Hi Everyone! I live in a house in the CUF area of Cincinnati with 3 other UC students.

 

I live in the third floor bedroom. While there are 2 vents up here, absolutely no heat or air conditioning is emitted. I don't care so much about the A/C because I have a standalone unit just for my bedroom, but I am really concerned about the lack of heat. It's 54 degrees up here now...and I cannot wait for January to come.

 

Can the landlord legally rent this room as a bedroom even though it has no HVAC flow? What should I do to try and resolve this problem? I cannot keep using a space heater all the time.

 

Any help, tips, or suggestions are greatly appreciated! Thanks!

first and foremost, is your name on the lease? Look at your lease and see what it says about number or bedroom and occupancy, heat, hot water, etc.

 

Contact or use the internet (hint, hint) to see what your local housing authority laws say.  Ohio (well at least NE Ohio) is very tenant friendly.

 

Maybe the vents are blocked or the air conditioning unit is broken.

 

Separately, in writing, to the landlord as to why there is no heat in the room and asked to have it fixed within X amount of days.  In Ohio there is a law that in October after the temperature has reached a certain temperature the landlord is required to make sure the heating is on and working properly.

 

Put it this way...Why should you pay rent for a space that is uninhabitable?

What MTS said, and by all means, make sure that the third floor has a fire escape.  I think it is required if used as a sleeping area.

 

Also check and see that your roommates haven't "adjusted" their heat by reducing yours!

I believe by law, a rental unit is required to be able to maintain an average temperature of 64 degrees.  I'm not sure where I got that, but I thought I came accross that in my studies at OU.  Maybe there was an article in The POST about tenants' rights.  It may be regulated by the City of Athens. 

I believe by law, a rental unit is required to be able to maintain an average temperature of 64 degrees.  I'm not sure where I got that, but I thought I came across that in my studies at OU.  Maybe there was an article in The POST about tenants' rights.  It may be regulated by the City of Athens. 

 

You're correct.  I think the temp is suppose to be 64 or 67.  Regardless, there should be addequate (heating/cooling) ventilation throughout the unit.

I have personally gone around to every vent in the house and closed those in utility rooms or hallways as to direct as much heat as possible into the bedrooms, but I get nothing in the third floor even still.

 

The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority seems to only deal with low-income and senior housing. Who deals with renters rights?

I have personally gone around to every vent in the house and closed those in utility rooms or hallways as to direct as much heat as possible into the bedrooms, but I get nothing in the third floor even still.

 

The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority seems to only deal with low-income and senior housing. Who deals with renters rights?

 

Whatever you find out, don't do anything without talking first to the landlord.  Give him the benefit of the doubt, he may not know its a problem.  Why expend any energy without giving him a call?

I have personally gone around to every vent in the house and closed those in utility rooms or hallways as to direct as much heat as possible into the bedrooms, but I get nothing in the third floor even still.

 

The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority seems to only deal with low-income and senior housing. Who deals with renters rights?

 

You're looking at public housing.  You need to look at HOUSING LAWS ADMINSTRATION for your city.  Oh dear....you kids scare me.

 

Here are some links.

Try the legal aid society

http://www.lascinti.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cdap/pages/-34603-/

 

http://cagisperm.hamilton-co.org/cpop/default.aspx

 

 

I have personally gone around to every vent in the house and closed those in utility rooms or hallways as to direct as much heat as possible into the bedrooms, but I get nothing in the third floor even still.

 

The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority seems to only deal with low-income and senior housing. Who deals with renters rights?

 

Whatever you find out, don't do anything without talking first to the landlord. Give him the benefit of the doubt, he may not know its a problem. Why expend any energy without giving him a call?

Agreed.  That is why I said, to check to make sure all names or all occupants are on the lease.

 

Call the landlord and ask, but I say it never hurts to check things out. When last was your unit inspected? 

There is a great site about Ohio Landlord Tenant issues and some questions are answered (briefly) for free by a lawyer (Willson) experienced in these issues.  Sometimes if he can't answer he just suggests you purchase some documents that might help, but it's great for overall assistance.

http://members3.boardhost.com/landlordtenant/

 

I would suggest before you ask on those boards though that you need to provide a written letter to the building owner/manager (if there is an on-site manager and it's a different person than the owner, CC the owner) stating the lack of heat and give them X business days to rectify the inhospitable lack of heat situation.  After X days [something reasonable - not 5 days (may not be able to fix it that quick) but not 30] if it is not fixed, follow up with a letter stating in X more days (shorter time period) if the situation is not resolved you will set up an escrow account and begin paying your rent into escrow.  You do not have a right to not pay your rent, but you do have a right to the comfortable and quiet enjoyment of your suite, and that includes heat.  And if it's 64 right now, you are getting SOME heat, just not enough, and they should look into a fix. 

 

Research how to set up an escrow account and truly be ready to do it when you say you will.  The words "escrow account" are usually more than enough to light a fire under any worthwhile (and some not worthwhile) landlords, and if it's not, you live with the space heater until you can find another place to live, and you should be able to leave with no penalties since it's their fault you have to vacate.

Don't do anything until you talk to your landlord.  I've read your posts, but I see nothing you wrote where you actually contacted the person who owns the house.  Maybe you can state that you did in your next post so we can set things straight.  If you haven't done that yet, then no one here in this thread has anything to add until the issue becomes more problematic.

 

Landlords are not responsible for unit inconveniences until the tenant actually notifies the landlord of an issue.  It can sometimes take a few days to fix the problem, unless they consider it a more serious issue.  If they were held responsible, it would give them legal right to invade on your privacy and come in whenever to check out conditions

 

If your landlord fails to address the issue after a few calls, then you can take it up with some public body that deals with these types of issues.  Really it shouldn't matter whether you are on the lease or not which someone mentioned.  If it's a bedroom, it would be expected that any of these rooms have sufficient heat.

If it's a bedroom, it would be expected that any of these rooms have sufficient heat.

 

Ah yes it does.  That is why I asked if his name is on the lease and the lease states "x" bedrooms for "x" tenants.

• If mcadrenaline's name is not on the lease then he cannot complain.  The person/person on the lease need to.  From his initial post, It's not clear if he is on the lease.
   
  
• If the room is not described as a bedroom and mcadrenaline is an "non leased" occupant then maybe the other tenants are running game on the landlord.
  
• If the landlord is using that room as a bedroom but it isn't listed as a bedroom (with the board of health/codes/or housing) then the landlord might be running game.
  

 

Lets see what mcadrenaline posts next.

I am on the lease. My bedroom is considered one of the 5 bedrooms in the house. We currently have 4 tenants living in a 5 bedroom house, with the 5 bedroom (in the basement) deemed uninhabitable by us and used as storage.

 

I plan on sending him a note in writing with my November rent and then contacting him maybe 72 hours later (because I know he won't call me). I have not contacted him yet, but will keep you all posted.

 

I won't take it up with a public body until I feel that I need to.

I like to be an honest and reasonable person, and I'm very sorry if I offend you mcadrenaline, but I kind of get irked at these types of threads because the advice almost becomes unnecessary when your first priority hasn't even been addressed.  If a problem arises, call your landlord.  But it wasn't until reply #12 that we find you haven't called your landlord, and there's really no reason to doubt you'll have much trouble considering you know that your name is on the lease.

 

I'd suggest you call now, not wait until November.  I'm saying this in a nice tone, believe me.  I just hope this advice is useful.  Don't wait.