(Washington, DC) As temperatures drop in the Washington region, tenants look to their building's owners to provide adequate heat.

If a tenant does not control setting heat in a unit, the building's heat must be kept at a minimum temperature of sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit (68° F) between 6:30 am and 11 pm. Between 11 pm and 6:30 am, a building's heat must be kept at a minimum temperature of sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit (65° F).

DCRA reminds landlords: any furnace, boiler, or other central heating system must be inspected between March 1 and September 1 of each year. This inspection must be done by a master plumber and gas fitter, heating and air conditioning contractor, master mechanic, licensed by the District, or a certified employee of a public utility. Owners must file inspection results with DCRA within 15 days of inspection.

Failure to comply with a Notice of Violation may result in a fine of $1,000 and penalties and fees for the owner. Residents can report violations by calling (202) 442-8359.

Note: In the days before modern technology, a building's heating and air conditioning was often controlled by one unit–sometimes known as a "one-pipe system." At that time, the system could either produce heated air or cooled air. Traditionally, a system would be converted from cooled air to heated air on October 15 and from heated air to cooled air on May 15. It is due to the limitations of these older systems, that many residents began to believe that heat must be turned on in buildings by October 15.

While there is no law that says heat must be on by a certain date, please remember, District law does require that minimum temperatures be maintained in living areas during cold weather.