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Heat Not Working in the United States: What You Can Do

Last reviewed by Nazanin · Last verified August 31, 2026

A home with no heat in cold weather is not safe. In general, landlords must keep rental homes fit to live in, and the exact heat rules come from state and local law. This page covers winter heat and summer cooling, and it points you to your state's guide for the details.

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Not legal advice. Every statement below links to its primary source. Read the source before relying on this information.

  1. Heat is part of a home that is fit to live in. In general, your landlord must keep the home livable and free of health and safety hazards. The exact heat rules, such as dates and temperatures, come from state and local law, so check your state's guide.

    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Managing rent payments The White House (archived) First Principle

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

    This rule depends on where you live. See the rule in every place we cover.

  2. Broken heat is a repair problem. The same steps apply as for any unsafe condition. Keep records and ask for the fix in writing. If the landlord does nothing, ask your local government for help. The guide on repairs and unsafe conditions explains each step.

    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Managing rent payments

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

    We have full guides on this. See our Repairs and Unsafe Conditions guides.

  3. Keep a record from the first day without heat. Write down the date the heat stopped and the indoor temperature each day, and take photos of the thermostat. When you call your landlord, write down the date and time. Note the name of the person you talked to and what they said about repairs.

    Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia Tips for Requesting Repairs

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

    This rule depends on where you live. See the rule in every place we cover.

  4. Tell your landlord in writing that the heat is not working, and keep a copy. Ask when it will be fixed. If it is freezing in the home, call first, then follow up in writing the same day.

    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Managing rent payments Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia Tips for Requesting Repairs

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

    This rule depends on where you live. See the rule in every place we cover.

  5. If the landlord does not fix the heat, ask your local government for help. Call your city or county code or health office and ask about a rental housing inspection. Your state also has an agency that handles tenant rights problems. Federal guidance says state and local governments should make sure rental homes meet housing standards.

    USAGov Get help for a dispute with a landlord The White House (archived) First Principle

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

    This rule depends on where you live. See the rule in every place we cover.

  6. Do not just stop paying rent because the heat is out. A landlord can start an eviction case (a court case to remove you from the home) when rent is not paid. Do not hold back rent or subtract the cost of a heater from your rent on your own. First talk to a lawyer or a housing services office about your state's rules.

    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Overview Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Managing rent payments

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

    This rule depends on where you live. See the rule in every place we cover.

  7. Sometimes the heat is off because the utilities (water, electric, gas) were shut off over unpaid bills. You may have protection: 42 states have cold weather rules that limit utility shutoffs. Ask your utility company what cold weather protections apply to you, and ask about help paying the bill.

    LIHEAP Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Summary

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

  8. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps pay heating and cooling bills and can help in an energy crisis. Call the National Energy Assistance Referral Hotline at (866) 674-6327 to find your local LIHEAP office.

    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Get help paying rent and bills Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress Federal Financial Assistance

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

    This rule depends on where you live. See the rule in every place we cover.

  9. Stay safe while you wait for the repair. Never heat your home with a gas oven. Never use a generator inside the home or garage. Both give off carbon monoxide (a poison gas you cannot see or smell). If you use a space heater, keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away. Turn the heater off when you leave the room or go to bed.

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Prevention tips U.S. Fire Administration, FEMA Heating fire safety tips

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

  10. Summer cooling is treated differently from winter heat. Most states do not have specific laws, standards, or plans about extreme heat. Do not assume you have a right to air conditioning: check your state's guide first.

    Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress Gaps in Available Nonfederal Authorities

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

  11. Some places do treat dangerous indoor heat as a housing problem. Los Angeles County is one example. In the parts of the county outside city limits, landlords must keep rooms used for living or sleeping at or below 82°F. Also, 21 states have hot weather rules that limit utility shutoffs. Check your state's guide for the rules where you live.

    LIHEAP Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Summary Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Landlord's Responsibility

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

  12. If your lease includes air conditioning, or the home came with it, treat a broken unit like any other repair. Ask for the fix in writing and keep a copy. Federal guidance says owners should provide the services and amenities (extra features, like appliances) that were advertised or included in the lease.

    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Managing rent payments The White House (archived) First Principle

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

    We have full guides on this. See our Repairs and Unsafe Conditions guides.

  13. Protect your health during extreme heat. Fans help only when the indoor temperature is under 90°F: above that, a fan can raise your body temperature. If you have no cooling at home, spend the hottest hours somewhere with air conditioning. Dial 2-1-1 to find a cooling center (a public air-conditioned place).

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Stay Cool

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

    This rule depends on where you live. See the rule in every place we cover.

  14. Extra rules apply in HUD-assisted housing (housing with federal rent help, like public housing or a Section 8 voucher). In climate zones that HUD names, the home must have a permanently installed heating source. Unvented space heaters that burn gas, oil, or kerosene are not allowed in these homes. Federal inspection standards also list extreme temperature as a health and safety hazard. If HUD insures or manages your building, report unfixed problems to HUD's Multifamily Housing Complaint Line.

    USAGov Get help for a dispute with a landlord Code of Federal Regulations via Legal Information Institute 24 C.F.R. § 5.703(e)

    ✓ Sources checked August 31, 2026

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