Lost heat 36 hours ago- landlord said it won’t be fixed until Monday due to holidays

Submitted by manchegoaway t3_zv8etg in rva

Wondering if anyone else has been dealing with this. I’ve had no heat since Saturday morning and have been living under quilts and layers with a spare heater running at all hours. Been able to keep my apartment around 53 degrees for the last two days. We called the emergency maintenance line and they said they would send someone out but by 5pm Christmas eve they said that none of the maintenance contracting companies were responding to them and so they probably couldn’t get it fixed until Monday. Thankfully we had our own space heater because otherwise we would be SOL, the management property offered zero solutions. This feels not okay? Our electricity bill is also going to be extra high due to the space heater running nonstop. Any thoughts? I feel fortunate to have shelter at all in these temps but I’m really frustrated because we pay for this apartment and spent Christmas in the cold and the temps are going to be low again tonight. They said they had about 250 similar complaints and hadn’t been able to fix them because the maintenance companies weren’t responding. They said it wasn’t their fault and that they weren’t even sure they could get it fixed on Monday. I feel powerless and totally at their whim. Also worried about the 250 other people who may not have space heaters.

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[deleted] t1_j1o2sbg wrote

[deleted]

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Oostylin t1_j1pu04x wrote

Maybe we should leave our politicians without heat for days and see if things change.

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WakeNikis t1_j1puvk1 wrote

This has to do with individual houses, not infrastructure.

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sunflowercola t1_j1pvbsg wrote

It’s the infrastructure have you been getting the dominion emails?

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WEINER_SCHLAP t1_j1ug5wc wrote

your local HVAC repair man does not fix systems belonging to Dominion. They repair equipment that is owned by the property owner. It would be like shouting at your home plumber that the storm sewer down the road is busted.

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Master-Ad-5153 t1_j1nr35t wrote

Landlords are required to provide adequate heat per the Landlord Tenant Act https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title55.1/chapter12/section55.1-1220/

Also, here's a document with what to do when the landlord is required by law to make emergency repairs - specifically states no heat in the winter: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/content/uploads/sites/119/2017/05/LandlordTenant-1.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiMh4HF7JX8AhXyFVkFHY6qAzsQFnoECA8QBg&usg=AOvVaw1rofUFghoczPf6j_k_ZbrE

Although it sucks about no company they called willing to come out, I'm not sure if the law still cover you if you call any and every company yourself and stick the bill to your landlord.

Good luck!

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kneel_yung t1_j1omhjp wrote

> provide adequate heat per the Landlord Tenant Ac

The exact language of the act is to provide reasonable amounts of heat in season, and to maintain all systems in good working order that are provided or required to be provided.

Heat being out for a few days during an extreme cold snap, during the christmas holiday weekend, due to the hvac company being busy, is highly unlikely to be regarded as unreasonable.

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Tylerjb4 t1_j1ono45 wrote

Yea realistically shit happens and machines break and we can’t conscript people to work on Christmas so….

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DefaultSubsAreTerrib t1_j1ps537 wrote

Just for contrast, I recall tenant protection laws are much stronger in NYC. If a building's boiler broke down in winter time they would deploy an emergency boiler truck: literally a boiler on a truck, parked outside, and piped into the building's heating systems. Dozens of companies in the metro area would rent these out.

That's not to say every landlord would comply (ahem, NYCHA), just to paint a picture of how much renter laws vary from place to place.

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Charlesinrichmond t1_j1v1ycb wrote

There is a cost to that though it's not free which is one of the reasons New York rent is so expensive.

It's also not a thing in Richmond obviously because we use different heating systems. We need more HVAC techs but you can't exactly force them to work over Christmas holidays

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Melodic_Apple_9504 t1_j1o6sdb wrote

This is the only answer. 👆

You should consider, wait you need to call legal aid on Monday morning. There is absolutely no excuses. The landlord and or management companies have to make accommodations. They are both on the hook here. Please don’t hesitate to DM me any questions you may have.

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Bezexer t1_j1o8llk wrote

It’s terrible advice to tell someone to go straight to legal when they are encountering an issue over the holidays. There aren’t many judges or attorneys that will support an argument that the landlords should be able to magically fix the problem on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The better suggestion would be to advise OP to speak with the landlord about possible solutions, like reimbursing a space heater. You can’t threaten legal action without first attempting to mitigate damages. It’s a poorly thought out strategy.

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Master-Ad-5153 t1_j1og63f wrote

All I did is post public documents on how the law applies in this particular situation which includes methods for remedy and/or redress - I'm not giving any legal advice.

Otherwise, I'm definitely not blaming the HVAC crews dealing with a high volume of calls on a holiday weekend.

Edit: perhaps I should read your reaction was to the poster commenting to my post above yours - however, it's up to OP and their landlord's response as to whether or not there's any need for legal redress.

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Bezexer t1_j1ogh20 wrote

You did indeed post a document with how to handle this situation as a tenant. My response was to the person above, not to you.

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DonBandolini t1_j1oeek4 wrote

last i checked the law doesn’t exempt landlords from their duty because “it’s Christmas”

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Bezexer t1_j1oepqk wrote

What, pray tell, shall the landlord do for this tenant…who has stated they have a source of heat?

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DonBandolini t1_j1ofoy6 wrote

🤷‍♀️ they should have prepared better. maybe don’t be a landlord if you can’t provide the absolute bare minimum to your tenants.

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Bezexer t1_j1ofvel wrote

How are you supposed to plan for heat going out over a major holiday weekend when contractors aren’t working? Are they supposed to have a contractor that specializes in everything on retainer and on call? I hope when someone is bestowing an unrealistic expectation on you, you remember this conversation and apply the same words you put on someone else onto yourself.

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Economy-Maybe-6714 t1_j1x1l0v wrote

I have extra space heaters just in case something like this happens to one of my properties. If i couldn’t get over and deliver the space heaters I would offer to put them in a hotel for the night. Its not that hard.

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Bezexer t1_j1x91xj wrote

That’s good for you. I have my systems serviced regularly to avoid potential problems as well as heaters and AC units for system failures. The extra mile is certainly appreciated, but no one is a bad landlord for being unable to predict major heat outages over a cold snap. At some point it goes from reasonable expectation to tenants expecting better treatment than one can expect to give themselves simply because they are tenants. There’s a difference between one heater going out because of lack of maintenance and state-wide heat emergencies due to the weather.

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McCheetah t1_j1ogv20 wrote

I’m gonna say yeah, they should have an emergency 24/7 contact that can fix basic needs like heat in the winter.

At a minimum, they should be prepared and ready to provide alternative solutions when immediate needs can’t me met. If that’s space heaters provided until central heating can be fixed or alternate accommodations until the issue is fixed. They should at least make an attempt to remedy the serious problems immediately.

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GrumpyNewYorker t1_j1shpmu wrote

i don’t know about here, but in NYC larger apartment buildings have a dedicated superintendent that performs maintenance in exchange for reduced or free rent. That’s easy for a large millionaire landlord to swing. Mom and pop renting out a second property obviously can’t do that. At most, they have a property management agency that acts as a middle man to hire third party companies to do maintenance like this. They can’t do that if there are no technicians available to hire because demand spiked on Christmas. At the end of the day, the landlord isn’t going to be found negligent of anything here. It’s a freak cold snap on a holiday that took out heat for many, many homes. They have an obligation to repair it within a reasonable timeline, and reasonable isn’t going to be same-day given the circumstances.

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GMUcovidta t1_j1v1je2 wrote

In some apartment buildings, that have hundreds of units and are paid for with extra fees. Not at all comparable to RVA.

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DonBandolini t1_j1ogi7t wrote

found the landlord lol

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Bezexer t1_j1oh01v wrote

I am a landlord, yes. I am also a tenant and have been a tenant longer than I have been a landlord. The home I am in actively has no heat. I would never expect my landlord to magically fix a problem on Christmas Day. That is completely unrealistic. I set up my heaters, discussed a game plan with the landlord, and have set my expectations accordingly. It’s not their fault that no contractor in the area is available on a major holiday.

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GrumpyNewYorker t1_j1sgje0 wrote

It does, you’re just too dumb to realize it.

>The landlord shall perform the duties imposed by subsection A in accordance with law; however, the landlord shall only be liable for the tenant's actual damages proximately caused by the landlord's failure to exercise ordinary care.

An extreme cold snap that spikes demand for HVAC techs on a weekend where very few HVAC techs are working ≠ demonstrate a landlord’s failure to exercise ordinary care.

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Bezexer t1_j1o5lln wrote

Yeah…it’s the holidays. People aren’t really working over the holidays. It happens. I am continuously shocked by people who think landlords can just bend contractors to their whim. They are right. They can’t help that the heat went out so close to a holiday. What are they supposed to do? They can’t just snap their fingers and make things happen. I am a homeowner without heat and I can’t get anyone to fix my heater until Tuesday. You know what I did? I bought four space heaters and set them up in my house to sustain until the repair can be made. That’s life. We adapt and overcome. The landlords aren’t bad landlords just because they can’t get a contractor to fix your heat right now.

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Ew_fine t1_j1os7lc wrote

Then they should pay to put them up in a motel.

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em6891 t1_j1ppu8f wrote

Damn! Some of yall have really high expectations!

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Master-Ad-5153 t1_j1ohagt wrote

I don't know how many tenants would expect a miracle fix like that, but more that their landlord would provide some alternative heating sources until repairs can be made. You purchased space heaters, something the landlord should be providing if that's an acceptable solution.

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Bezexer t1_j1ohfyt wrote

You must not be paying attention to some of these conversations. By the way, the OP does have a space heater. What else shall this landlord offer to this specific tenant?

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Master-Ad-5153 t1_j1okksg wrote

Well all I got is the same story you did, but maybe we're interpreting differently.

I'm reading it as the landlord has no knowledge of the space heater, perhaps it isn't adequate for this particular unit, and the landlord hasn't attempted to provide such an alternative (given the timing of everything, who knows if providing an adequate alternative is achievable).

It's hard to say exactly how the law would apply here considering the VDHA document indicates a heating emergency such as this requires immediate repairs by the landlord but is fuzzy on the acceptable window of time and the law is also not clear on if the landlord is required to provide an alternative.

Of course, while not ideal, it may be prudent to temporarily put the OP into a hotel until the repairs can be made.

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Nyves t1_j1rbc4e wrote

They can at least offer to cover some of the electric bill. They're the homeowner and their tenant doesn't have adequate heat. It's the landlord's responsibility to fix it and if contractors can't come out, then they have to do what they have to do. Put them up in a hotel/motel until the property is liveable, provide heated blankets or space heaters, put them in a vacant unit with an air mattress...

The tenant is literally paying the landlord to be responsible for moments exactly like this.

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Bsomebody t1_j1nqcco wrote

You're not alone. These freezing temps are straining heat pumps and freezing pipes. So sorry this has happened to you. Is your landlord willing to pay for another heat source or a hotel room? https://cvlas.org/get-info/

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Jsprdn t1_j1nu24q wrote

If it makes you feel better regarding the power bill, one space heater running at full on this weekends rates is only about …. Correction on my estimate, $4.32/day.

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Vapid_Ingenue t1_j1o606u wrote

Average space heater is 1500W. Run it for 24 hours and you've used 36 kWh. Are the weekend rates only $0.067/kWh?

Not trying to be an a nitpick, I'm genuinely wondering. I was under the impression we pay between 11-13¢ per kWh unless you're one of the 10,000 people under schedule 1G?

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Jsprdn t1_j1o6kr7 wrote

Ok truth time, my math was bad.

You’re right about 36 kWh x 12 cents x 24 hours = $4.32/day.

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longhairedcountryboy t1_j1o0ptd wrote

That's probably cheaper than kerosene.

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DragonWarrior3345 t1_j1oo42p wrote

And it smells a lot better than kerosene, too! 👍🙂

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longhairedcountryboy t1_j1ooohu wrote

The thing about kerosene heaters is that you need to light and turn them off outside. After they get going they don't have much smell if the wick is right.

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Andy122885 t1_j1oup48 wrote

Damn I haven’t noticed an increase in my bill this winter versus last, and I’m staying in a basement running a space heater 24hrs a day some days. 12 or so hours other….

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longhairedcountryboy t1_j1o0kon wrote

I don't rent but I expect it would be next week before mine got fixed if it broke right now. Run a space heater and do the best you can for now.

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choicebutts t1_j1ox77g wrote

If your heat goes out, turn your faucets on to a dribble of warm water to help prevent freezing pipes.

If you rent, buy an oil-filled, radiant heater, the heaters that look like electric radiators. They're safer than electric coil heaters and put out a lot of heat even on low settings. You may not use it often, but you'll be thankful to have it when the heat fails.

I had two in Indiana during that extreme cold snap years ago when it got down to 30 below. It wasn't optimal but I didn't freeze in my barely-insulated, two-bedroom bungalow, and neither did the pipes.

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[deleted] t1_j1npxak wrote

[deleted]

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80_PROOF t1_j1nxv2p wrote

Is your outside unit working? Check your circuit breaker to the outside unit. Mine had tripped out the blue and could barely tell it tripped from looking at it.

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Daemonrealm t1_j1o2nbz wrote

I hope you shutoff your main water supply to the home and drained all the water from your pipes.

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Andy122885 t1_j1oufgm wrote

53 the pipes should be fine. My basement where the pipes are running through un insulated gets into the mid 40’s a lot and never had the pipes freeze. Kitchen is through the finished basement wall to the dirt cellar(original cellar to the 1800’s part of house) and have never froze either.

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momthom427 t1_j1ocqlp wrote

My minisplits are struggling to keep up so I’m using a couple of extra heaters as needed. It’s happening all over and with the holidays and number of people who need service, it may take an extra day or two. I’d try to do the best you can and show your landlord a little grace and patience. I know it’s frustrating- my kitchen was 50 the last two days and mine is actually working.

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valentinAlkan t1_j1omtbg wrote

> the management property offered zero solutions.]

What solution are you expecting them to provide?

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manchegoaway OP t1_j1oucyz wrote

Thanks to folks for commenting, I posted mostly because I’m just frustrated and cold, to see if others had any similar information/situations going on or if we were alone in this. I know it’s the holidays so it’s a busy time with kind of out of nowhere weather so we’re just doing the best we can here to stick it out. It still just sucks? but it’s been helpful to hear from others. Thanks to everyone for hearing me out. Hoping folks stay warm and had a lovely holiday or regular weekend however you celebrate.

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ediblerice t1_j1ogkfg wrote

Assuming your unit is heated by a heat pump with electric backup heat, your electric bill will probably be lower than if you were running on the electric backup heat this whole weekend.

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J-Colio t1_j1pl6i5 wrote

Posts like this make me want to invest in a kerosene heater. We had one when I was a kid, and that mfer kept the place nice and toasty.

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Vapid_Ingenue t1_j1pru2q wrote

Yep. We have one specifically for loss of heat/power. It's a relatively affordable bit of insurance

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rameyjm7 t1_j1pvjw3 wrote

This sucks. My recommendation Is to buy another space heater or two from Walmart or similar... they should be between 30-40 dollars

Your electric bill will go up a little bit, but chances are you won't need to run them all nonstop for 30 days. And you'll be warm!

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1flewunder t1_j1qji2v wrote

In /ABoringDystopia sub there is a guide to setting up a tent inside during winter power outages. Sorry I do not know how to cross post. It is recent though

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TigMac t1_j1r3j6b wrote

Can you try to call around to different hvac companies and see if they will come out for an emergency call then get reimbursed from the landlord?

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naturallychildish t1_j20oy6v wrote

I haven’t had heat since Friday at the earliest, and my landlords have been dicking me around regarding the repair.

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yourMomsIndy t1_j1qiouc wrote

If you have the money, go to a hotel. Try to get the landlord to reimburse. They probably won't but it's worth a shot.

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