Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  11/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The building in question is heated by hot water baseboards. Tenants have no thermostats, the building was built in 1962. Early in October the heat was turned on and has been on ever since. During that time daytime temps were close to 18 C or higher. Despite my comments to the on-site office, building temperatures are set in an arbitrary fashion and have no relevance to outdoors. Friday Nov. 10 for example was 10 C outside, the heat was on full for 24 hours. The indoor temp. reached 28 C. This includes the main lobby and has happened repeatedly and has been commented on more than once. *As a result, I leave windows partially to fully open along with the inside balcony door. I leave the balcony screen open as well and blow cool air inside with a 26" tower fan. It's on now, 4:50pm Nov. 11th. It will probably be on most of the night. It drops the temp. inside to 23-25 C. * I've reviewed numerous articles about comfortable inside day and night temperatures. The range for day temps. is 21-25 C, night temps for sleeping are 16-19 C. The arbitrary temp settings are apparently not based on an effort to do any reading whatsoever. In addition the consistently high temps. are not healthy. Parents and small children are unable to sleep. This isn't passed on for two reasons. Many are refugees who are afraid to challenge authority. Others such as me have lived here for years and have learned to not even bother. So we don't. This, however, is enough. * I suggested a compromise of some sort. I received an answer about seasonal temp. changes. I'm 75 years old and have spent over 55 of them living here. Give me a break!

  Business response

  21/11/2023

  Thank you for your letter expressing concerns on behalf of Mr. **** ** **** ******** ********** ****** regarding the heating in his unit (unit too warm) We appreciate the opportunity to address this matter.
  It's important to note that our building does not have unit-controlled thermostats; instead, the heating system is centrally managed by a boiler that provides heat to all residents. Our protocol is to ensure that the heat is turned on starting October 15th each year, and we diligently adhere to this schedule.
  In response to Mr. ****'s complaint about the temperature in his unit, we have thoroughly investigated the matter. After assessing the heating system and consulting with other residents, we found that Mr. **** is the only resident experiencing discomfort (unit too hot)  In light of this, we suggested practical solutions, such as opening windows or installing an air conditioning unit, to help him regulate the temperature in his living space- as many other residents did.
  Regrettably, our building's infrastructure does not allow for individual thermostat control, and this is communicated to all residents upon lease agreements. We understand that preferences regarding climate control can vary, and we strive to provide reasonable alternatives within the constraints of our building's design.
  We want to emphasize that we take all resident concerns seriously. However, in this case, given the centralized heating system and the absence of similar complaints from other residents, our ability to address Mr. ****'s specific request is limited.
  Additionally, we are unsure why the ****** ******** ****** is involved in this matter, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Landlord and Tenant Board. We have already advised Mr. **** to seek guidance from them and perhaps they can answer his questions and offer suggestions as we have already done.  
  Moreover, with temperatures expected to drop to -15°C tonight (at the time this reply is written), the central heating system ensures that all residents have a warm and comfortable living space. Many of our residents appreciate this feature, and it contributes to a safe and pleasant living environment, especially during extreme weather conditions.
  We remain committed to providing a comfortable living environment for all our residents within the scope of our capabilities. If there are further inquiries or if additional information is required, please feel free to contact us directly.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩