Heat Requirements
Residential Landlord & Tenant Ordinance
Renters, don’t wait till it’s below zero before you tell your landlord that you suspect your heat is not working properly.
The City urges tenants to gauge the efficiency of their apartments’ heat during mild winter days and work closely with their landlords to prevent temperature emergencies.
Every rental building owner or operator that furnishes heat for tenants is required to maintain these room temperatures between September 15 to June 1: 65°F (18°C) during the hours from 6 to 8 a.m.; 68°F (20°C) during the hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 63°F (16°C) during the hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Temperatures must be taken three feet from an exterior wall and three feet above the floor.
Make sure storm windows are closed, radiators/vents are in the open position and furniture does not block radiators and vents.
Renters experiencing cold conditions or hazardous stairwells, etc., should contact the City’s Property Standards Division, 311 or 847.448.4311 during business hours of 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. For heat emergencies after hours including weekends, please call the Police non-emergency number at 847.866.5000 and ask for the Property Standards Inspector on call to be paged.
Landlords are responsible for keeping sidewalks, parking lots and all common area walking surfaces, including open stairwells, free from all hazardous conditions including snow and ice at all times.