strip), keep it well away from bedding, curtains and anything that can burn, and turn it off when you leave or sleep.
  • Make sure your smoke and CO detectors work. In most NYC buildings, owners install CO detectors and tenants keep them working.
  • If a CO alarm sounds or you smell gas, leave and call 911 from outside.

Owners of 1 to 3 family homes

If you rent out any part of your house, you're the landlord and the heat rules apply to that apartment. When the boiler stops:

  1. Run the safe checks in boiler won't turn on: thermostat, emergency switch and breaker, one reset, water level or pressure, and fuel.
  2. If your boiler also makes your hot water (many Bronx houses use a coil in the boiler or an indirect tank), both will be out together. If only hot water is out, see water heater not working.
  3. Tell your tenant what's happening and when a repair is booked, in writing.
  4. Call a licensed pro. Gas work needs a DOB Licensed Master Plumber, and oil burner work has its own licensing. See boiler repair in the Bronx for what to ask.

Annual DOB boiler inspections generally don't apply to residential buildings with five or fewer families, but regular servicing before heat season is still the best way to avoid an October no-heat call.

Questions

What temperature does my Bronx landlord have to keep my apartment?

From October 1 to May 31: at least 68°F from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. when it's below 55°F outside, and at least 62°F from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. regardless of outdoor temperature. Hot water must be at least 120°F all year.

How do I report no heat in the Bronx?

Tell your landlord or super first, in writing. If it isn't fixed, file a complaint with 311 by phone, online or in the 311 app. HPD may contact the owner and send an inspector.

Can I file a heat complaint anonymously?

Yes. HPD says tenants can file 311 heat complaints anonymously. In that case the inspector picks an apartment in the building to try to inspect.

Can I hire someone to fix my building's heat and deduct it from rent?

Don't pay to fix your building's heat yourself. Report it to the landlord and 311. HPD can inspect, issue violations and, if needed, use its Emergency Repair Program. A tenant lawyer or Housing Court can advise on your options.

I own a two-family in the Bronx. Do heat rules apply to me?

If you rent out the other unit, treat the heat rules as applying to that apartment: HPD enforces heat and hot water requirements for rental housing.

Sources

Rules and phone numbers can change. Check the official source before relying on them.

Related guides

Published 2026-10-21 · Updated 2026-10-21

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