It’s Oct. 1: Your NJ landlord now has to keep you warm

It starts every October in New Jersey. The mornings get crisp, someone in the house says it's freezing, and someone else says "put on a sweater."

If you rent, today the law takes your side.

The rule starts today

Under state housing code, New Jersey's heating season runs from Oct. 1 to May 15. During that time, owners of apartment buildings and hotels have to supply heat and keep every unit at:

• 68 degrees from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• 65 degrees from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

That's the owner's job, fuel included, unless you agreed in writing to supply your own heat with your own system.

Who's covered

The rule applies to what the state calls multiple dwellings. Under state law, that's a building with three or more units where people live independently of each other. Think apartment complexes, garden apartments and the triplex down the block.

Renting a single-family house or one side of a duplex? Check your lease, and check with your town. Some municipalities have their own heat ordinances.

What to do if it's cold

Talk to your landlord first, and put it in writing. Keep a log of the date, the time and the temperature in your unit. A cheap thermometer and your phone's camera make a pretty good paper trail.

If that doesn't work, NJ 211 says tenants can file a no-heat complaint with the state Bureau of Housing Inspection at 609-633-6227 or BHIInspections@dca.nj.gov.

Jersey City, Newark, Paterson and Trenton also run their own 24-hour heat hotlines.

SEE ALSO: Your NJ ANCHOR check is coming. Here's when, and how much.

Renters, the heat is your landlord's job now. Homeowners, it's still yours. | Photo by EJ Johnson

Homeowners, you're on your own

If you own your home, the only deadline is your own stubbornness. My advice: don't wait for the first frost to find out the furnace won't kick on. Book the tune-up now, before every HVAC tech in the state is booked solid.

And change the filter. Your furnace will thank you, and so will your energy bill.