The weather in Los Angeles is famously sunny and warm — except when it’s not. This week, the National Weather Service issued its first Southern California blizzard advisory since 1983.
L.A. winters do occasionally bring uncomfortably low temperatures. And when the mercury drops, renters in L.A.’s notoriously poorly insulated housing should know that they are legally entitled to adequate indoor heating.
If you’re a renter, here’s what to know about your rights.
What the law says about heat in rental housing
Javier Beltran, deputy director of the L.A.-based Housing Rights Center, said landlords must provide heating in order for a rental unit to be considered habitable under state law.
“If they don’t have heating facilities, or don’t have a heater in the unit, then legally they cannot rent the unit out,” Beltran said. This standard is set out by California’s civil code section 1941.1, and it applies across the state.
The city of Los Angeles has rules that spell out heating requirements in greater detail. Under the city’s municipal code section 91.8111.1, all rental housing must be able to maintain “a room temperature of 70°F at a point three feet above the floor in all habitable rooms.”
What renters without heating should do
Beltran said renters who have a broken heater, or no heating at all, should first notify their landlord about the problem in a text, email or letter. Be sure to document the request in writing — don’t rely only on calling your landlord or talking about the problem face-to-face.
After the landlord has been notified, renters must allow a “reasonable” amount of time for the problem to…
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