What temperature should a home be heated to?

Verified 18 June 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

In general, heating is considered insufficient when it does not allow to reach 18 °C in the center of each room. In the event of underheating (or overheating), the judge may, inter alia, impose sanctions (on a case-by-case basis) for compensation for the damage suffered by the occupant of the dwelling. The steps to be taken depend on whether the dwelling is inhabited by a tenant or by an owner in a condominium. We'll explain.

Tenant

The minimum allowable temperature depends on the filing date of the housing permit:

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Building permits filed after June 1, 2001

The temperature measured at the center of each room must be capable of being maintained at a minimum of 18°C. If not, the tenant may require the landlord to intervene.

If the temperature is 18°C, the tenant cannot demand a temperature increase. If they add extra heating to get a temperature increase, they're paying for extra heating.

Older accommodation

The tenant must be able to warm up normally, in accordance with minimum standards of decent housing. If this is not the case, the tenant can require the landlord to do the necessary work.

Please note

The law has not defined what it means warm up normally. This is a matter for the protection litigation judge the court on which the dwelling depends.

In a heated housing, the average temperature of all the parts is restricted to 19° C.

Consequently, a heating which does not allow an average of 19°C to be exceeded in the housing must not be considered as faulty.

The temperature of a room in a dwelling corresponds to the air temperature, measured at the center of the room and 1.5 meters above the ground.

To obtain the average of the temperatures of all the parts, it is necessary to weight the temperature of each part by its volume.

Example :

In a housing comprising 2 rooms, the 1re room has a temperature of 18 °C and is 20 m3, on 2e room has a temperature of 19 °C and is 25 m3 :

  • The temperature of the 1re coin must be multiplied by: 20 / (20 + 25), i.e. 20/45, which is equal to 0.4. The weighted temperature is 18 x 0.4 = 7.2 °C
  • The temperature of the 2e coin must be multiplied by: 25 / (20 + 25), i.e. 25/45, which is equal to 0.6. The weighted temperature is 19 x 0.6 = 11.4 °C
  • The average housing temperature is: 7.2 + 11.4 = 18.6 °C

FYI  

If you feel it's too hot or too cold, you can do a temperature check yourself or have it done at your own expense.

If a temperature check indicates overheating or underheating:

  1. The tenant must send a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the owner (or the real estate agency that manages the rental of the accommodation). This letter must inform him of the situation, and demand that he ensure that the heating system is properly adjusted.
  2. In the absence of a response from the landlord, the tenant may enter the protection litigation judge the court on which his dwelling depends.

Owner occupying a condominium

The minimum allowable temperature depends on the filing date of the housing permit:

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Filed after June 1, 2001

The temperature measured at the center of each room must be capable of being maintained at a minimum of 18°C. If this is not the case, the co-owner may require the trustee to intervene in the case of collective heating.

If the temperature is at least 18°C, the co-owner cannot demand a temperature rise. If they add extra heating to get a temperature increase, they're paying for extra heating.

Filed before this date

There is no minimum temperature allowed.

In a heated housing, the average temperature of all the parts is restricted to 19° C.

Consequently, a heating which does not allow an average of 19°C to be exceeded in the housing must not be considered as faulty.

The temperature of a room in a dwelling corresponds to the air temperature, measured at the center of the room and 1.5 meters above the ground.

To obtain the average of the temperatures of all the parts, it is necessary to weight the temperature of each part by its volume.

Example :

In a housing comprising 2 rooms, the 1re room has a temperature of 18 °C and is 20 m3, on 2e room has a temperature of 19 °C and is 25 m3 :

  • The temperature of the 1re coin must be multiplied by: 20 / (20 + 25), i.e. 20/45, which is equal to 0.4. The weighted temperature is 18 x 0.4 = 7.2 °C
  • The temperature of the 2e coin must be multiplied by: 25 / (20 + 25), i.e. 25/45, which is equal to 0.6. The weighted temperature is 19 x 0.6 = 11.4 °C
  • The average housing temperature is: 7.2 + 11.4 = 18.6 °C

FYI  

If you feel it's too hot or too cold, you can do a temperature check yourself or have it done at your own expense.

If a temperature control indicates under-heating or overheating, in the case of collective heating:

  1. The co-owner must send a registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt to the condominium trustee. This letter must inform him of the situation, and demand that he ensure that the heating system is properly adjusted. The co-owner can inform the union board of his approach to the trustee.
  2. In the absence of a response from the liquidator, the co-owner may refer the protection litigation judge the court on which his dwelling depends.

Who can help me?

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  • Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service

    For more information on this topic, you can contact Allô Service Public.

    Cost: free service

    The informants who answer you belong to the ministry in charge of housing and city planning.

    Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and cannot therefore provide information on their status.

    The service is available at the following times:

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  • Departmental Agency for Housing Information (Adil)

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