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GBM28 · Dec 5, 2009, 09:24 PM

I've had enough with my landlord, my heat is included in my rent and she has the thermostat at 66. I've asked her numerous times to please turn it up because this house is VERY poorly insulated and she will not turn it up. It's not a cool temp in here it's cold and just about freezing and she gave me space heaters when the heat wasn't working awhile back and expects me to use them now that it's cold in here. I'm sorry but I've told her that I cannot do that because 1. I am on a fixed income and 2. I'm also on budget program with the electric company and they know that the heat is included and I cannot pay extra for heat that I'm already paying for. My girlfriend is always hot, but as of late she's been complaining about being cold, so I'm just not the only one saying it's cold, not only that we have a 3 year old and she's been shivering like crazy and we try to make her keep her slippers and such on, and well you all know how a 3 year old is. The landlord expected us to put a space heater in her room, when that is NOT possible because once again everyone knows that you can't keep a 3 year old from playing with it or knocking it down. Is there anything that can be done about us not getting the heat we need? This landlord cuts corners so bad when it comes to anything and she don't want to turn it up higher because that means more out of her pocket, we know she's keeping it this low just to cover herself from the pipes breaking. She also uses ply board for everything when she fixed the holes in our apartment from the other tenants punching holes in the walls!!

justcurious55 · Dec 5, 2009, 09:42 PM

I don't understand this. How does your landlord control the thermostat? Do you live with her? And are you sure using the space heater is really more expensive? My roomates and me use space heaters too. We have total control over our thermostat. But we choose to use space heaters (and fans in the summer) because for us it's cheaper than having to turn either the ac or the heater on and heat up the entire house.and I just put an extra blanket on my bed so I don't have to leave the space heater on at night and worry about a fire or anything going wrong. According to the thermostat, my house is actually at 64 degrees. But I save more money putting my sweatshirt on and turning my space heater on than I would turning the heater on.

GBM28 · Dec 6, 2009, 08:55 AM

She controls the thermostat because the heat is included in the rent, the rent is $600 a month. The problem about space heaters is the electric company figured out my usage or whatever and they also seen that the landlord pays for the heat. If they see a higher increase in my electric they will possibly kick me off the program.

Fr_Chuck · Dec 6, 2009, 12:00 PM

OK, HOW, does she control the heat, where is the control ?

justcurious55 · Dec 6, 2009, 03:34 PM

You do realize that if you turn the heat up more, it will cost more, right? And if it's included in your rent, then it seems to make sense that your rent will likely go up.

Fr_Chuck · Dec 6, 2009, 04:31 PM

While a little cool, it is not a unheard of temp for places such as apartments that may use steam radiator heat controlled by the entire complex.

So also why have you just not moved if you don't like the conditions.

ScottGem · Dec 6, 2009, 04:46 PM

I'm assuming here that this is a 2 or 3 family home where there is a single thermostat in the landlord's apartment. If that's the case, its possible the home is not a legal multi-family dwelling.

But I agree with Chuck, that if the temp does not go below 66, its probably not a violation of health dept rules. But the first thing I would do is check with the local Health Dept to see what the rules are.

I'm also not clear about the electric company. A budget plan, at least with my utility, simply means that they estimate usage and divide that by a number of months. After several months, if usage is more or less than estimated, they may readjust.

Do you have a lease? If so when does it expire?

GBM28 · Dec 7, 2009, 07:51 AM

It's a 3 family home/apartment everyone else controls their heat but us. The landlord doesn't live on the property and never did. She has told us that she controls the heat because many previous tenants couldn't afford the fuel to refuel the tank and it caused the pipes to freeze. I have a lease and it ends in June. Which we will be moving because this is not the only problem we have with her.

justcurious55 · Dec 7, 2009, 09:37 AM

And you still have not answered HOW she controls the heat. And what sort of heating system do you have?

GBM28 · Dec 7, 2009, 10:21 AM

The thermostat is on my wall in my living room and when she first turned it on for the winter she came in and used a key on the thermostat box and turned it on. We have baseboard heating, and the pipes are cold, the pipe was leaking the other week and by the time she came back to fix it she said "Oh it's not leaking anymore so we won't have to fix it to a later time". Mind you the pipe that was leaking has those hose things on it that are on a car to hold the hoses to whatever they go to. They have been there before I moved in, this landlord is just too lazy or just don't want to put the money out to fix anything. My girlfriend just told me the rent is $450, but with the heat it's $600, so I pay $150 more for heat but yet there's a lock on the thermostat?

GBM28 · Dec 7, 2009, 10:24 AM

Not only that but if my child has been sick for almost a month and we know it's because of the lack of heat she's always like ice. No one knows how it feels in here unless they visit or live here. You can't make a 3 year old keep her slippers on or whatever else on because that just don't happen, people know how kids can be. She leaves it on for 5-10 minutes and that's it!

ScottGem · Dec 7, 2009, 08:14 PM

Have you checked with the Health Dept as suggested?

You can try using something to cool the area right around the thermostat. If the thermostat registers colder then the rest of the apartment it will call up more heat.

GBM28 · Dec 8, 2009, 09:12 AM

If I use something to cool the area around it could the landlord tell that I've done something? I have contacted the Health Dept. and I'm waiting to hear back from them.

excon · Dec 8, 2009, 09:29 AM

Hello GB:

What do you care if your landlord finds out that you'd like to be warm? As a matter of fact, MY advice is to LOUDLY let her know that you like to be warm. In fact, I'd threaten to SUE her if she doesn't give you adequate heat.

I'd do this in a certified letter. I'd tell her further that if she doesn't remedy the situation within 72 hours, she will be in breech of your agreement. You will vacate, and sue her for your moving expenses.

That's what I'd do.

excon

ScottGem · Dec 8, 2009, 12:36 PM

Excon has good advice for you.

I don't think she can tell if you do something to coll off the thermostat unless it damages the area around the thermostat.