Bellwood CHAPTER 124: LICENSING OF MULTI-FAMILY DWELLINGS AND SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLING UNITS FOR RENT § 124.23
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR HEAT
Operative Text
No person shall occupy as owner-occupant or let to another for occupancy any multiple-family building, single-family dwelling unit for rent, or dwelling unit, for the purpose of living therein, which does not comply with the following minimum requirements. (A) Every dwelling unit shall have heating facilities which conform to the requirements of Chapter 150 of this code. (B) Every dwelling unit or rooming unit to which heat is furnished from a heating plant used in common for the purpose of heating the building shall be supplied with heat without such undue restriction or ventilation as to interfere with proper sanitary conditions, to provide a minimum temperature of 68º from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and a minimum temperature of 65º at all other times. Such temperatures shall be averaged throughout the dwelling unit or rooming unit. (C) Failure to furnish the heat required by this section shall not constitute an offense where it is due to a breakdown of the heating plant, if diligence is used to have such plant repaired (unless such breakdown has been caused by a violation of this chapter), nor where it is due to strikes, to a general shortage of fuel, to any act of the tenant who makes the complaint, or to any cause beyond the owner's control. (D) To determine if a violation of this section has occurred, the Comptroller shall cause temperature readings to be made by means of a standard Fahrenheit thermometer in not less than two rooms, or if the unit consists of only one room then in two opposite parts of the room at or near the extremes as practicable, such thermometer to be placed at a point not less than four feet nor more than six feet away from any door or window. (Ord. 03-43, passed 8-20-03; Am. Ord. 03-59, passed 11-12-03)
Bellwood § 124.23 establishes minimum heating requirements for rental dwellings and multi-family buildings. Units served by a shared heating plant must reach at least 68°F between 6:30 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., and at least 65°F during overnight hours, with temperatures averaged across the unit. The rule carves out limited exceptions—such as an unforeseeable heating-plant breakdown where repairs are pursued diligently, fuel shortages, strikes, or causes genuinely beyond the owner's control—but those exceptions do not apply if the breakdown resulted from a code violation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers covered by Bellwood § 124.23 generally maintain heating systems that consistently deliver the required 68°F daytime and 65°F overnight minimums in every dwelling and rooming unit served by a shared plant. Compliant operators keep heating equipment in good working order, respond promptly to any breakdown, and document repair efforts so that the limited exception for unforeseeable failures is available if needed. Because the Comptroller may verify compliance by placing a standard Fahrenheit thermometer in at least two rooms (or two opposite parts of a single-room unit) at a height of four to six feet from doors and windows, operators benefit from understanding exactly how measurements are taken.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Bellwood § 124.23, tenants in rental dwellings are entitled to a minimum of 68°F heat during daytime hours (6:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m.) and 65°F overnight, averaged throughout the unit. If heat falls below these thresholds and no valid exception applies, a violation may exist, and the Bellwood Comptroller's office is the body authorized to conduct official temperature readings to determine whether a violation has occurred. Tenants who believe their unit is not meeting these standards may consider documenting temperature readings, contacting the Comptroller's office to request an inspection, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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