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  1. #1

    Default Rental Property Has No Hot Water and the Landlord Won't Fix the Problem

    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the StMy question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Illinois (Chicago)

    I have been renting an apartment since March 2018. The hot water has been tepid at best since I moved in and I immediately notified my landlord of the issue (his other tenants have since informed me he is a lazy incompetent internet-tough-guy) . He took no rush to respond and only came to the unit when he happened to be in the area. He used the "seems fine to me" excuse and I voiced me disagreement. He said he'd look into it, then he sent an email saying it was adequate and would take no action. Without getting off-topic, there is a slew of other issues not related to the utilities that he is ignoring, at least 3 of which are fairly solid code violations or RLTO issues (a big hole in the floor of the pantry for example).

    I began taking temperature readings after reading up on Chicago's Municipal Code 13-196-420 and 430 and the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) and it seems to me that hot water at my taps has to be a minimum of 120 degrees F. After thoroughly measuring the temperature for many days and I informed my landlord of the results, e.g. it's below 120 and needs to be fixed. I also contacted Chicago's 311 and submitted a building violation notice about a week ago.

    I received a extra-nasty email from him last week (his emails are always unpleasant) in which he claimed I was threatening and slandering him. He then said that he deliberately turns the water down because there are children in the building who may be scalded by such high temperatures. He continued on to misinterpret the Municipal Code as saying he doesn't have to provide hot water year-round (that's heat, not hot water) and that should feel lucky.

    I'm preparing to respond to and have been seeking legal advice from local attorneys. They are telling me that I need to wait the 6+ weeks for the city inspector to arrive (5 to go) before I can pursue legal remedies such as withholding rent, reducing rent, breaking the lease, etc. They recommend I send him a letter citing all the deficiencies that make the unit uninhabitable and then approach him with an offer of nullifying the lease and going our separate ways. I'm fairly justice-oriented and don't want to see this guy hurt anyone else. I'd like to make sure I have thought of everything that needs to be done and get all the right balls rolling now. Does anyone have any advice on how I should proceed?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    18,340

    Default Re: Hot Water Not Hot and Landlord Won't Fix, Help Me Find a Way Forward

    Continue the track you are on now.

    don't want to see this guy hurt anyone else.
    Forget that. Nothing you can do will ever stop him from doing to anyone else. So take care of your own interests and let others take care of theirs.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Hot Water Not Hot and Landlord Won't Fix, Help Me Find a Way Forward

    Quote Quoting oldfartWbeard
    View Post
    The only thing this particular landlord appears to understand is when something cost him money , BTW this LL is full of him self when he told you ` the Municipal Code as saying he doesn't have to provide hot water year-round (that's heat, not hot water) and that should feel lucky.` if a apartment building has central hot water heating he has to keep the temperature to what ever minimum local ordinances or the state sets
    Agreed and agreed. The other tenants also agree.

    Quote Quoting oldfartWbeard
    View Post
    , As far as temperature just so you know even in a nursing home hot water temperatures for all uses but dietary or laundry are no higher than 120F and no lower than 110 F As to scalding concerns your city can tell you if it has a ordinance that has set a temperature limit . I know of one state where hot water temperatures are to be no higher than 125 at the start of a tenancy .
    No issue there. Chicago Municipal Code 13-196-420 and 430 is very short and to the point on the 120 minimum for residential buildings. Linked here: http://library.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Illinois/chicago_il/municipalcodeofchicago?f=templates$fn=default.htm$ 3.0$vid=amlegal:chicago_il

    Quote Quoting oldfartWbeard
    View Post
    SO anyway your LL understands things when it impacts his wallet , so you might as well just tough it out and get your city inspection in there. AS to 6 weeks do you think they would move it up farther if more of the tenants complained ? ( when the inspector comes out you want a copy of the inspectors findings for your records )
    That's a good idea. Thank you for the suggestion.

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