Heat Not Working in Pennsylvania: What You Can Do
When the heat stops working, Pennsylvania law gives you ways to get it fixed. This page covers your landlord's duty, city heat rules, winter shutoff protection, and the steps to take.
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In Pennsylvania, a rented home must be fit to live in, and heat in winter is part of that. A home without working heat in winter counts as unfit under state law. Your landlord must fix serious problems like this.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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Pennsylvania has no single statewide rule that sets an exact indoor temperature for rentals. Cities write heat rules into their property codes, so the exact rule depends on where you live. In Philadelphia, heating systems must be able to keep rooms at 68 degrees from October 1 through April 30. That rule covers two-family homes, apartment buildings, and rooming houses. Check your city's guide for its rule.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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Tell your landlord the heat is not working right away, and put it in writing. A text, an email, or a letter all work. Keep a copy of every message. Write down the indoor temperature each day and take photos. The law says you must tell your landlord first and allow a reasonable time for the repair.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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If the landlord does not fix the heat, report it to your city or county code office. Ask for an inspection. The city treats no-heat reports as a priority during the heating season and tells renters to report right away.
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A state law called the Rent Withholding Act can stop your duty to pay rent while the home is unfit. No heat in winter can make a home unfit. It works in Pennsylvania cities but not townships of boroughs. First, the city health or inspections department must certify the home: officially declare it unfit to live in. After that, you stop paying your landlord. Instead, you pay the full rent into an escrow account. That is a separate bank account, approved by the city or county, that holds the money. Your landlord cannot evict you while your rent is in escrow.
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Part IV.C Maintenance Pennsylvania General Assembly 35 P.S. § 1700-1✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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The escrow money has a 6-month time limit, counted from the day officials declare the home unfit. If the home is declared fit again within those 6 months, the escrow money goes to the landlord. If the home is still unfit when the 6 months end, the money is paid back to you. The escrow money can also be used to fix the home or pay utility bills (water, electric, gas) the landlord did not pay.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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Do not heat your home with a stove or an oven. That can start a fire and cause carbon monoxide poisoning (a deadly gas you cannot see or smell). Philadelphia's inspections department warns that stoves, ovens, and space heaters are unsafe substitutes for a working heating system. In Philadelphia, using a stove or oven for heat is also against the law.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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Sometimes the heat is off because the building's gas or electric bill is in the landlord's name and the landlord did not pay. The company cannot shut off service without warning you. It must send a written notice to your home at least 30 days before any shutoff.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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If the landlord still does not pay, you and the other tenants can keep the service on by paying the company. You pay the amount of the landlord's bill for 1 month, and the company must keep service on or restore it promptly. Any money you pay the company comes off your rent. For example, if you pay the company $150, you pay your landlord $150 less that month.
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Part IV.E Utility Services Pennsylvania General Assembly 66 Pa.C.S. § 1527(b) Pennsylvania General Assembly 66 Pa.C.S. § 1529✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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The law protects you when you pay the bill this way. A landlord who threatens you or punishes you for it owes you money. The amount is 2 months of rent or your actual losses, whichever is more: 2 months of $1,000 rent is $2,000. The landlord may also have to pay your court costs and lawyer fees.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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If the heating bill is in your own name and you are behind, you have extra protection in winter. From December 1 through March 31, electric and gas companies cannot shut off households below an income limit set by state rules. They need permission first from the Public Utility Commission (the state agency that oversees gas, electric, and water companies). If a shutoff notice arrives in winter, contact the company and share your household size and income.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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The protection is stronger when the account is in the landlord's name. From December 1 through March 31, the company cannot shut off service to a home on a landlord's account. The only exceptions are things like fraud, meter tampering, or unauthorized use of service.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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A serious illness in your home can stop a shutoff at any time of year. A licensed doctor, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner can write a letter saying that someone in the home is seriously ill. The letter also works for a condition that would get worse if the service stops. This letter is defined as a medical certificate. With it, the company cannot shut off service or refuse to restore it. Get the letter to the company quickly.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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Air conditioning is treated differently from heat under Pennsylvania law. No statewide law makes your landlord provide air conditioning. The state's list of basic needs covers heat in winter, running water, and sanitation, not cooling. You still have options in extreme heat. If your lease promises air conditioning, ask for the repair in writing and keep a copy. You can also report unsafe conditions to your city code office.
✓ Sources checked September 11, 2026
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