NYC Vibe Check: heat complaints up 213% (12,084 vs 3,860)

Update, Oct 26, 2026: heat complaints more than tripled in a week

• Oct 18–24: 12,084 heat and hot water complaints. Oct 11–17: 3,860. Change: +8,224 (+213.1%). That is more than three times the prior week. It is the biggest rise of any 311 complaint type this week. Note: the prior week includes Oct 17 (low 43°F, 1,838 heat complaints), so the base is higher than in last week's note. (NWS CF6)
• The peak was Oct 18 (2,603). Oct 23 had 1,672, and Oct 24 had 1,488. Complaints are lower than the peak. (311 counts by day)
• The coldest low in this window was 41°F on Oct 18. Oct 24 low was 44°F. (NWS CF6, Central Park, Oct 2026 — preliminary)
• "Entire Building" complaints: 8,856 of 12,084 (73.3%) vs 2,754 of 3,860 (71.3%). (311 query)

Cold in your apartment? Check my heat → Sources: 311 heat complaints by borough, type and day, Oct 1–25. NYC Open Data, erm2-nwe9, pulled Oct 26, 2026; data through Oct 24 (late reports can still add a few).

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Week of Oct 4–10, 2026. New Yorkers filed 3,596 heat and hot water complaints to 311. The week before (Sep 27 – Oct 3) they filed 1,674. That is 1,922 more (+114.8%).

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What is up

Heat season started on October 1. Each year, complaints jump when the first cold nights come. This year the jump is large:

• 311 heat and hot water complaints: 3,596 (Oct 4–10) vs 1,674 (Sep 27 – Oct 3). Source: 311 data, Oct 4–10 · 311 data, Sep 27 – Oct 3.
• All 311 complaints went down 3.9% in the same week (76,313 vs 79,425). Heat went the other way.
• Caveat: 4 days of the earlier week (Sep 27–30) were before heat season. Part of the jump is the season start, not only colder apartments.
• Transparent.city counted 3,990 heat complaints from Oct 1–9, 2026, against 2,085 in the same days of 2025 (+91.4%). (Transparent.city, Oct 13, 2026)
• HPD reports 344,437 heat complaints in the last heat season (Oct 2025 – May 2026). (HPD; also The Real Deal, Oct 3, 2026)

By borough (311, HEAT/HOT WATER)

Source: NYC Open Data, 311 Service Requests (dataset erm2-nwe9), counted by created_date. Oct 4–10 query · Sep 27 – Oct 3 query. Data pulled Oct 14, 2026. The dataset lags a few days, so Oct 11–13 are not complete yet.

The NYC heat law in plain words

Heat season: October 1 to May 31. (NYC Admin Code §27-2029; HPD; 311)

What the law text adds: - The 62°F night rule applies "regardless of" outside temperature since 2017. Before that, the night minimum was 55°F and applied only below 40°F outside. (Local Law 86 of 2017 / Int 0722-2015) - The code text of §27-2031 sets 120°F hot water "between the hours of six a.m. and midnight." Showers and baths with anti-scald mixing valves may run cooler, but never below 110°F. HPD and 311 tell tenants hot water is required at 120°F, 365 days a year. (§27-2031 text, UpCodes) - During the day, HPD can only write a violation if the inspector records an outside temperature below 55°F at the time of the visit. (HPD) - In NYCHA public housing, do not use the HPD route. Use the NYCHA maintenance complaint route listed on the 311 page.

How to report no heat

1. Tell your landlord, super or managing agent first. Do it in writing (text or email). Keep a copy. 311 asks you to try this first. (311)
2. Record the temperature. Take a photo of a thermometer in your home. Make sure the time shows. (See the FAQ.)
3. Use SidewalkSnitch. Open Heat Check to see if you should have heat now, then file a snitch plus a 311 complaint through SidewalkSnitch, with no waitlist.
4. Or file on 311 directly. Complaint type: Heat/Hot Water (HPD). File on the 311 portal, call 311, or use TTY (212) 504-4115. (HPD)
5. Talk to your neighbors. If the whole building is cold, each apartment should file. This season HPD tries to inspect every apartment that files a non-anonymous complaint, not one apartment per building. (City Limits, Oct 6, 2026; The Real Deal, Oct 3, 2026)

FAQ

What should I record? - The inside temperature, with the date and time. - The outside temperature at the same time (only matters for the 6 AM – 10 PM rule). - When the heat or hot water stopped, and if it is your apartment or the whole building. - Every message to your landlord and every 311 complaint number. Patch quotes a renter-platform founder who suggests thermostat readings, photos, emails and texts to build a record. (Patch, Oct 1, 2026) 311 tells tenants to document all contact with the landlord and HPD in case they go to Housing Court. (311)

How do I use a thermometer? Put the thermometer in a room you live in (not the bathroom), away from radiators, the stove, space heaters and open windows. Give it a few minutes before you read it. This is a common-sense tip, not a city rule. The law says the temperature must be met "in every portion of such dwelling used or occupied for living purposes." (§27-2029)

Why a photo with the time? The night rule (62°F) and the day rule (68°F) depend on the hour. A photo that shows the thermometer and the time (a phone clock in the frame, or the photo timestamp) helps your own record show which rule applies. HPD writes violations from its own inspector\'s readings. (HPD)

What happens after I file with 311? From HPD and 311: 1. HPD tries to reach the owner or managing agent to say the building may have no heat. (HPD) 2. HPD may call you to ask if the heat is back. If you say it is fixed, HPD closes the complaint. (HPD; 311) 3. If it is not fixed, or HPD cannot reach you, a uniformed Code Enforcement inspector comes. The owner is not told the inspection date. (311) 4. The inspector issues a violation if, between 6 AM and 10 PM, it is below 55°F outside and below 68°F inside; or, between 10 PM and 6 AM, it is below 62°F inside. The inspector takes the outdoor temperature on every visit. (HPD) 5. If you are not home, the inspector leaves a card and tries another apartment in the building. (HPD) 6. The inspector also checks smoke and CO detectors, lead paint (child under 6), window guards (child under 11), mold, pests and more. (311) 7. Owner penalties: 50–00 per day for a first heat or hot water violation, and 00–cd /workspace/ss-nightly/2026-10-14/marketing-work/vibe-check-v2; L='https://data.cityofnewyork.us/resource/erm2-nwe9.json?$select=borough%2c+count%28%2a%29+as+n&$where=complaint_type%3d%27HEAT%2fHOT+WATER%27+AND+created_date+%3e%3d+%272026-10-04T00%3a00%3a00%27+AND+created_date+%3c+%272026-10-11T00%3a00%3a00%27&$group=borough' P='https://data.cityofnewyork.us/resource/erm2-nwe9.json?$select=borough%2c+count%28%2a%29+as+n&$where=complaint_type%3d%27HEAT%2fHOT+WATER%27+AND+created_date+%3e%3d+%272026-09-27T00%3a00%3a00%27+AND+created_date+%3c+%272026-10-04T00%3a00%3a00%27&$group=borough' HPD=https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/heat-and-hot-water-information.page S311='https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-01036' A29=https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-60410 A31=https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-236495 UP=https://up.codes/s/supply-of-hot-water-when-required LEG='https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=4731360D-AB3E-4C20-BC89-B194AE40F6AD&ID=2240508' RUL=https://rules.cityofnewyork.us/rule/minimum-temperature-requirements-for-dwellings-with-centrally-supplied-heat/ cat > vibe-check-v2-en.md <<E

Cold apartment? Check it in one minute.

Heat Check tells you if you should have heat right now. Then file a snitch plus a 311 complaint, with no waitlist.