N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2032
Gas-fueled or electric heaters (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
a. Gas-fueled or electric space or water heaters, where permitted by this article as an alternative to a central supply of heat or hot water, shall be governed by the provisions of this section. b. The capacity, number and location of such heaters shall be such as to furnish the same standard of heat or hot water supply, as the case may be, as is required to be furnished from a central heat or hot water system. c. Electric heaters shall be approved by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. and shall comply with applicable provisions of the building code and the multiple dwelling law. d. Gas-fueled heaters shall comply with article nine of this subchapter and with applicable provisions of the building code and the multiple dwelling law, but any such heater lawfully in existence on July fourteenth, nineteen hundred sixty-seven which does not comply with subdivision b of section 27-2034 of article nine of this subchapter shall comply with such section by July fourteenth, nineteen hundred seventy-eight. No person shall cause or permit to be occupied for sleeping purposes any room containing such a non-complying heater. Any heater installed in replacement of any such non-complying heater shall comply with all provisions of article nine of this subchapter. e. The owner shall not, unless otherwise agreed between owner and tenant, be required to pay for the gas or electricity used by such heaters. f. Notwithstanding any provision of prior law, it shall be the duty of the owner to keep each such heater in good repair and good operating condition, regardless of the identity of the person originally owning or installing the heater. g. The owner shall instruct each successive tenant of an apartment in which such heaters are installed as to safe and proper method of using and operating such heaters. h. The department may make and enforce regulations supplementary to the provisions of this section and article nine of this subchapter to secure an adequate supply of heat and hot water and to protect the health and safety of tenants.
N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 & 27-2032 governs the use of gas-fueled or electric space and water heaters as alternatives to central heating or hot water systems in multiple dwellings. These heaters must meet the same heating and hot water standards as a central system, and electric units must carry Underwriters Laboratories approval while gas units must comply with applicable building and multiple dwelling law requirements. Owners bear ongoing responsibility for keeping each heater in good repair and operating condition, and must instruct each new tenant on safe and proper use, regardless of who originally installed the unit. Utility costs for running the heaters fall on the tenant unless the owner and tenant have agreed otherwise.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 & 27-2032, property owners who rely on individual gas or electric heaters instead of a central system are responsible for ensuring those units meet the same heat and hot water output standards required of central systems. Compliant operators verify that electric heaters carry UL approval and that gas heaters satisfy the building code and multiple dwelling law, and they maintain all such heaters in good repair regardless of who originally purchased or installed them. Each time a new tenant moves into an apartment with these heaters, owners generally provide instruction on safe and proper operation, and they ensure no room with a non-complying gas heater is used for sleeping purposes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 & 27-2032 establishes that tenants in apartments with individual gas or electric heaters are entitled to the same standard of heat and hot water as tenants served by a central system, and that the owner—not the tenant—is responsible for keeping those heaters in good repair and operating condition. Tenants also have the right to receive instruction from the owner on how to safely operate the heaters when they move in. If a heater is not maintained or fails to provide adequate heat, tenants may consider filing a complaint with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, raising the issue as a defense in a housing court proceeding, or reaching out to a tenant-rights organization to understand 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 October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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