Brooklyn renters filing more heat complaints this season

Too much chill.

According to new data put together using city heat complaint records, New York renters have been experiencing significant shortfalls when it comes to the proper heating of their homes, with Brooklyn leading the boroughs when it comes to increases in the number of heat complaints.

Since October 1, the start of New York City’s “heat season” which lasts through May 31, the volume of tenants experiencing insufficient heat in their apartments increased 20 percent from last year’s heat season – a pretty staggering figure when broken down into number of complaints.

According to RentHop, the website behind the study, 57,820 heat complaints were logged this October 1 through December 18, whereas last year there were 48,174 complaints.

While the Bronx saw the highest density of complaints overall, Brooklyn has seen the greatest increase in complaints, according to RentHop.

Bergen Beach /Mill Basin and East Williamsburg have seen the sharpest increases in complaints with 101 complaints this year versus last year’s 42 and 236 versus 108 last year, respectively.

Erasmus is Brooklyn’s coldest neighborhood with 523 complaints this heat season.

According to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), heat and hot water are required to be provided for all tenants (although based on the particular lease agreement, tenants may be required to pay for gas, fuel or electricity to run heating equipment).

In looking at the “heat season” specifically, property owners are required to provide tenants with heat between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. if the outside temperature falls below 55 degrees – the inside temperature is required to be at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit; and between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. if the temperature outside falls below 40 degrees – the inside temperature is required to be at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

As of Tuesday, January 3, the number of current heat season heat complaints reached 95,605, compared to last year’s 79,143, according to HPD.

To file a complaint, dial 311. To see if there are any open heat and hot water violations on your building or to check the status of your heat and hot water complaint, visit HPDONLINE.

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