Heating in Rental Housing: What Are The Rules?

Winter is knocking on the door! As a tenant, you may be worried about whether your apartment will be adequately heated. Here are some things you should know.

The first thing to check (if you don’t already know) is who’s responsible for heating your apartment — your landlord or you? This information should be in your lease.

If your landlord is responsible for heating

There’s no “official” date at which your landlord must start heating your apartment. And, in most municipalities, there’s no specific outdoor temperature at which landlords must turn on the heat.

What matters is the temperature inside your apartment. The Tribunal administratif du logement (formerly Régie du logement or rental board) has stated that a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius is appropriate under normal climatic conditions. So, the date when the landlord must start heating will vary according to what’s happening outside. The date can therefore differ from one year to the next and from one part of Quebec to another.

If you’re responsible for heating

If your lease states that you are responsible for heating your apartment, you decide when to turn on the heat. However, your landlord must provide you with a heating system that works properly and can provide adequate heat to all the rooms in your place.

You can choose how much or little you wish to heat. But you must ensure that the heat is adequate to prevent damage to the apartment, such as pipes freezing and bursting. This is especially important to keep in mind if you will be away from the apartment.

In case of disagreement

If, despite your best efforts, you and your landlord do not agree on something, you can send them a demand letter. You should always keep a written record of your exchanges with the landlord.