How warm must a Toronto rental be?
| When | The rule | Applies |
|---|---|---|
| October 1 to May 15 | At least 21°C | When heating is provided at the property owner's expense |
| June 1 to September 30 | No more than 26°C | Only where the landlord provides air conditioning |
Source: City of Toronto, indoor temperatures in apartment units. The heating by-law is being renamed the Indoor Temperature Standards By-law on June 1, 2026. The older window of September 15 to June 1 that still circulates online is out of date.
The City also says that when the weather alone keeps a building at 21°C, owners can turn the heat down or off, and that property owners are not required to install air conditioning where none exists.
What should a tenant do first?
- Speak to your landlord or property manager and submit a service request.
- Your landlord must respond to an urgent request, such as no heat, within 24 hours, and to a non-urgent request within seven days.
- If it is not resolved in a timely manner, report it to the City by calling 311 or online. A by-law officer may investigate.
All three steps are the City's (City of Toronto). A tenant does not normally hire a heating contractor for the landlord's equipment; the landlord does.
What should a landlord have ready before October 1?
The 24 hour clock starts when the tenant asks. Things that shorten a no-heat call:
- A contractor's number saved before the first cold night, and the after-hours line: Jackman Mechanical's is (416) 888-1371, 24/7.
- A photo of the label on each furnace or boiler, so the right parts can be identified from the first call.
- Access sorted: a lockbox, a superintendent, or a tenant who has agreed to let the technician in.
- The yearly inspection done. The Government of Ontario asks owners to have fuel-burning appliances, chimneys and vents cleaned and inspected by professionals every year before cold weather sets in (Government of Ontario).
- Carbon monoxide alarms tested: in rental suites, Ontario makes the landlord responsible for installing, maintaining and testing them, as the alarm guide explains.
Who fixes the heat?
For a landlord or a property manager, Jackman Mechanical troubleshoots, repairs and maintains furnaces, boilers and building heating plants, and works for property managers across several buildings. Send a no heat request with the address and the label photo, or call.