The “heat season” begins this week and city Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Shaun Donovan wants to remind residential building owners of their legal responsibility to provide hot water year-round and 24-hour heat for tenants.
“Our goal is to educate New York’s tenants about their rights during the winter and remind building owners about their responsibilities,” Donovan said. “We are putting landlords with a history of heat problems on notice, and providing them with education and assistance to encourage compliance,” he added.
In case of a heat deficiency, a tenant should always attempt to contact their building owner, managing agent, or superintendent first. If heat is not restored, the tenant should call the city’s Citizen Service Center at 311, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Heat session information can also be found on the HPD Web site at www.nyc.gov/hpd.

