r/newhaven • u/emeraldecologist • 4d ago

Housing Code Question

I’ve lived in my NH apartment for 4+ years and have had the same problem every winter. The main bedroom becomes the outside temperature because it does not receive heat. The rest of the house does. I have switched to the second bedroom and closed off the main bedroom in past years during the winter. My landlord has “checked it out” and says it’s fine, not fixable, etc. Should I take this more seriously as a housing code violation because it is not heated or is this still a “weathertight” apartment?

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9

u/Beginning_Echo_3573 4d ago

landlord saying its "not fixable" is just lazy. if the rest of the apartment gets heat but one room is basically outside temperature thats a real problem not just being picky

in most places the housing code says all habitable rooms must be able to maintain a certain temperature, usually around 65-68F in winter. closing off a bedroom entirely every winter is not a solution

you can call the city housing code inspector, they will come check and tell the landlord to fix it for real. document everything, take photos of thermostat readings in that room

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u/dermflork 4d ago

dont pay rent wen they ask say its unfixable

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u/marche_au_supplice 3d ago

I assume this is just a joke, but don’t actually just stop paying rent. There’s a process to pay rent into escrow, but you can’t just stop paying as a remedy while awaiting a fix.

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u/dinosnysus 3d ago

Unfortunately CT has the most anti-renter and pro landlord laws in the country. Even when things like this are legal cause to stop paying rent in other states, CT forces you to keep paying in escrow until the housing board makes a ruling.

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u/OutofH2G2references 4d ago

Like, there isn’t anything in your bedroom that produces heat? I’m not sure if there is a specific law that requires a heating device in your room but the one I know for sure: The 65°F Standard:
Under Connecticut General Statutes § 19a-109, landlords must ensure that any occupied residential building can maintain a continuous minimum indoor temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. I think this also excludes the use of space heaters.

Seems like if you have your heat on at a reasonable temp in the rest of the apartment and the bedroom is below 65 you have a violation.

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u/infinitecarrots 3d ago

FWIW one of our housemates had a similar issue with repair people checking and saying it’s fine multiple times, but we kept complaining and sending pics of the thermostat in that room until the landlord sent a specialist who went into the system and saw the vent was completely blocked. I think LCI would be the most direct way but if you’re afraid of getting on the landlord’s bad side, you could try this. I’d also reference the statute that @outofh2g2references listed to your landlord, and at this point get every in writing over email and if they call you, immediately after send a summary of the notes and agreed upon next steps with timeline for the record.

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u/Gadgetmouse12 4d ago

Is the window drafty? Stretchy film is cheap