No heat 'till November?

[tmlskk01]

So it's been getting colder here in Nova Scotia but apparently my landlord doesn't think so.
I live in the top corner unit of a medium size building and for the past few day's it's been freezing in my apartment. I do not have a thermostat as we have old radiators so I asked the super when he will be turning the heat on, not 'till the end of the month! I've been walking around in sweat pants long socks a long sleeved shirt and sweater as it is!

[CrazyQT]

Do you know what the temperature in your unit is at right now?

[matrix82]

Is heat included as part of your rent? If so, you could write a letter to the landlord telling them that your apartment has not been kept to the minimum temperature, asking because of the weather for the heat to be turned on, as not having the head on would be in violation of your lease. I thought a minimum temp was 15 degree's, not sure though, it would be outlined in your lease or the tenancy act: http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/pdf/ans-r...t-brochure.pdf

If that doesn't work you can file a complaint through the tenancy board, but it does have a cost and would involve you needing to attend a hearing (so possible time off work), and doesn't lead to a good relationship with your landlord. Maybe talk to other residents in the building, see if they are having a cold time too. More than one call to the landlord may cause the heat to be on quicker.

[Hollywood1818]

Look up the landlord tenant laws in your area as here in ontario there is a set date they have to turn the heat on by.

[PurpleBunny89]

Try this:

http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/pdf/ans-r...for-tenant.pdf

I tried to do a search for the dates they have to turn it on by and keep it on by but could not find it.

In Ontario its something ridiculous like September 1 - June 15th. Of course where I am we hardly ever get any snow somehow it bypasses our little town.

Our heat was just recently turned on a few weeks ago which was wrong and they should of gotten in trouble for it but our landlords are the kind that no matter who you complain to they can't possibly do anything wrong because they are old and innocent. Anyways I know it was turned on because our radiator then created a flood in the apartment. Lovely yes? And yes, they so keep it on all the way until June 15th which is murderous when its already 30+ degrees out and the heat is on! I remember at the beginning of the summer we would have the A/C's on and the heat would still be on.

[Zonny]

The good news is, it's supposed to be back up to 20 tomorrow. We've been cold too (my living room was 16 this morning), but I've resisted turning on the heat. The fireplace however is in full swing!

There's some info here:

http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/access/la...s.asp#faq12524

It says:

What temperature is considered to be adequate heat for a premise?

The temperature in the premises should be 70F° to 72F° / 20C° to 22C°.

But as someone else said, to enforce it requires going to the residential tenancies board, which has a cost and will probably not make your landlord happy.

[alicia]

I had similar when I lived in my apartments in Halifax. My work building is 100 years old - talk about cold the last few days!

ETA: looked at Dal's legal aid site (http://tenantrights.legalaid.dal.ca/guide.htm) that makes the tendency act understandable, and it says 20 degrees celcius.

[RebeccaRYoung]

I've never had a problem with the landlord turning on the heat, it's the a/c that's always really difficult. I've usually lived in areas where there are laws concerning the date that the heat and the a/c have to be turned on.

[Minou]

Hmmm... could you get one of those heat fans to heat the room you're in while you're awake? If they won't pay for heat, it might mean they'll be paying for electricity to keep your apartment warm. We've definitely had the heat on at our house...I had to push for it, though! I can't function when I'm too cold, as I just want to wrap myself up in afghans and sit on the sofa... my husband doesn't really like that when supper needs to be made! As a result, the heat was turned on!

[lghend]

We've had snow storms already in NWO. I like to keep my place on the cool side but I've had to have the heat on more than a few times since the end of August.

[abbasgirl]

I feel so lucky to live in an apartment where they turn the heat on or off according to the temperature, not the date! Mine's been on for a few weeks now.

[matrix82]

They just turned on the building heat (ie common areas like hallways, theatre room etc) in my building in Fredericton. I haven't had to turn on the apartment heat (which I pay for) yet. It's been below zero a few nights but I would say the apartment stays around 15-20 degree's, partially because they keep the hallway heated and I have apartments above, below and on either side of me. I try to wait as long as I can to turn the heat on because it costs me on my electric bill. Last year it was February when we needed the heat turned on.

[kerrylj]

If you don't pay for the hydro then get a space heater. There would not be anything they could do since they are required to keep the heat at a reasonable level. Hopefully you get this solved.

I use my woodstove and then when that is not enough I put on the furnace.

[matrix82]

@Kerrylj, my in-laws have a woodstove and furnace. They live in a tiny old farmhouse, and the furnace vents were never put in the bedrooms upstairs, so it's quite chilly in winter. I used to love coming downstairs in the mornings when they would have a roaring fire going in the woodstove. I'd be like a cat, not wanting to leave that woodstove.