Residential Landlord & Tenant Ordinance

Renters, don’t wait till it’s below zero before you tell your landlord that you suspect your heat is not working properly.

The City urges tenants to gauge the efficiency of their apartments’ heat during mild winter days and work closely with their landlords to prevent temperature emergencies.

Every rental building owner or operator that furnishes heat for tenants is required to maintain a minimum room temperatures of 68 degrees F between September 15 to June 1; specifically in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms. Space heaters, whether portable or permanently installed, shall not be utilized as the primary source of heat for any such unit or room.

Temperatures must be taken three feet from an exterior wall and three feet above the floor.

Make sure storm windows are closed, radiators/vents are in the open position and furniture does not block radiators and vents. 

Renters experiencing cold conditions or hazardous stairwells, etc., should contact the Health and Human Services Department, 311 or  847.448.4311 during business hours of 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. For heat emergencies after hours including weekends, please call the Police non-emergency number at 847.866.5000 and ask for the Property Maintenance Inspector on call to be paged.

In multi-family rental buildings, landlords are responsible for keeping sidewalks, parking lots and all common area walking surfaces, including open stairwells, free from all hazardous conditions including snow and ice at all times.

After Hours Communication

For after hours communicable disease or bioterrorism emergencies, please call 847-448-4311 and stay on the line to be connected to someone immediately.