When Should Landlords Turn On Heat

Turning a profit in a rental property business is all about ensuring your expenses are less than your monthly income. This rule applies to all landlords, whether you’re running a multi-unit student apartment or a modern single-family unit in the suburbs. As a result, when temperatures drop and autumn’s crisp air fades into winter’s biting chill, everyone starts asking, “When should landlords turn on the heat?”.

After all, it is your responsibility to keep your tenants safe from the cold and ensure satisfaction. However, prioritizing their comfort can lead to steep energy bills that eat into your profits. That’s why we’ve put together this article to help you tow the line between profitability and consideration. 

Legal Obligation of Landlords to Provide a Warm Home Space

Before diving into the various factors you need to weigh, it’s essential to break down your legal obligations as the property owner. Every property owner must abide by specific housing codes that fall under the umbrella term, “Implied Warranty of Habitability.” These codes outline the minimum requirements by local and state laws landlords must provide to paying tenants, including policies on structure, security, and sometimes even temperature. In other words, if you fail to meet these requirements, your renter may be well within their rights to sue you.

How does this apply to providing a warm home? Some states have ordinances that require landlords to provide heat during specific periods. In Boston, heating laws for renters clearly state that, “landlords must provide a heating system that can heat to a minimum 68 degrees during the day and 64 degrees at night from September 15 to June 15.” 

That means property owners have to ensure their HVAC system can meet these requirements, and when there’s a fault, hire a Boston rental manager to arrange repairs with a qualified maintenance crew.

Practical Considerations for Landlords 

Weather Conditions vs Calendar Dates

Remember that such policies are only a guideline, and given the unpredictability of weather from year to year, landlords occasionally have to make a decision regarding temperature outside those windows. For example, if there’s a sudden cold snap in early September, it would be impractical to not turn the heat up. On the other hand, keeping the heat high during an unusually warm November would be both inconvenient for your renters and a waste of money due to the higher electric bill. That means you have to be flexible enough to adjust your indoor temperature based on current weather conditions instead of rigid calendar dates. Sure, it’s essential to follow local guidelines to fulfill your legal obligations, but the end goal is your tenant’s comfort. 

Tenant Comfort

Speaking of tenants, while legal obligations set the minimum standard, they don’t always imply comfort. In other words, you could argue that you don’t need to raise the temperature a single degree above 68o F, but when the weather outside is -10oF, that may come off as uncaring or even cruel. Yes, landlords are responsible for turning on heating systems depending on the regulations in your area, but you also have a duty to keep your tenants comfortable. For renters with underlying health conditions or a lower tolerance for cold, the legal minimum criteria may be insufficient to keep them warm. That’s why expert property managers often recommend turning the heat up a few degrees above the legal baseline. Besides, being more considerate of your tenants’ needs builds goodwill that reduces conflict and encourages them to renew their lease.  

Insulation and Energy Efficiency

Another factor you should consider is the structural integrity and energy efficiency of your building. If your house is older and draftier, you may need to turn the temperature up higher than the minimum to account for some of the lost warmth. As a result, it’s often worthwhile for landlords to invest in insulation upgrades such as double-paned windows, proper wall insulation, and even a new HVAC system. These updates allow your building to preserve more heat, improving your energy efficiency and cost savings in the long run. 

Cost and Maintenance of Heating Systems

For many landlords, heating is one of the most significant operating expenses. The decision of when to turn on the heat is directly tied to the cost of fuel, whether it's natural gas, oil, or electricity. In other words, you have to weigh the cost of running the heating system against the risk of tenant complaints, legal action, or damage to the property from cold-related issues such as frozen pipes. Thus, to mitigate these costs and risks, proactive maintenance like regular inspections and servicing of boilers, furnaces, and HVAC systems is crucial.

Deciding when to turn on the heat is more than just flipping a switch. Landlords have both a legal duty to provide a safe, warm living space and a practical responsibility to balance comfort with efficiency. Local housing codes set the minimum standards, but factors like sudden weather changes, tenant needs, insulation quality, and system maintenance all play a role in getting the timing right. By considering these factors, you can strike a balance between long-term property profitability and tenant comfort.