As temperatures begin to drop across Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia with fall approaching, heating becomes more than a matter of comfort.
Local laws set requirements for when landlords must provide heat and how warm rental homes must be.
Those rules vary across the DMV, so what your landlord is required to provide depends on where you live.
Here’s what you need to know about heating laws across the DC area.
What are the heating laws in Washington DC?
As the DC Office of the Attorney General states, "no one should be stuck in the cold inside their apartments."
It's why tenants have heating rights, which state landlords must maintain a minimum temperature of 68 degrees from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Oct. 1 to May 1. From 11 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., the minimum temperature must be 65 degrees.
"With a two-pipe system, or any other system reasonably requiring more than 15 days to transition from air-conditioning to heat, the heat shall be supplied during a period starting no later than October 15 and ending no earlier than May 1," according to the city's housing code standards.
Officials say landlords are also required to have a professional test the efficiency and adequacy of heating systems annually.
If landlords are not abiding by the laws, tenants are encouraged to send evidence to the attorney general's office.
What are the heating laws in Montgomery County, Maryland?
Landlords in Montgomery County must ensure homes maintain a minimum temperature of 68 degrees.
Unlike DC, there is no scheduled turn-on date for heating in multi-family homes.
Tenants can file complaints to the Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
What are the heating laws in Prince George's County, Maryland?
Each home in Prince George's County must have heating facilities that maintain a temperature of at least 70 degrees.
Landlords are required to have properly installed and maintained heat from Sept. 15 to May 15.
If the outside temperature falls below 14 degrees, the minimum temperature requirement can be waived as long as the heating system is operating properly.
Violations can be reported to PGC311.
What are the heating laws in Virginia?
Alexandria and Arlington — independent cities in Virginia — each follow state building code.
Buildings must provide heat from Oct. 15 to May 1, and all homes must provide a minimum temperature of 68 degrees.
Loudoun County, Fairfax County and Prince William County also follow the same code.
If the outside temperature falls below 17 degrees, the minimum temperature requirement can be waived as long as the heating system is operating properly.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What renters should know about heating laws in DC area before fall
