South Shore Man Says Property Group Shuts Off His Apartment's Heat At Night
Chicago (CBS) -- Kenneth Seals lives in an apartment near 76th and Kingston Avenue in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood. He knows the unit isn't perfect but says his issue with the heat is unacceptable.
"My apartment freezing like this have kept me up," Seals said. "I'm shivering at times. I got quilts but sometimes that don't help."
Seals says the heat for his apartment is set by the property group of the building. He doesn't have control over his thermostat and has to depend on a space heater at night to keep warm.
"The heat is working during the day," Seals said. "The heat is not working during the night, like at 10 p.m., 11 p.m., 12 a.m. It don't come back on until 4 a.m. and then it shut off for two hours."
Seals says the problem with the heat has been going on since October.
He took pictures of the thermometer to document the drop in temperatures overnight. One picture shows a reading of 62 degrees and another at 55.
"They told me when they came out that the temperature was at standards," Seals said.
But, regardless of who's in charge of setting the thermostat, the Chicago Heat Ordinance mandates that landlords supply heat to rental units during cold winter months. The temperatures inside during the day must be at 68 degrees and during the evening they must be at 66.
"They cutting it off to cut corners and save money because they are paying for the heat. We don't pay for the heat," Seals said.
A manager for the property group, Pangea Real Estate said he had no comment.
Seals just wants the problem fixed.
"I have sent them emails about the heat," he said. "I haven't been disrespectful. I have been patient."
Seals said he is in the process of filing a complaint with 311.