Daily News
Cincinnati Health Department Enforcing ‘No Heat and Inadequate Heat’ Regulations
CHD reminds landlords and tenants of requirements to keep dwellings warm.
November 20, 2023
CINCINNATI, OH – With the approaching colder temperatures, the Cincinnati Health Department (CHD) is reminding landlords and tenants of the requirements of the “no heat and inadequate heat” regulations, and how tenants can file a complaint to keep their families warm, while safe from unwarranted fires.
The Cincinnati Health Department’s Healthy Homes’ office enforces the Board of Health No Heat Regulations 00053-13L and Cincinnati Municipal Code 602-1.
The BOH regulation mandates that whenever the outside temperature falls below 60°F for 24 consecutive hours, landlords must provide a minimum temperature of 70°F to rental units or to any unit where owners do not have individual control of the heat.
CHD encourages residents to first contact their landlords when they have no heat or inadequate heat. If no action is taken, they should call 311 or the Healthy Homes office directly at 513-352-2908 to file a complaint.
Once a complaint is filed with the appropriate contact information, an Environmental Health Specialist will set up an appointment to evaluate the living space. If the internal temperature is below 70°F, the owner or landlord is ordered to correct the problem.
“Landlords can face fines of $300 for the first day and $750 for each additional day they do not supply adequate heat,” said Antonio Young, Director, Environmental Health, Cincinnati Health Department. “Additionally, landlords can be criminally prosecuted for failing to comply with Board of Health orders and face up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. The reason for the lack of heat does not matter. Landlords must follow the law, and apartments must be adequately heated.”
Landlords can supply heat temporarily to the unit by providing occupants with space heaters to provide 70°F of heat within the living space while repairs or replacement of defective furnace, boiler, or other building heating apparatuses are being resolved. In lieu of space heaters, owners offering/providing temporary housing such as a short-term hotel stay is acceptable.
“This year, CHD is going a step further to protect citizens’ health and wellbeing. During inspections, Environmental Health Specialists will be handing out flyers from the National Fire Protection Association and strongly encouraging residents to take precautions if using space heaters, never rely on ovens for heat, and to make certain they have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their homes,” Young said.
CHD works closely with the Building Department in cases where there is a disrepair or defect to a major building heating equipment. Landlords can face additional fines and criminal penalties for failing to comply with Building Department orders to make these repairs to equipment. When warranted, CHD will confer with the City’s Law Department to pursue escalated enforcement to ensure property owners restore heat to resolve the situation.
In 2022, CHD received and resolved 372 complaints for no heat and/or inadequate heat compared to 2021’s total of 184, a 102% increase. See the illustration below of complaint data.
