Before we moved into our $2,300 a month 1st fl of a house (landlord upstairs) our landlord attached new steam release valves to every one of our radiators. They put the smallest ones that would fit - no steam was being released & heat was bypassing our radiators. (We have free heat/hot water). We have at least 12 txt msgs asking to turn the heat up & they would blare it for a day and then nothing again. We were cursed out that the building was old and to live with it. Life continued that way for 1 1/2 months (we have 3 small children who were sick this whole time). When we asked her husband about the shiny pieces on these old radiators they were finally replaced. The whole time we had no hot water to bathe. My kids would take 5 min baths cause water was so cold. Come to find out they set the limitor on our bath faucet to the coldest setting so we get less than Luke warm water. Our 5yr old & 1 yr old share a room that presently has temp ranges of 85-50 degrees all in one day because the replaced release valve gets clogged too easily. Again, we get cursed at & have txt telling us the house is old if we don't like it we can leave. They r too cheap to call a plumber. What the hell do I do? How can ppl b this horrible?
You can call 311 and/or withhold rent. Of course if you live in a house with only 1 or 2 units, you don't have a lot of rights. And the LL, if vindictive, will seek to evict you. I would do what you need to do to protect the health of your family, and understand you might have to move.
If you don't have a lease, the LL must give at least 30 days notice, and you can often get more time by holding over (of course the latter does put you at risk for a court case).
In the meantime, you can always boil water to increase the heat in the apartment (but do not leave the stove unattended or on overnight)
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